Archived ebulletin: September 2005

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1. Enhancing environmental awareness through literature, languages and Area Studies
2. Higher Education and the National Languages Strategy: Enhancing the role of Modern Languages in HEIs
3. Routes into reading
4. Visual communication and the teaching of Modern Languages, English and Intercultural Studies
5. Enhancing the student learning experience in Modern Languages : Personal Development Planning, skill development and learning support in modern languages at HE
6. Sharing good practice in teaching Area Studies: Call for Abstracts
7. Subject Centre Conference 2006 - Call for Papers
8. Cascading good practice (Workshops to Go) - Call for Bids
9. Call for Area Studies materials
10. Other events
11. Subject Centre website update - new resources this month

Subject Centre Events

1. Enhancing environmental awareness through literature, languages and Area Studies

09 September 2005 - CILT, London
Deadline for registration: Wednesday 7 September 2005
The English Subject Centre and LLAS have recently completed projects as part of the HEFCEs Education for Sustainable Development initiative. Sustainable development is not always seen as a natural concern for humanities disciplines, but the work of the English and LLAS Subject Centres and of many of our practitioners has demonstrated that environmental issues can be approached through studies of historical and contemporary cultures, societies and literatures. The study of these subjects can help practitioners and their students to reflect on their own practices. For further information, visit the Subject Centre events page.

2. Higher Education and the National Languages Strategy: Enhancing the role of modern languages in HEIs

28 September 2005 - Senate House, University of London
This seminar aims to explore how Heads of Department/Deans of Faculty can respond most effectively to the recommendations of the report by Hilary Footitt, commissioned by the DfES (http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR625.pdf). The day will include presentations from experts in the field as well as opportunities for discussion. At present, we have space for one representative per institution to attend this seminar. If you would like to attend on behalf of your institution and are unsure if your Head of School/Dean of Faculty has responded to the invitation, please email Marie Weaver mw11@soton.ac.uk at the Subject Centre.

3. Routes into reading

20 October 2005
Institute of German and Romance studies, Senate House, London
This one-day conference will present ideas and strategies for creating interest and enthusiasm among students for the study of foreign language literatures. These may include the use of literature in translation and other texts (such as film) that have been derived from or refer to works of literature. To reserve a place please register online via the Subject Centre events page.

4. Visual communication and the teaching of Modern Languages, English and Intercultural Studies

09 November 2005 - Westpark Conf. Centre, University of Dundee
Visual texts, particularly film and television, have long been used to teach other languages and to mediate other cultures. Yet visual media are used in a variety of different disciplinary contexts which rarely overlap and yet which bring different perspectives to bear. This seminar will explore ways in which these perspectives may illuminate and enhance the teaching of Modern languages, English and Intercultural Studies. To register for this event please contact: Amanda Reeman-Clark amanda.reemanclark@stir.ac.uk) The cost of the seminar is 30 pounds which includes coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. The closing date for applications is 31st October 2005. Please register using the Subject Centre events page.

5. Enhancing the student learning experience in Modern Languages : Personal Development Planning, skill development and learning support in modern languages at HE

11 November 2005 - CILT, LONDON
With the QAA requirement for PDP (Personal Development Planning) to be implemented at HE from Autumn 2005, most universities are either reviewing their current practices - to see whether they fit into those outlined by QAA - or are creating new practices from scratch. LLAS are organising an event to be held at CILT on 11th November 2005 to exchange ideas on the issues involved for Modern Languages at HE. The day will be of interest to modern language teaching staff, support staff working in or with modern languages, learning and teaching coordinators and staff working in university careers or learning and teaching centres. Please go to the Subject centre events page for more information and to register.

6. Sharing good practice in teaching Area Studies

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS - 14 October 2005
14 November 2005 - CILT, LONDON
Colleagues are invited to share ways in which they have impacted upon the overall learning experience of Area Studies students. Papers are welcome from practitioners contributing to any Area Studies course. If you would like to contribute please submit an abstract (max 200 words) to John Canning j.canning@soton.ac.uk by 14 October 2005. For more information on this event go to the Subject Centre events page.

Subject Centre LLAS/CILT Conference 2006

7. Subject Centre LLAS/CILT Conference 2006

Crossing frontiers; languages and the international dimension
Call for papers - 28 October 2005
6-7 July 2006 - University of Cardiff
Following the success of "Setting the agenda for languages in higher education" in 2002 and "Navigating the new landscape for languages" in 2004, the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies and CILT, the National Centre for Languages are pleased to announce that their 2006 HE conference will be held at the University of Cardiff on 6 and 7 July. The conference will be jointly hosted by CILT and LLAS in partnership with the University Council of Modern Languages (UCML), the Standing Conference of Heads of Modern Languages (SCHML), the Association of University Language Centres (AULC) and the Association for Language Learning (ALL).
Papers are invited on the following four themes:

• Working across sectors
• The curriculum
• E-learning
• Teacher training

To submit your proposal and to read more about the background behind the topics to be covered by this major HE conference, please visit the Subject cebtre events page.

Projects

8. Cascading Good Practice (Workshops to go) - Call for bids

The Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies is inviting bids to develop training packs for enhancing staff and students in the relevant subject areas. The successful applicant will be required to produce a training pack and run two regional training sessions for HE staff. Participants at the workshop will then be expected to 'cascade' the training within their institutions.

Proposals should be sent to Alison Dickens a.m.dickens@soton.ac.uk. All applications should be received by 30th November 2005. For further information please visit the Subject Centre news page.

9. Call for Area Studies materials

The Subject Centre is currently involved in a project that is exploring the use and re-use of learning materials for languages, linguistics and Area Studies. The project consists of exploring the concept of the learning object (an electronic, self-contained and pedagogically driven learning resource) and the ways in which it can be delivered to enable repurposing (adaptation) and reuse. We will be taking some of the materials from languages and linguistics that are held in our Materials Bank and evaluating them as candidates for adaptation into learning objects. We are now seeking some suitable materials developed for the content (socio/cultural or political) aspect of languages and Area Studies programmes that might be appropriate for adaptation and sharing across the sector. Materials must be electronic and should be copyright free. For further information or to send your resources contact Alison Dickens a.m.dickens@soton.ac.uk.

Other Events

10. Other Events

Please visit the Subject centre other events page for details of events not being organised by the Subject Centre.

Subject Centre website updates

11. Subject Centre website updates - new resources this month

Materials Bank: Making the best use of virtual learning environments (VLEs) for language learning
Authors: Barbara Scott and Christine Lyne

Subject Centre Report 2004-5
Author: Liz Hudswell

We would be grateful if you would forward this bulletin to colleagues and relevant mailing lists. Please do not hesitate to contact the Subject Centre if you have any queries regarding this bulletin.

Sue Nash
Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies
Modern Languages, School of Humanities
University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ

Tel: 023 8059 4814 Fax: 023 8059 4815
Email: llas@soton.ac.uk