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modern languages, Page 15

University supports call for better language skills in the UK

The University of Southampton is amongst 50 leading organisations that are backing a group of MPs and Peers calling for all political parties to make a General Election manifesto commitment to improving language skills in the UK. Further information about the University’s support for this initiative can be found on the University’s Modern Languages website. Continue reading →

Are there languages without words?

The Independent has published an article discussing languages that do not use words, in particular the whistle language of La Gomera in the Canary Islands. The language called ‘Silbo Gomero’ uses a variety of whistles with four ‘vowels’ and four ‘consonants’, that together form over four thousand ‘words’. To read the article in full, visit the Independent website. Continue reading →

Call for papers: Language Testing Forum 2014

Submissions for papers and posters are invited for the Language Testing Forum 2014, to be hosted by Modern Languages at the University of Southampton from 21-23 November 2014. This annual conference attracts scholars in language testing and practitioners in testing organisations both nationally and internationally. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Language Testing: Engaging multi-disciplinary perspectives’. Continue reading →

A new focus for modern languages A Levels

The Guardian has published an article discussing proposals to change the A Level curriculum for modern languages. Prompted by a recent report by the A Level Content Advisory Board (ALCB), which identified a need to revamp the way languages are taught at sixth form, the proposals focus on ‘reinvigorating passion for languages’. To read the article in full, visit the Guardian website. Continue reading →

Languages and the 2014 Commonwealth Games

Picture courtesy of Jimmy Harris, Flickr Commonwealth Games Marathon events (2006) The 2014 Commonwealth Games begin tonight! The competitors, who represent 53 Commonwealth countries, include polyglots with several languages besides English in their repertoire. Many different languages are spoken by the c. 1.7 billion people across the Commonwealth of Nations, with 1635 spoken in India alone! Many will be represented at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, this year being held in Glasgow. Continue reading →

Report suggests need for recovery programme for modern languages

The BBC has published an article discussing a recent report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), which states that all political parties should pledge to improve the teaching and learning of modern languages in the UK, and that a “national recovery programme” is needed to improve language skills. The APPG bases its findings on evidence that the UK economy is losing ÂŁ50 billion a year due to poor language skills. To read the article in full, visit the BBC website. Continue reading →

Modern Languages staff to present at Reshaping Languages in Higher Education Conference this week

A number of staff from Modern Languages at the University of Southampton, including Jennifer Jenkins, Irina Nelson, Julie Watson, Kate Borthwick and Patricia Romero de Mills will be presenting this week at the Reshaping Languages in Higher Education Conference, taking place at the Grand Harbour Hotel, Southampton on 9 and 10 July 2014. For further details about the conference including information on plenary speakers and a provisional programme, visit the conference page on the LLAS website. Continue reading →