Archived ebulletin: August 2006

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This bulletin contains information on the following:

1. Education for sustainable development: discussion series
2. Postgraduate conference: identity information
3. CETLs questionnaire
4. Ab initio language teaching questionnaire
5. Pedagogical research fund
6. LLAS Digest 2006: Articles, projects and resources from the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies
7. NEW Subject Centre CD: Why study languages?
8. A wider perspective and more options: investigating the longer term employability of humanities graduates
9. Lingua "Opening the door to language learning" handbook
10. New teaching materials
11. New good practice guides
12. Opportunities for doctoral study in languages at the University of Ulster and Queen's University Belfast
13. HE Academy Exchange magazine
14. Sustainable development on graduate job market
15. Graduate entrepreneurs wanted!
16. Curriculum innovation for diversity
17. Third annual conference on 'The international learner: enhancing the student experience'
18. The internationalisation of UK HE: Purposes, Policies and predicaments
19. The leading and embedding innovations in Higher Education institutions
20. The British Council Innovation Awards 2007
21. Other events

Subject Centre activities

1. Education for sustainable development: discussion series

26 October 2006, 20 November 2006, 10 January 2007
Location: To be confirmed
A three day discussion series to explore the interaction between the Natural and Human Sciences in relation to 'Education for Sustainable Development'. For further details, please go to the Subject Centre events page.
Places are limited: please respond by the end of August with early expressions of interest. later applications will depend on availability. Contact for all enquiries: Dr Alex Ryan (Tel: 01242 577976)

2. Postgraduate conference: identity information

4 April 2007
University of Manchester
This Subject Centre sponsored Lecture will be the first ever conference to incorporate all the departments in the Faculty of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures at The University of Manchester. This exciting inaugural event aims to be all inclusive and embrace all modern foreign languages; it will treat the notion of 'Identity Formation' in literature, art, film and media studies. Full details, including a call for papers, are available on the University of Manchester's website. For further details, please go to the Subject Centre events.

3. CETLs questionnaire

The Subject Centre is working with CETLs that have a language element or share common themes with our constituencies, e.g. in the areas of assessment, e-learning, employability, linking teaching and research, and outreach. If you are working in an institution which has a CETL, we would be very interested to find out:
1) Are you currently working with your CETL, and if so in what way(s)?
OR
2) If you are not currently working with your CETL, would you like to do so? If so in what way(s) and is there anything the Subject Centre could do to help facilitate this? Please send your comments to the Subject Centre.

4. Ab initio language teaching questionnaire

There's still time to tell us about your experiences of ab initio language teaching. Please fill out the Subject Centre questionnaire.

Recent publications

5. Pedagogical research fund

During the 2005-2006 academic year, LLAS funded six pedagogic research projects. Practitioners were able to bid for up to £4,000 to undertake an investigation into a facet of learning and teaching in Languages, Linguistics or Area Studies. Each project explores an important and timely challenge in higher education and the findings and recommendations of all the reports will be useful to colleagues in all our subject areas.
These are available to download on the LLAS website.

6. LLAS Digest 2006: Articles, projects and resources from the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

Copies of the LLAS Digest 2006 have now been sent to all our HE institution contacts within the UK. If you have not received your copy and would like to order one, please email your details to the Subject Centre.

7. NEW Subject Centre CD: Why study languages?

The Subject Centre has launched a new CD designed to excite, educate and encourage young people to continue with their language learning in KS4 and beyond. The CD is divided into two parts:'The Language Lab' is aimed at pupils in KS3 and KS4 and 'Why study languages' is aimed at pupils in KS4 and post-16. There are quizzes, powerpoint presentations and much much more AND it comes with its own poster! Further information about the CD and ordering procedure can be found on the Subject Centre website.

8. A wider perspective and more options: investigating the longer term employability of humanities graduates

This new report by Rebecca Allan of the LLAS Subject Centre is now available. To obtain your free of charge copy, please order at the Subject Centre website.

