LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

Conference 2006: Crossing frontiers (6-7 July 06)
Event date: 6 July, 2006 - 7 July, 2006
Location: Cardiff University

Sharing good practice in teaching Area Studies (14 Nov 05)
Event date: 14 November, 2005
Location: CILT, London

First year undergraduate courses in English Language and Linguistics (29 Oct 2004)
Event date: 29 October, 2004
Location: CILT, London

English language and linguistics: from 'A' to BA (31 Oct 2003)
Event date: 31 October, 2003
Location: CILT,

The Applied Linguistics MA: course content and students' perceived needs
This article considers the expectations of students attending MA courses in Applied Linguistics, many of whom have a background in language teaching. It contrasts academic approaches to language with those widely adopted in the language classroom. It identifies four possible rationales when planning course content for Grammar and Linguistics modules at MA level. One treats linguistics as a body of knowledge; another aims to develop students language awareness. A third meets short-term goals by providing the linguistic knowledge necessary for the study of second language acquisition. A fourth aims for long-term goals by equipping students for new professional roles.

The role of Linguistics in the Applied Linguistics MA
This article first asks what linguistic knowledge, understanding and skills a graduate from an MA programme in Applied Linguistics should ideally have, and then considers what might reasonably be expected of graduates in the real world.

Applying the CEF to Slovak university courses
The author starts her presentation with the historical background and current trends towards the application of the Common European Framework (CEF) in Slovak schools. Giving an example of an English course for Social Sciences, she then describes the specific phases of the application of the CEF.

Ab initio language teaching in Scottish universities
This paper is based on a research project which reviewed the provision and operation of a range of ab initio language courses in Scottish universities. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews helped sketch a picture of the Scottish situation. It was found that the current provision demonstrates a number of features highlighted in earlier UK research and that it is possible for students who start as beginners to exit as successful Honours graduates in the language. It may be, however, that the success of these students depends on a curriculum that is not appropriate for all students who take an ab initio course.

Provision of 3-year degrees in Languages: An overview
Language degrees (degrees in which a modern foreign language is a named component) have often been one year longer than honours degrees in other arts and humanities subjects, as students have usually spent the third year of the course aboard. This article overviews the increasing provision of three year language degrees.

Languages may get higher profile
An article on the BBC news website, 21st June 2004, reports that language learning could become a required subject in the overhaul of the English curriculum.