Languages Forum Update November 2018

Recent and up-coming language-related news and activities in Canberra and Sydney. Overview below and full copy downloadable from HERE

1. Language students speak out!

• Reaction to threat to discontinue Indonesian language program at Narrabundah College
• For local media coverage, which led to a  discussion of languages education more generally: 
• Canberra Radio 15 November 
• Canberra Radio 16 November intro 
• Canberra Radio 16 November  
• Student action following discontinuation of Diploma of Languages at ANU
• Related article in Woroni, the ANU student newspaper  

2. Celebrating and promoting multilingual Canberra

• At the National Multicultural Festival (NMF)
• Languages as a resource for all – a position paper 

3. Some language happenings at the ANU in November 

• ‘Three Languages - Three Cultures: Narratives from the Middle East’ 22-23 November  
• Summer School: ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language 26-30 November  
• Persian Summer short courses 29 October-6 December  

4. Upcoming events in Sydney 

What kind of public good is language maintenance? Wednesday 5 December

Multilingual Sydney: New people, new city Saturday 15 December 2018

Feedback and contributions to future Updates welcome. Please email languagesact@gmail.com 

Conference: ‘Three Languages - Three Cultures: Narratives from the Middle East’

Hosted by the ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies (CAIS) this interdisciplinary conference is open to all scholars, students, professionals and members of the public with an interest in the three Middle Eastern languages: Arabic, Persian and Turkish as well as their respective cultures.

• Thursday 22 November and Friday 23 November    
• ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies (CAIS) at the ANU
• COST  $100 and $50 for students

The conference will delve into the complexity and the diversity of the Middle East and will investigate both the synchronic and diachronic characteristics of the three languages selected. This will reveal new insights into the various aspects of Art, Culture, Gender, Identity, Language, Literature, Media and Communication, Comparative Studies as well as Language Teaching and Planning.

This is the first conference in Australia to simultaneously cover these three languages. It will ignite your imagination and enrich your understanding of the region. It will include renowned keynote speakers who will examine the rich languages and cultural content of the Middle East: the poetry, calligraphy, art and literature.

For copy of the program CLICK HERE 

For more information: caisconference2018@anu.edu.au

Summer School: ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language

The Centre’s annual Summer School is a flagship educational event on Australia’s linguistics calendar. Over the course of five days, we bring together leading national and international scholars to present the latest research in the field through intensive ‘deep dives’ across the multi-disciplinary breadth of the science of languages.

• Date: 26-30 November
• Venue: Australian National University, Canberra

Summer School draws on expertise across the Centre’s programs, member universities and international partners to provide intensive training, enrich existing knowledge and catalyse new research collaborations. Participants range from advanced undergraduate students through to senior academics. Many of the courses require no previous knowledge or experience, only a burning curiosity about the dynamics of the world’s many and greatly varied languages.

This year’s Summer School will have a dual focus on the intersection of language and technology, and community engagement. Aspiring linguists, as well as students with backgrounds in engineering, AI and computer science, will have an opportunity to learn about computational linguistics and natural language processing, including practical, hands-on sessions using the latest software tools and practices. Prominent researches will bring their extensive insights and experience from the field working with Australian and other indigenous communities to document, study and revitalise their languages.

REGISTER HERE.

ANU Language Teaching Forum

Multiple stakeholders’ perspectives on early language learning

• Monday 22 October, 4.15 – 5.15 pm
• Room W3.03, Level 3, Baldessin Precinct Building #110, ANU
• Speaker: Dr Bao Thai, Senior Lecturer and Vietnamese Courses Convener, School of Culture, History & Language

In alignment with current policies to develop the learning of languages throughout the country, particularly Asian languages, this paper reports findings on a 2017 pilot study that examined perspectives of a manager, four educators, 12 parents and a language teacher who participated in a case study of teaching Vietnamese to preschool students in an Australian early childhood context.

All interested in teaching and learning languages welcome.

This is the last meeting of the ANU Language Teaching Forum for 2018

Workshop on Translating Children's Literature

This workshop on translating children’s literature will be a two-part session which will give AUSIT members and other interested in this area:

• the opportunity hear from published children’s literature translator Stephanie Smee, and 
• the chance to get hands-on with examples of children’s literature and brainstorm their own translations alongside other translation professionals.

