We are pleased to announce the symposium Learning, teaching and assessment of second foreign languages in school contexts. [Moderna språk – samspelet mellan lärande, undervisning och bedömning i skolan.] which will be held at Lund university, Sweden, on December 12-13, 2016.
The symposium is organized within the realms of the ongoing project Learning, Teaching and Assessment of Second Foreign Languages: An Alignment Study on Oral Language Proficiency funded by the Swedish Research Council (2016-2018). For more information www.tal.lu.se
In Europe stakeholders widely support the “mother tongue plus two” language policy (Council of Europe), according to which all European citizens should be able to communicate in at least two foreign languages. However, despite high political and societal ambitions, reports repeatedly suggest that foreign languages other than English are facing major challenges in many European school systems and that students’ achievements are low in many domains. The symposium aims to bring together researchers working on second foreign languages in different countries to review the current situation.
Themes of the symposium:
The symposium is organized around educational and linguistic perspectives on second foreign language learning:
1. Research and reports on educational aspects of second foreign languages in school contexts in different countries (policy issues, curricula issues, organization etc;)
2. Research on learning, teaching and assessment of foreign languages, with special emphasis on oral language proficiency
The intended focus of the symposium will be on second foreign languages in the school context, i.e. languages like French, German and Spanish. However, papers on English can also be accepted.
Goals of the symposium:
The symposium has both general and project-specific goals. The general goals of the symposium are to:
a) gather researchers working on educational aspects of foreign languages in different countries and share information, ideas and results;
b) share experiences and results of research on learning, teaching and assessment of oral proficiency in foreign languages;
c) review different methodologies and approaches to the study of oral proficiency in foreign language learners.
In relation to the research project we aim specifically to:
a) relate the project to other research projects concerning similar issues in other European countries and school contexts;
b) to receive feedback from internationally renowned researchers on the work within the project;
c) to consolidate the research on foreign language education in the local environment, sharing information with colleagues and students.
The symposium will constitute a platform for the possibility to compare the situation for foreign languages other than English in different countries and to consider the Swedish situation for foreign language provision from a European perspective.
Plenary speakers:
Alex Housen (Free University of Brussels, Belgium)
Heini-Marja Pakula (University of Turku, Finland)
Neus Figueras Casanovas (University of Barcelona, Spain)
Important dates:
Abstract submission deadline: September 15, 2016
Notification of acceptance: October 1, 2016
Symposium: December 12-13, 2016
We seek papers for 20 minute presentations from researchers who conduct studies within the area of learning, teaching and assessing in school settings, with a focus on foreign languages Papers on other languages than English are especially welcome.
The language of the symposium is English.
Abstract length and submission:
Abstracts should not exceed 300 words including references. Abstracts should be sent to the following address: sfl.symposium@gmail.com
Symposium convenors & venue
Jonas Granfeldt, Camilla Bardel, Gudrun Erickson, Susan Sayehli, Malin Ågren & Rakel Österberg.
The symposium will be held at the Centre for Languages and Literature, Lund University (Sweden)
For any queries, please email sfl.symposium@gmail.com