Traversing Traditions, Opening Opportunities
The Language Acts and Worldmaking
round-table Debates Series was
conceived by Dr Cristina Ros i Solé (Goldsmiths, University of London) for the project to foster a dialogue on the connections, divergences and identities of
well-established traditions in Modern Languages and Language Education. As a
major element of the project’s Language
Transitions strand led by Debra Kelly (Westminster) and Ana de Medeiros
(King’s College London), the series focuses in particular on the synergies and
fissures between Language Education across educational sectors and the
humanities, as well as seeking to investigate new openings and possibilities
for the future. This is a three-year programme of debates which began in the
academic year 2017/18, culminating in a collective publication and a series of
associated papers. The Debates take
place at Language Acts and Worldmaking universities
and collaborating institutions.
We have defined
‘Language Transitions’ as ‘border zones of learning’ between stages that often
become more of an hindrance than a stepping stone for so many language
learners, whatever their level. The aim in the Debates is therefore to establish connections and create new
directions for existing provision and for educational sectors in order to
discuss how to foster dialogue, create smoother transitions and re-energise the
field by examining current concerns and pedagogies in the field. Each Debate addresses a different aspect of
these transitions and emphasises the benefits and challenges of traversing
educational terrains and traditions to enrich and widen the experience of
Modern, Community and World Languages.
The Debates adopt various formats, including
short presentations and Q&A sessions, position papers and responses to
these papers, panel and round table discussions with prominent experts, policy makers,
academics and teachers.
Papers are posted online on the Language Acts and Worldmaking website and blog. This is the virtual home for
posting information on the latest news and developments in the Debates Series,
and the place where all the information about this series is archived.
Debates Series 2017/2018:
Debate 1: 4 Oct 17, Language Education Activism
(King’s College London)
Debate 2: 15 Nov 17, Modern Languages—A Discipline (still) in Search of an Identity? (University of Westminster)
Debate 3: 14 Feb 18,
Should second language acquisition and
language teaching be aligned and how? (KCL)
Debate 4: 21 Mar 18, Has the digital world
revolutionised language pedagogy? (KCL)
Debate 5: 25 Apr 18, Interculturality and
Creativity in Language Education (KCL)
Debates Series 2018/2019:
Debate 1: 7 Nov 18, Communicating Emotions in a Foreign Language (Westminster)
Debate 2: 13 Mar 19, Gender Action (KCL)
Debate 3: 15 May 19, Collaboration in Languages in HE - Towards New Models? (KCL)
Debate 4: THURSDAY 13 June 19, Linguistics in MFL A-levels Project (Westminster)
Debates usually take place on
Wednesdays 6-7.30pm, followed by refreshments (until 8pm). An event
in the final
year of the project will be dedicated to bringing all the strands of these
debates together, with a view to ensuing publication.