Key strategic issues for language- based area studies Anne Pauwels School of Oriental Studies and African Studies

Is language an essential component of Area Studies? A no-brainer? A no-brainer? Does global English and English as a lingua franca diminish the importance of skills in other languages for area studies? Does global English and English as a lingua franca diminish the importance of skills in other languages for area studies? Impact felt on surface level interaction Impact felt on surface level interaction Less obvious for in depth interaction Less obvious for in depth interaction Starting point for this lecture: language continues to be a desirable, even essential component of LBAS Starting point for this lecture: language continues to be a desirable, even essential component of LBAS

The ambivalent discourses and attitudes towards language learning Move to more public discourses in support of the value of foreign language learning Move to more public discourses in support of the value of foreign language learning ‘Overwhelming support for foreign languages plan’ DfE Nov2012 ‘Overwhelming support for foreign languages plan’ DfE Nov2012 ‘All children should learn foreign languages, say peers’ BBCNews March 2012 ‘All children should learn foreign languages, say peers’ BBCNews March 2012 The yo-yo approach to languages policy The yo-yo approach to languages policy Yes-no-yes to primary school foreign language learning Yes-no-yes to primary school foreign language learning Yes or no to compulsory foreign language learning at secondary level Yes or no to compulsory foreign language learning at secondary level The numerous reviews and reports on the status, situation and role of languages and language learning in the past 2 decades The numerous reviews and reports on the status, situation and role of languages and language learning in the past 2 decades

The divisive character of foreign language learning debates FLL is (good) for the elite: social-cultural and intellectual FLL is (good) for the elite: social-cultural and intellectual All languages are equal but some languages are more equal than others All languages are equal but some languages are more equal than others The semilingualism of heritage language speakers The semilingualism of heritage language speakers Bilingualism as a problem for heritage language speakers and as an asset for majority language speakers Bilingualism as a problem for heritage language speakers and as an asset for majority language speakers

The university language learning scene Fee restructure and its negative impact on enrolments in language degrees Fee restructure and its negative impact on enrolments in language degrees Interesting interpretations of Worton (2009) report re the role of HEFCE and Universities in the sustainability of languages Interesting interpretations of Worton (2009) report re the role of HEFCE and Universities in the sustainability of languages The support and advocacy for languages by AHRC (ESRC) and British Academy The support and advocacy for languages by AHRC (ESRC) and British Academy The increased vulnerability of less widely taught languages The increased vulnerability of less widely taught languages

Maintaining and strengthening language provision in LBAS with specific attention to Less Widely Taught Languages The strength and positive influence of the Centres of Excellence in LBAS The strength and positive influence of the Centres of Excellence in LBAS The essence of cooperation, sharing among and moving beyond the Centres The essence of cooperation, sharing among and moving beyond the Centres Easily accessible language repositories Easily accessible language repositories Tackling the challenge of expertise and resources for LWT Tackling the challenge of expertise and resources for LWT

Elements in the language learning process learnerteacher curriculum + resources deliveryoutcomes

Impacts and challenges for the language learning process in a global context The learner : e.g., diversity in linguistic profiles, histories and trajectories, orientation, motivation, aptitude The learner : e.g., diversity in linguistic profiles, histories and trajectories, orientation, motivation, aptitude The teacher: e.g, diversity in linguistic profiles, histories and trajectories, training, orientation, pedagogical aptitude The teacher: e.g, diversity in linguistic profiles, histories and trajectories, training, orientation, pedagogical aptitude The curriculum approach : e.g., communicative orientation, intercultural, re-balancing the four skills, new modes of communication, new genres/registers The curriculum approach : e.g., communicative orientation, intercultural, re-balancing the four skills, new modes of communication, new genres/registers The resources : explosion in potential learning resources – the web & internet The resources : explosion in potential learning resources – the web & internet The modes of delivery : beyond the traditional language classroom into content-based (partial) immersion, country immersion, virtual classroom, blended learning The modes of delivery : beyond the traditional language classroom into content-based (partial) immersion, country immersion, virtual classroom, blended learning The outcomes: defining outcomes by reference to framework ( e.g. CEFR), moving beyond the native-speaker model The outcomes: defining outcomes by reference to framework ( e.g. CEFR), moving beyond the native-speaker model

Language teaching in 21 st Century? ‘ Une didactique plurilingue dans le sens profond du terme… viserait moins ce qui est, et plutôt ce qu’on fait et comment accéder à une position qui permet de faire. Donc, moins un enseignement de la langue, de la culture, de l’identité, mais plutôt une formation qui tient compte des pratiques langagières, ainsi que des ideologies, des intérêts et des relations de pouvoir qui les sous-tendent’ (Heller 2003) ‘ Une didactique plurilingue dans le sens profond du terme… viserait moins ce qui est, et plutôt ce qu’on fait et comment accéder à une position qui permet de faire. Donc, moins un enseignement de la langue, de la culture, de l’identité, mais plutôt une formation qui tient compte des pratiques langagières, ainsi que des ideologies, des intérêts et des relations de pouvoir qui les sous-tendent’ (Heller 2003)

