LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

'English for Excellence': An innovative, comprehensive, web-based and tutor-supported programme of study in Academic English
This paper is a presentation of 'English for Excellence' (EfE): a web-based and tutor-supported programme of study in Academic English. The EfE is a project initiative jointly funded by the University of Luton and the Higher Education European Social Fund (HE ESF) programme, under the theme of Widening Participation. The paper discusses the research base of the teaching materials, their content and presentation, followed by interim evaluation results of its beneficiary effects on learners.

Online self-study - the way forward
The author describes the "e-packs", as developed by London Metropolitan University, and the rationales behind them. Developed for online use by autonomous language learners, they are also used to supplement taught classes. Although the e-packs have been successful, the author reports that tighter integration with taught material would be beneficial and that both learner and teacher training would be necessary to secure this.

Making languages pay - academic integrity and commercial reality
Over recent years, university language programmes have, by necessity, increased the emphasis on revenue-generating activity, which in some cases may be seen as creating a division between the academic and the non-academic. Here, the author shows out some of the benefits that this can bring, via three case studies, and makes the point that increased commercialisation can strengthen the foundations for future development.

French: Language resources
A gateway to French learning resources, produced by the School of Modern Languages, University of Salford. It contains links which include Contemporary Society, Culture and Business French.

Call for bids: Materials development projects
The Subject Centre's Materials Bank has been set up to encourage and facilitate the sharing of teaching materials in Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies. The Subject Centre is currently seeking to expand and develop this resource and is making some funds available for the development of additional materials for the Bank. We are inviting bids for small-scale projects (max £5000 per project) which will develop new materials that can be made available for sharing across the sector. Projects should, therefore, relate to materials that address an area of need (e.g. lack of good/available resources), a particular teaching issue/method/tool or relate to a core aspect of a discipline.