'Transitions in Modern Language Teaching' - an event for language teachers

‘Transitions in Modern Language Teaching’: A Forum for Language Teachers
Wednesday, June 22, 2:00 – 6.30pm

As educators, we know that learning a modern language is a pathway to understanding
and engaging the world. However, we face the challenge of persuading students (and
often their families) to take and continue language learning at school and university.

This open forum is an opportunity for us to share ideas and collaborate in enhancing and promoting modern language teaching in the UK, at a time of transition in the curriculum across all stages of language learning.
We invite you to what we hope will be a continuing dialogue between the departments of modern languages at King’s College London and schools. King’s College London is committed to working alongside schools in a major national project to shape modern language teaching and putting teachers at all educational levels at the centre of debates around curriculum, policy and continuity in language learning.

Programme

Room S0.13, Strand Campus
2pm – 2.30: Registration: Refreshments.
2.30 – 2.40: Welcome statement: Professor Julian Weiss (KCL)
2.40 – 3.45: General Forum: Identifying Issues

• 2.40 – 3.10 (approx.): we begin with a short series of three-minute ‘topic statements’, which outline some of the issues faced by university and school teachers alike. These shared concerns include:
• ‘Collaborations across sectors’ (examples of the AHRC funded ‘Open World Research Initiative’ and the Greater London German Network: Professor Catherine Boyle and Dr Sarah Bowden, KCL)
• ‘Routes into Languages’ (Professor Debra Kelly, Westminster U)
• ‘Grading and tariffs, expectations and realities’ (Professor Julian Weiss)
• ‘Curriculum change: GCSE, A level, ML degree’ (Dr Ben Schofield, KCL)
• ‘Motives and motivation, 1: what does a ML degree offer?’ (Dr Mariama Ifode, Head of Careers, Higher Education and Lead Researcher, Ashford School)
• ‘Motives and motivation, 2: Careers’ (KCL Careers Office/ Dr Sarah Bowden)

3.10 – 3.45: Discussion and further issues

3.45 – 4.00: Tea Break

4.00 – 5.00: Break out sessions, by language area

5.00 – 5.30: Feedback from breakout groups and action for the future

5.30-6.30: The River Room, Strand Campus, Wine Reception