9. Lingua "Opening the door to language learning" handbook

The Lingua Project, Opening the Door to Language Learning (OdLL), aimed to encourage organisations delivering language learning (universities, colleges, schools, publishers, businesses) to develop initiatives whereby their materials and expertise could be made available to a wider and different set of learners. A guide to good practice in promoting language learning is available in the form of a handbook (in English, French and German). To order your free copy, go to the Subject Centre website.

Subject Centre website update

10. New teaching materials

Spanish: Torquemada en la hoguera
Author: Rhian Davies, University of Sheffield

Critical thinking: Internet Detective
Author: Institute for Learning and Research Technology, University of Bristol

Study skills for university
Author: Julie Watson, University of Southampton

EAP: English language skills for university study
Author: Julie Watson, University of Southampton

11. New good practice guides

New ways of teaching literature
Author: Rhian Davies, University of Sheffield

12. Opportunities for doctoral study in languages at the University of Ulster and Queen's University Belfast

For details, please go to the Subject Centre website.

HE Academy news and events

13. HE Academy Exchange magazine

Issue 4 (Summer 06) "The student learning experience" is now available. To receive a copy, please email your name and address to the Subject Centre.

14. Sustainable development on graduate job market

The Higher Education Academy has contracted StudentForce for Sustainability to conduct a UK wide survey in partnership with NUS Services, AGCAS, Graduate Prospects Ltd and others to find evidence of the impact of employer's ethical, social and environmental responsibility on the graduate job market. For further information visit the Subject Centre news page.

15. Graduate entrepreneurs wanted!

LLAS would like to identify about ten languages, linguistics or Area Studies graduates who have built careers as freelancers, started their own businesses, been self-employed or mixed any of these with paid employment in a 'portfolio' career. We would like to interview these graduates as part of a Higher Education Academy study of enterprising careers amongst humanities graduates. Please contact the Subject Centre if you are able to help.

16. Curriculum innovation for diversity

12 September 2006
York St John University College,York
This event organised by Higher Education Academy in association with the University of York will offer academics from across the disciplines a space to share both innovative and practical approaches to the enhancement of student learning through the embedding of equality and diversity in curriculum content and delivery methods. A key part of the programme will be three disciplinary symposia covering the following cognate subject areas: Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences and Science & Engineering. For further details and to register go to the HE Academy website (www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/List_4421.htm).

17. Third annual conference on 'The international learner: enhancing the student experience'

Southampton Solent University
13 - 14 September 2006
The feedback from previous events in this successful series has informed and shaped the design of this year's conference which has widened its focus to consider issues for institutions in dealing with all international students. The conference will be of interest to academic staff, support staff, as well as those involved in marketing overseas. For further details visit the HE Academy website (www.heacademy.ac.uk/4592.htm).

18. The internationalisation of UK HE: Purposes, Policies and predicaments

19 September 2006
The Universities of Leicester and Nottingham, on behalf of the Midlands Staff Development Partnership
This conference is aimed at senior colleagues who are involved in policy formulation and will offer a range of perspectives from different counties and different institutions.
For further details visit the University of Nottingham website (www.nottingham.ac.uk/sedu/news.php).

19. The leading and embedding innovations in Higher Education institutions

12 October 2006
The Energy Clinic, London
The event is for senior managers in HE and aims to demonstrate how HEIs can identify within their institutions effective innovative practice in the student learning experience so as to scale it up and embed it. For further details and to register the HE Academy website (www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/List_4674.htm).

Events, call for papers, news from other institutions or organisations

20. The British Council Innovation Awards 2007

The awards promote and reward excellence in English Language teaching and give you the opportunity to win recognition and a cash prize of £1,000. For further details, please go to the British Council website (www.britishcouncil.org/home/learning/learning-innovation-awards.htm).
Deadline for entries is 29 September 2006.

21. Other events

Please visit the Subject Centre website for events, calls for papers, news which are not organised by LLAS Subject Centre.

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.

Marie Weaver
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: M.Weaver@soton.ac.uk

A Subject Centre of the Higher Education Academy (www.heacademy.ac.uk/)