Archived ebulletin: September 2006

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This bulletin contains information on the following:

1. Subject Centre activities
2. Publications
3. HE academy news and events
4. Events, call for papers, news from other institutions or organisations

1. Subject Centre activities

1.1 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 go to our events page.

1.2 Education for sustainable development: discussion series

26 October 2006 - University of Leeds
20 November 2006, 10 January 2007 - Locations: 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 our events page.

Places are limited: please respond asap with early expressions of interest. Later applications will depend on availability. Contact for all enquiries, Dr Alex Ryan at alex@learning-energy.org (Tel: 01242 577976).

1.3 Supporting students learning in Modern Languages

Friday 3 November 2006
Aston University

This interactive workshop will provide an opportunity to explore practical examples of how language teachers can support students learning inside and outside the classroom. It is likely to be of particular interest to new staff in university language centres. For more details please go to our events page.

This event is organised under the Subject Centre Workshops To Go scheme.

1.4 Teaching sociolinguistics to undergraduates

16 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 and will cover the following topics:

• Language variation and change, including dialectology
• Sociophonetics
• Language and the media
• Language and gender
• Bilingualism

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.

1.5 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 on 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 Schools' contacts list

We are updating our schools contacts list. Please could you check that the details we hold for your institution are up-to-date, and if not please email us with the correct information at llas@soton.ac.uk.

1.8 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 llas@soton.ac.uk.

1.9 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 Becky Allan at rallan@soton.ac.uk if you are able to help.

2. Recent publications

2.1 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.

2.2 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 Pedagogical Research Fund page.

2.3 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 free copy and would like to order one, please email your details to llas@soton.ac.uk.

2.4 Why studying Languages? Subject Centre CD

The Subject Centre has launched a 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 Why study languages page.

2.5 A 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 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). Click here to order your free copy.

3. HE Academy news and events

3.1 HE Academy Exchange magazine

We still have a few copies of Issue 4 (Summer 06) "The student learning experience" available. To receive your free copy, please email your name and address to llas@soton.ac.uk.

3.2 The Academy is sponsoring two events on Internationalisation in higher education to be held in September 2006

13-14 September - Third Annual Conference on 'The International Learner: Enhancing the student experience' - Southampton Solent University. This will be of interest to academic and support staff as well as those involved in marketing overseas.

19 September - 'The Internationalisation of UK HE: purposes, polices and predicaments' - The Space Centre, Leicester. This is being convened by the Midlands Staff Development Partnership and will be of interest to senior managers in HE.

For further details and booking information please see the Academy website.

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

4.1 2006 Language Show

3-5 November 2006
Olympia, London

The Language Show - for language learners, language teachers and everyone with a passion for languages.

This years show doubles in size with up to 120 exhibitors, tasters for beginners in 20 different languages, 80 FREE seminars and a dedicated speaker programme for teachers with over 20 sessions including:

• ICT in MFL the latest developments
• What you need to know about languages at University
• Highlights from award winning language teaching
• Results of the latest Language Trends survey
• Is culture-free language teaching possible?
• Community Languages
• Alternative curriculum 14-19 Specialist Diplomas and more

For a free ticket, comprehensive list of exhibitors and the full seminar programme please go onto the Language Show website.

4.2 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.

4.3 Calling all Linguistics departments - directed to current and recent PhD students

The Third Vivien Law Prize in the History of Linguistic Ideas
Closing date: 30 November 2006

A prize has been established by the Henry Sweet Society for the best essay submitted on any topic within the history of linguistics. The prize will be awarded for an exciting and original approach to the history of linguistics, either in the choice of topic or in the way it is treated, and for the highest standards of research and presentation. The essay should not have been previously published. The competition is open to all currently registered students, and to scholars who have received their PhD or equivalent qualification within the last five years.

The prize consists of 100 and publication of the winning essay in the Henry Sweet Society Bulletin. The closing date for submissions is 30 November 2006. Entries may be written in English, French or German, and should not exceed 8000 words, including references, footnotes, tables, appendices, etc.

For full details about the prize and conditions of entry, please follow links on the Henry Sweet Society website.

4.4 Centre for Career Management Skills newsletter (HEFCE funded CETL)

The inaugural newsletter from the Centre for Career Management Skills marks the CETL's first year of existence. This edition gives you information about the exciting employability-related curriculum projects that have already been initiated: a flavour of the conference held in December 2005 and looking forward to the next in January 2007. Please go to Centre for Career Management Skills website.

4.5 Other events

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

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