The learners ‘…language learners cannot be conceived any longer as individuals affiliated to a single territory, language and culture. Rather, they participate in the constant flow of ideas and people of which today’s mobile society is made. Like the post-national citizen envisaged by Urry, language learners can be seen as learners on the move, in-between nationalities and constantly constructing their own personal trajectories… ‘ ‘…language learners cannot be conceived any longer as individuals affiliated to a single territory, language and culture. Rather, they participate in the constant flow of ideas and people of which today’s mobile society is made. Like the post-national citizen envisaged by Urry, language learners can be seen as learners on the move, in-between nationalities and constantly constructing their own personal trajectories… ‘ ( Ros i Solé & Fenoulhet 2010)

The teachers “Since postgraduate research [ in language departments ] still tends to be dominated by social science, literary, and cultural topics, the academic background of most staff in language departments, especially the older ones, is non-linguistic, and there may therefore be no tradition or culture of language pedagogy. While some have sympathy, in principle, with the view that all language teachers ought to be introduced to, for example, the rudiments of instructed second language acquisition, in practice there are few at subject level able or willing to organise and deliver such training.” Klapper (2001)

Particular challenges and issues for LWT in universities The profile of the learners The profile of the learners The profile of the teachers The profile of the teachers The learning resources The learning resources The curriculum The curriculum The modes of delivery The modes of delivery The outcomes The outcomes

The LWT learners Previous formal LL experience with cognate and non-cognate languages Previous linguistic immersion experience Ab Initio

Learner Issues Ability to actively draw upon previous language learning experiences Ability to actively draw upon previous language learning experiences The transferability of learning strategies: e.g., paraphrasing, simplification, recognition of formulaic language, hypothesis testing, scaffolding processes The transferability of learning strategies: e.g., paraphrasing, simplification, recognition of formulaic language, hypothesis testing, scaffolding processes Reduction in levels of anxiety Reduction in levels of anxiety Increased ability for contextualisation Increased ability for contextualisation Heightened awareness of intercultural aspects Heightened awareness of intercultural aspects Is this taking into account when constructing a programme/ Is this taking into account when constructing a programme/

Teacher Issues SupplyStatus within HE Discipline focus Language Pedagogy Linguistic background and trajectories

Cooperation in addressing Teacher Issues for LWT Support across LBAS Centres and universities : sharing insights e.g., in language pedagogy, second language acquisition and learning, developing learning resources, approaches to language teaching Support across LBAS Centres and universities : sharing insights e.g., in language pedagogy, second language acquisition and learning, developing learning resources, approaches to language teaching Examples of Good Practice Examples of Good Practice Professional Development Training Workshop on Teaching Slavonic Languages in Universities (CEELBAS) Professional Development Training Workshop on Teaching Slavonic Languages in Universities (CEELBAS) Training Opportunities for Arabic Teachers (CASAW) Training Opportunities for Arabic Teachers (CASAW) Certificates/ Diplomas in Arabic, Chinese, South Asian Languages (SOAS) Certificates/ Diplomas in Arabic, Chinese, South Asian Languages (SOAS)

The learning resources Minimal supply of traditional learning resources Minimal supply of traditional learning resources Preparation of learning resources: training, time, sources, sharing, repositories Preparation of learning resources: training, time, sources, sharing, repositories The role of LBAS centres of excellence and affiliated agencies The role of LBAS centres of excellence and affiliated agencies

Modes of delivery The challenge of sustaining ‘super-small’ classes The challenge of sustaining ‘super-small’ classes The opportunities of collaboration in alternative modes of delivery The opportunities of collaboration in alternative modes of delivery ‘Summer school’ - intensive weekends ‘Summer school’ - intensive weekends Blended and e-learning – strong support available Blended and e-learning – strong support available On line: Virtual language classes On line: Virtual language classes Hindi – NYU Hindi – NYU Sanskrit – SOAS Sanskrit – SOAS Cooperative models: ‘teacher travels’ – ‘student travels’ Cooperative models: ‘teacher travels’ – ‘student travels’

Outcomes Moving beyond the aim of ‘native –like’ proficiency Moving beyond the aim of ‘native –like’ proficiency The new language environment The new language environment What is native-like proficiency? What is native-like proficiency? Few course descriptions have clear criteria (if any) re (proficiency outcomes Few course descriptions have clear criteria (if any) re (proficiency outcomes Limited knowledge or understanding of the European Framework Limited knowledge or understanding of the European Framework The need to address this absence The need to address this absence