Afternoon tea halfway through the session will allow participants time to network and socialise.

• Sunday 7 October 2018 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
• Belconnen Library Community Room 12 Chandler Street BELCONNEN, ACT 2617 
• Cost: $25 - $90 depending on AUSIT membership status

More info - about AUSIT and this workshop click HERE 

ANU Language Teaching Forum

Teaching Sanskrit -- Managing Complexity

• Speaker: McComas Taylor, CHL, CAP, ANU 
• Monday 24 September 2018, 4.15 – 5.15 pm 
• Baldessin Precinct Building ANU Room 3.03 

Try teaching a language where the nouns take three genders, eight cases, three numbers and follow 40 different paradigms. Then add verbs in 10 classes, with three persons, three numbers and six tenses (that's just the common ones). Then add a non-roman script and some fiendish pronunciation. Then add students in Portugal, Dubai, India and China to the students sitting in class in Baldessin. Then try to make it fun, and on a good day, possibly even somewhat joyous. Over the years, especially with the help of Grazia Scotellaro, I have developed some innovative materials, methods and solutions to manage this complexity. I am keen to share these with you.

All interested teachers and learners of languages welcome

For more information, contact: 

• Ms France Meyer (CAIS, CASS), france.meyer@anu.edu.au 
• Dr Wesley Lim (SLLL, CASS), wesley.lim@anu.edu.au or 
• Dr Yanyin Zhang (CHL, CAP), yanyin.zhang@anu.edu.au

Seminar and Discussion on Language Revival

Around the world and Australia there are many Indigenous communities and others working to ‘revive’ their languages. In this free public seminar, Dr John Giacon from the ANU will talk about these revival efforts, with particular reference to Australia and drawing on his extensive experience of the revival of Yuwaalaraay and Gamilaraay, two Aboriginal languages of NSW.

• Monday 24 September, 5.30pm for 6 pm until 8pm 
• Lecture Theatre A022, Building A, Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), 35 Vowels Crescent, Bruce ACT 2617 
• Refreshments provided 
• Free and all welcome 

For more details or to register (to assist with catering) please

• email imlm.21feb@gmail.com or 
• RSVP via Eventbrite (preferred) 

For Map of CIT campus see: https://cit.edu.au/about/locations/bruce)

About Dr Giacon
Dr Giacon is an Honorary Lecturer in Linguistics in the School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics, ANU College of Arts & Social Science. In 2017 he was awarded the Patji-Dawes Award, a national award to recognise an outstanding language teacher.

This seminar is organised by the Canberra –based community group, International Mother Language Movement (IMLM). IMLM is dedicated in highlighting the importance of preserving all the languages across the world especially endangered languages in a multilingual and multicultural context. For more information see http://imlm21.org.au/

Canberra Moon Festival 21 to 23 September

All welcome to this multicultural celebration with a focus on Asian food, languages and cultural activities.

• Friday 21 September to Sunday 23 September
• EPIC, Flemington Road, Canberra
• Fun activities for all ages  
• Free entry and free parking 

ACTBEA is assisting ACT Libraries to offer a number of free story telling sessions for families with young children. Here is the draft timetable

                             Saturday 22 September              Sunday 23 September

10.30  -  11.00am        Mandarin                                      Mandarin
11.00  -  11.30am        Vietnamese                                   Vietnamese
11.30  -  12 noon          Mandarin                                     Mandarin
12 noon - 12.30pm       Burmese                                       Burmese  
12.30  -  1.00pm           Hindi                                             Hindi
1.00    -   1.30pm          Indonesian                                    Indonesian
1.30    -  2.00pm           Japanese                                       Japanese
2.00    -   2.30pm          Thai                                              Thai
2.30   -    3.00pm          Literary Chinese                            Literary Chinese

For more information about the Canberra Moon Festival http://www.canberramoonfestival.com.au/

ANU Language Teaching Forum

Resyllabification in Spanish and its impact on spoken word boundary detection

• José María Lahoz-Bengoechea, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)
• Tuesday 14 August 5pm-6pm
• Baldessin Precinct Building ANU Room 3.03

Spanish exhibits processes of resyllabification that provoke misalignments between word boundaries and syllabic structure. That happens when word-initial vowels are re-grouped with the end of the previous word (e.g. mis amigos ‘my friends’ is syllabified mi.sa.mi.gos). This misalignment poses serious difficulties to students of Spanish as a second language when it comes to processing someone else’s speech, because it may take them too long to segment the continuum into words.

