Teaching grammar – Why? When? How? Monday 24 August

Teaching grammar – Why? When? How?  Some perspectives from research in language learning and teaching

Dr Louise Jansen, School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics (SLLL), ANU

• Monday 24 August 2015, 4.15 – 5.15 pm
• Room W3.03, Level 3, Baldessin Precinct Building #110, ANU
• FREE admission ALL WELCOME 

Do we need to teach our students grammar? Most of us would say “yes”. But why is teaching grammar necessary? When is the optimal point of teaching grammar? And how do we best go about it? In this talk I will present for discussion some perspectives on these questions from research in language teaching and learning. The starting point will be research in the early eighties, which hypothesized that teaching grammar is not necessary. We will see that when it was put to the test, this hypothesis failed. The body of the talk will review subsequent research into the role of focus on form in communicative language teaching and present a range of techniques, which researchers have proposed and tested. These will include more reactive approaches, such as recasting a learner’s utterance in the correct form, as well as more pro-active approaches, which focus on the nature of the input and/or form-focused communicative activities. I will then broach the question of grammar learnability as it relates to optimal timing of focus on form. The presentation will conclude with some cognitive perspectives on the possible positive role, and possible pitfalls, of grammar explanations, or inductive rule search activities, in fostering accuracy in learners’ communicative target language use. Arising for discussion will be a range of issues relating to teaching practice, such as the possible contribution of grammar lecturing, the role of writing in grammar learning, and whether achieving optimal timing in focus on form is feasible in practice.

This presentation talk is part of the ANU Language Teaching Forum jointly coordinated by CASS - the College of Arts & Social Sciences (SLLL and the Centre for Arab & Islamic Studies) and CAP - the College of Asia & the Pacific (School of Culture, History & Language).

Next Forum: Monday 26 October with a presentation from Consuelo Martinez Reyes.

The November forum will be a pre-LCNAU (Language and Culture network of Australian Universities) colloquium.  

For more information about the ANU Language Teaching Forum and/or to be added to the mailing list contact: Dr Louise Jansen (SLLL, CASS) louise.jansen@anu.edu.au, Dr Duck-Young Lee (CHL, CAP) duck.lee@anu.edu.au or Ms France Meyer (CAIS, CASS) france.meyer@anu.edu.au

Discover the Key Principles and Features of “Content and Language Integrated Learning - CLIL”

Organised by the Modern Language Teachers Association ACT Inc.

• 8:30am-12:30pm, Saturday, 15th August
• Australian Catholic University, Signadou Campus, 223 Antill St, Watson
• Bring along a teaching colleague of languages and meet other language teachers.
• Bring your own device.

Start with breakfast. Be inspired by the keynote address from the guest speaker, Dr Simone Smala. PhD, School of Education, University of Queensland. Followed by hands-on workshops on CLIL and of course a morning tea.

CLIL is a teaching approach and pedagogy in second language teaching that has had worldwide success over the past 10 years. It is now explored in various settings in Australia, in particular in Victoria and Queensland. In the CLIL approach, the second language is used as the medium of instruction for mainstream subjects and topics, such as science, social science and maths. The teacher integrates language learning with topical content learning, and creates an authentic language speaking situation for second language learners.

COST: Current MLTA ACT Inc. members FREE Non-members  $30 (On payment you will receive ½ year membership of the MLTA ACT Inc - this does not include Babel Subscription)

RSVP by Tuesday 11th August to: Yvonne.Webber@ed.act.edu.au 

For poster CLICK HERE and for Program CLICK HERE

The Intercultural Dimensions of English Language Teaching: a free online Professional Development course

Registrations are now open for this free online professional development course beginning in August 2015. This pilot course is open to any experienced teacher of English as a second or foreign language (EFL/ESL) in post-secondary education, including:

• Full-time, part-time or casual (sessional) lecturers, tutors, teaching assistants at universities, colleges, vocational institutions, technical training institutes, or community colleges
• Teacher educators, trainers and teachers at centres for professional development
• Teachers in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs or English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS)
• Graduate and postgraduate students who have EFL/ESL teaching experience in tertiary education

Participants who complete all course requirements will be awarded certificates of completion from the Centre for Higher Education, Learning and Teaching (CHELT) of the Australian National University.

For more information: email nguyen.bui@anu.edu.au or see http://chelt.anu.edu.au/staff-education/intercultural-dimensions-english-language-teaching 

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update July 2015

Some information about language-related activities and issues. Please feel free to pass on to colleagues and friends who may be interested.

• Time to expand or brush up your language skills: Term 3/Second semester programs starting week beginning 20 July 2015
• A free MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on language revival starts 28 July 2015
• Promoting Mandarin in the ACT, applications for new grant open until 17 August and news of ACT Mandarin Blueprint
• Join Alumni France Australia
• Explore Our Indigenous Story, A collaboration between the Children’s Book Council of Australia ACT Branch and AIATSIS Aboriginal Studies Press, Tuesday 4 August
• Snudging Cheapskates and Magnificent Profusion: The Conceptual Baggage of ‘Mean’ and ‘Generous’, HRC seminar, Tuesday 21 July, 2015 
• Intensive Seminar for Primary Teachers of Japanese, Sydney, Monday 28 Sep- Thursday 1 October 
• News from the ARC Centre for the Dynamics of Language
• Writing what matters: a festival of Canberra readers, writers and storytellers, Wednesday 22 July 

REMINDERS

• Hindi in Australia national workshop, Friday 17 July 2015
• Nominations for Patji-Dawes award to honour outstanding achievements in language teaching by an accomplished practitioner close 20 August 2015.

CLICK HERE for more information about the above.

Language Revival: Securing the Future of Endangered Languages

A free MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on language revival

• Learn how the world’s endangered languages are revived and why this process is critical to preserving cultural identity.

Starts 28 July 2015. All welcome. Instructors are Ghil'ad Zuckermann and Rob Amery of the University of Adelaide.

For more information CLICK HERE 

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update May 2015

Some information about language-related activities and issues. Please feel free to pass on to colleagues and friends who may be interested.

• Australian Association of Interpreters and Translators ACT branch events 
• Networking meeting for interpreters, translators and others interested in and involved with languages 2pm Saturday 30 May, 2015 
• Round Table Workshop for providers and users of interpreting and translating services and others interested in and involved with languages, 9.30am – 3pm, Thursday 11June 2015 
• Find out about what the ARC Centre for the Dynamics of Language does and how you can get involved 
• Patji-dawes award to honour outstanding achievements in language teaching 
• Seven more language curricula now available on the Australian Curriculum website 
• Hindi in Australia - national workshop Friday 17 July 2015 
• Languages Potluck Lunch, Sunday 14 June 
• A new international Research Network on social and affective factors in home language maintenance and development 
• Bilingual Marketplace and Languages Australia website 
• Endeavour Language Teacher Fellowships axed from January 2016

CLICK HERE for more information about the above.

ARC Centre for the Dynamics of Language

The centre’s website is now up and running. Find out what they do and how you can get involved. 

Whatever your specific interest in language, you are sure to find something to excite you in their broad research program.

Every year the Centre hosts a series of targeted workshops on the state-of-the-art in language research methods (Summerfest), and holds a public lecture on an aspect of our research. They also offer affiliate status to researchers working within the scope of our program.

Check out their current job vacancies, find out about upcoming events and subscribe to their newsletter at http://www.dynamicsoflanguage.edu.au/get-involved/