Archived ebulletin: November 2006

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This bulletin contains information on the following:

1. Subject Centre activities
2. Subject Centre publications
3. HE Academy news and events
4. Events, call for papers, news from other institutions or organisations
5. Policy

1. Subject Centre activities

1.1 Teaching sociolinguistics to undergraduates

16th November 2006 (10.30am - 4.00pm)
Institute for Advanced Studies, Lancaster University

This event has been organised by the Department of Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University and the Subject Centre. It will focus on the teaching of sociolinguistics in UK Higher Education.

Presenters will include:

• David Britain (Essex),
• Paul Kerswill (Lancaster),
• Dom Watt (Aberdeen),
• Kevin Watson(Lancaster),
• Greg Myers (Lancaster),
• Ruth Wodak (Lancaster),
• Joan Swann (Open University)
• Jane Sunderland

For further information and to register, please go to our events page.

1.2 Free workshop for new postgraduate MFL researchers

A Rough Guide to MFL Postgraduate Research: A one-day workshop to support new MFL research postgraduates

Monday 20 November 2006, 10.30-15.50
CILT, the National Centre for Languages, London

THERE ARE STILL A FEW PLACE LEFT FOR THIS EVENT

This is being organised by CILT in partnership with LLAS. This day is aimed at new postgraduate research students in the fields of Modern Foreign languages and other language and linguistics-related areas.

This free information day and workshop will enable postgraduate research students to learn about online resources available for the MFL researcher and how they can be effectively used by research students, find out how to keep a balance between life and work whilst researching a PhD and receive some guidance from experts on how to write up your research as well as how to present it at conferences and elsewhere.

Please visit CILT website for full details or contact Claire Cooper at CILT Conferences on 0207 379 5101 ext 287 or claire.cooper@cilt.org.uk, quoting 340LO2011PGR to request a booking form.

1.3 Pedagogy and translation

26 January 2007
University of Salford

Following the successful event hosted by the University of Swansea in January 2006, the University of Salford is hosting a second event on 26 January 2007 on the theme of Pedagogy and Translation.

The themes include:

• translation project management
• developing translator autonomy
• the role of accreditation bodies and professional associations in improving quality in translation and interpreting
• liaison interpreting as a language learning tool
• National Occupational Standards in Translation
• elearning for translators

To view the programme and register, please go to our events page.

1.4 Date for your diary - eLearning 2-day conference

1-2 February 2007
University of Southampton

LLAS, with the support of JISC funding, is organising this 2-day event. Each day will cover different themes so delegates may choose to attend one or both days. The conference will focus on the learner and how the latest technologies impact on the learning experience. Likely themes will be: mobile learning, Web 2.0 technologies, sharing and re-using learning resources (learning objects and repositories). LLAS would like to hear from anyone carrying out research or implementing innovation and who has ideas for giving a presentation or workshop. Please contact Kate Dickens at kate.dickens@soton.ac.uk or 023 8059 7510.

1.5 Area Studies and the globalised world conference

27 February 2007
British Library Conference Centre, London

LLAS has joined with the British Library (Eccles Centre), the UK Council for Area Studies Associations (UKCASA) and the Canadian High Commision in London to organise this high profile conference. Keynote speakers are Lord Giddens (London School of Economics) and John Ralston Saul, Co-chair of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. There is a charge of £27.00 to attend the conference. A full programme and downloadable registration form is available at our events page.

1.6 Postgraduate conference: Identity formation

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 our events page.

1.7 Call for papers: Linking teaching and research in Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

9-10 July 2007
University of Southampton

Debates about the links between teaching and research in UK higher education have intensified in recent years,as both teaching and research have come under increased pressure for performance, accountability and assessment. Increasingly, institutions and individual staff are being defined as led by either teaching or research, and the link between research and teaching is by turns derided - and hotly defended.

This two-day conference aims to address how these issues impact on LLAS researchers and teachers. There is a charge for this event (Fee tbc). For more details and to submit a paper, please download a form at our events page.

1.8 Cascading Good Practice: 'Workshop to go' project, 2007 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. For further information, please go to our news page.

1.9 Interdisciplinary teaching and learning group

Researchers from any discipline are welcome to bid for up to £8000 for either of the following research projects:

• Project C: Investigating the student experience of Interdisciplinary Masters Programmes
• Project D: An investigation of how Subject Centres can support academics teaching on emerging and uncovered courses.