 

All interested teachers and learners of languages welcome  

 

Enquiries: email manuel.delicado@anu.edu.au

International Workshop at ANU: How are languages learned?

• Do you teach a language?
• Are you trying to learn a language?
• Are you interested in the latest research findings about language learning and teaching?

This two-day event features public lectures and master classes by some of the world’s leading experts in language learning:

• Monday 17 September and Tuesday 18 September 1pm-4pm
• Sir Roland Wilson Building at ANU, 120 McCoy Circuit

Free, but registration required - see https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/how-are-languages-learned-international-workshop-tickets-48266149352
                                                                                   .

Presented by the School of Culture, History and Language in collaboration with the School of Languages, Literature and Linguistics at ANU with funding from the Asia-Pacific Innovation Program (APIP) by the College of Asian and the Pacific (CAP).

For more information email yanyin.zhang@anu.edu.au                                          

MULTILINGUAL POETRY WORKSHOP

In the lead up to the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry Night on Monday 13 August, spend an afternoon exploring writing and performing poetry in languages other than English - or a mix of languages! 

• Sunday, August 5, 2pm – 5pm 
• Civic Library
• Free 

You might speak another language as your first language or mother tongue. Maybe you are a language learner. But if you are interested in expressing yourself poetically, come for an afternoon of writing activities with a multilingual focus, and performance exercises to build your confidence and expression.

It is also a great opportunity meet other writers who are interested in the power of words beyond the limits of the English language.

For more information or to register, email mothertonguemic@gmail.com. See also Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/242184043272331/

Mother Tongue Poets - Monday 13 August

SIGN UP NOW! for the next Mother Tongue event

• Monday 13 August 2018, 7pm-9pm
• Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga Street; Canberra City 

If you would like to share a poem (or two!) in a language other than English, just email mothertonguemic@gmail.com.

• All languages are welcome.
• You can read your own original poetry, or a work by another poet.
• Any style of poetry - traditional, modern, slam, rap - or something that defies definition.
• The work can be all in your other language, or a mix with English.
• You are invited to give a brief explanation or introduction of your poem in English - the subject, the feeling - or you can give a full translation if you prefer.

For more information, please contact Jacqui at mothertonguemic@gmail.com or 0433 845900

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update July 2018

Some information about language-related news and activities, especially in the Canberra region. Term 3/Semester 2 starts soon, so plenty of opportunities to learn and practice your language skills - with physical as well as mental benefits according to the article about various health problems associated with being monolingual!

Overview of Update below, and full copy downloadable HERE

OVERVIEW OF UPDATE

• News
•  ‘Language Legends’ article about Amaroo School
• Is monolingualism a disease?
• Critique of the Adult Migrant English Program
• University of Southern Queensland to discontinue language programs. Online petition  
• Upcoming events and activities 
• ANU Language Teaching Forum, Monday 23 July
• Call for volunteers to lead English conversation groups at ANU College
• Survey for EAL/D and mainstream teachers in schools (K-12) 
• Conference at Curtin University in Perth WA: Making task-based language teaching work in the classroom Friday 20 – Saturday 21 July 2018 
• Local opportunities to learn and practice languages
• French with the AllianceFrançaise 
• Indonesian classes with the Australia Indonesia Association
• Mandarin CommunityTutoring Project
• Languages at university level in the ACT and around Australia 
• Language Courses with ANU Continuing Education
• Learn languages with CIT Solutions
• Language Exchange – Tuesday evenings in Civic
• ACTBEA website has info on local programs and other opportunities to hear, speak and practice languages in the Canberra area

Feedback and contributions to future Updates welcome

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update May 2018

Information about some upcoming language-related activities and news, especially in the Canberra region. 