Bids must be submitted to John Canning (j.canning@soton.ac.uk) by 15 December 2006. Further information is available at our news page.

1.10 Pedagogic research fund 2007-08 (Phase 3)

The Subject Centre has funds to support a third round of Pedagogical Research projects in Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies in Higher Education. UK Higher Education Institutions are eligible to apply for up to a maximum of £4000 to support a small-scale project to commence by 1 January 2007 and end by 30 April 2008. Please note that there are now two strands to the pedagogic research fund. Please read the criteria carefully to determine eligibility. Bids must be submitted to Marie Weaver (mw11@soton.ac.uk) by 30th November 2006. Further information is available from our projects page.

1.11 CELTs

The Subject Centre is working with CETLs that have a language element or share common themes with our constituencies. For further details visit our resources page.

1.12 Departmental visits

The Subject Centre is happy to announce that it is now offering a new service to departments in Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies. Members of Subject Centre staff are available to visit individual departments on request.

For a menu of visit options see our Departmental visits page.

2. Subject Centre publications

2.1 Hard Going But Worth It: A snapshot of attitudes to reading among languages undergraduates

This report presents information on students' pre-university experience of reading in the foreign language; their attitudes to reading in both their first language and the foreign language and the difficulties experienced with foreign language reading. To order your free copy, please go to our publications page.

2.2 Outreach in Modern Languages: a DfES funded report mapping cross-sector collaboration

This report presents the findings of a DfES-funded mapping project into cross-sector collaboration between universities and schools in England. Its many examples of good practice and detailed case studies will be a useful resource for higher education staff and school teachers involved in language outreach activities. To order your free copy, please go to our publications page.

2.3 Understanding and developing good practice by John Klapper

The Subject Centre is pleased to offer the above book for sale at a special price of £17.00 + £2.00 for postage and packing. If you would like to receive a copy, please email llas@soton.ac.uk.

2.4 Why studying languages? Subject Centre CD

There are still copies of this 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, power point 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 Why study languages page.

2.5 A wider perspective and more options: investigating the longer term employability of Humanities graduates

Copies of this report are still available. To order your free copy, please go to our publications page.

2.6 Free poster about the Subject Centre available!

This poster introduces the LLAS Subject Centre and briefly explains its key activities. It would be a colourful addition to any staff notice board. Click here if you would like to order a free poster for your Department or Faculty. This offer applies to UK HEIs only.

2.7 New HEFCE funding to support languages

Many of you will know that LLAS, in partnership with UCML and CILT submitted a proposal to HEFCEs Strategic development fund for a substantial project called Routes into Languages to support languages in HE. We have recently heard that the proposal has been accepted. More details are on our news page. Calls for bids will be announced through our monthly e bulletin and published on this webpage.

3. HE Academy news and events

3.1 Assessment for learning: improving student learning by enhancing feedback

Tuesday 7 November 2006 (3.00-5.00pm)
University College London

This lecture is part of the 2006-7 Scholarly Teaching Lecture Series and it will discuss the principles and practices of formative assessment and how they can be effectively applied to university teaching. The speaker is Professor Paul Black (Kings College London). The lecture will take place at the University College London, Bentham House, London SR1. The lecture is free and open to all. To book a place, please contact Peter Phillips on 020 7679 1604 (ext. 41604) or email peter.phillips@ucl.ac.uk.

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

4.1 Conference for teachers of all modern languages in HEIs

"The Implementation of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in UK Higher Education Institutions - Chances and Challenges"

Friday 24 November 2006
Queen Mary, University of London

The aim of this Conference is to inform participants about the implementation of the Common European Framework for modern languages and to provide a forum for discussion. For more details and information on registration, please go to Queen Mary Conference website.

4.2 Other events

Please visit our other events page for events, calls for papers, news which are not organised by LLAS Subject Centre.

5. Policy

5.1 Dearing review into languages policy at KS4

Many of you will know that the Secretary of State has asked Lord Drearing to carry out a review of languages policy at KS4 to assess what can be done to stimulate language learning for 14-19 year olds. Lord Dearing is due to produce an interim report for Alan Johnson in December with a final report due by the end of February 2007. He is keen to receive views on ways of encouraging more pupils to do a language at KS4. If you want to give your opinion, please email on KS4Language.REVIEW@dfes.gsi.gov.uk.

We would be grateful if your 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

A Subject Centre of the Higher Education Academy