• A celebration of Languages, Sunday 20 May 2pm – 4pm  
• News from the ANU
• ANU Asian Language Taster Courses 14 May Thai  21 May Mandarin 23 May Japanese 
• ANU Language Teaching Forum Monday 21 May, 4.15 – 5.15 pm
• ANU online courses available through Open Universities Australia 
• Plans for new course in Tok Pisin
• Basic Intensive Persian Course  19 June — 19 July 2018 
• Other opportunities for learning languages in the ACT region
• French  with the Alliance Française de Canberra
• Spanish for travellers with CIT Solutions begins 17 may
• Canberra Language Exchange Tuesday evenings 
• Mother Tongue 
• Winter Words! Multilingual Poetry Showcase  2pm - 5pm, Saturday 2 June 2018
• Free Workshop on poetry writing and performance 2pm - 4pm, Sunday 27 May 2018
• ACT Language Teachers’ TeachMeet on games in the languages classroom, Friday, 1 June  5 - 6.30pm
• CLTFA Conference: Chinese Acquisition: Theory and Practice, Sat7- Sun8 July 2018
• Current issues in child bilingual development, Thurs 26 – Fri 27 July 2018, Macquarie University in Sydney 

For copy of full Update click HERE. 

Arabic poetry night Friday 27 April

For anyone interested in Arabic poetry, or poetry in general. No need to know the language, just come and hear the melody 

• Friday 6pm to 7.30pm, 
• Room 121 Baldessin Precinct, Building 110, Ellery Crescent, ANU
• Free event. All welcome

For poster CLICK HERE

Language Diversity at ANU

A group originally formed in response to a review of the School of Culture, History and Language at the ANU that threatened several language programs in the College of Asia and the Pacific. The Language Diversity Facebook Group is a place where students can come together to celebrate, promote and protect the incredible languages they all love. 

Follow them on Facebook for interesting posts related to languages at ANU - many of which are open to the wider Canberra community. Post to the group if you want to reach out to ANU students with a passion for languages and language learning.

ANU Language Teaching Forum

This forum provides a discussion platform for language teachers and researchers across ANU colleges as well as for language educators from outside the university such as secondary school teachers and educators from community schools. Its main objective is to foster the exchange of research and new approaches in language education.

The LTF meets on the fourth Monday of the month, 4.15 – 5.15 pm Room W3.03, Level 3, Baldessin Precinct Building #110, ANU

The speaker at the meeting on Monday 26 March 2018 is Nguyen Bui, who will present on the topic

Networked Professional Learning in Intercultural Language Education: Evidence of Impact 

The globalisation era presents an urgent need for language teacher professional development in intercultural language teaching (ILT) so that educators can work with and prepare their language students for effective intercultural communication. However, most teacher professional development programs in ILT are purely intercultural training workshops based on short-term, face-to-face, sporadic and top-down approaches, overlooking the expertise, experience and beliefs of teacher-participants. This makes it essential to introduce innovative delivery models to improve teacher professional learning in ILT. Networked learning is seen as a useful approach that can be used to enhance intercultural understanding. This presentation looks into a case study on the effectiveness of a Small Connectivist Open Online Course (SCOOC) (Bartolomé & Steffens, 2015) on intercultural competence and its teaching designed for 84 in-service tertiary English language teachers across cultural and geographical boundaries. 

This forum is jointly coordinated by the College of Arts & Social Sciences (the School of Literature, Languages & Linguistics and the Centre for Arab & Islamic Studies) and the College of Asia & the Pacific (School of Culture, History & Language). 

For more information, contact:

• Ms France Meyer (CAIS, CASS)  E ance.meyer@anu.edu.au
• Dr Duck-Young Lee (CHL, CAP) E duck.lee@anu.edu.au or 
• Dr Consuelo Martinez Reyes (SLLL, CASS) E consuelo.martinez-reyes@anu.edu.au

ACT libraries are looking for volunteer adult literacy tutors

Libraries ACT is hosting two information sessions for people interested in volunteering to help adults (with a focus on those who speak English as their first language) to improve their reading and writing skills: 

• Monday 19 March 2018 at Kippax Library, 11.00 am – 12.00 pm and 
• Monday 26 March at Woden Library, 5.30 pm – 6.30 pm. 

There will then be a two day training intensive for suitable volunteers in June 2018. 

To find out more: contact Rachel, Learning Projects Manager, 6205 9671 (phone) or email Rachel.Davis@act.gov.au