CILT Update AULC – 17 January 2008 Teresa Birks

Language Gateways into the Professions Background to the Project A direct response to the Langlands’ Report (2005) calling for support measures to improve access to a variety of professions via Higher Education. And with reference to the Leitch Review of Skills (2006) calling for strengthening partnerships and key stakeholders – SSCs, HEIs and professional bodies

Language Gateways into the Professions The Professions Engineering Built Environment Translation Interpreting

Engineering & the Built Environment Aims Develop and highlight good practice in the design and delivery of profession-specific language curriculum models in partnership with HEIs, employers and professional bodies Pilot a variety of different curriculum models and levels Raise awareness among potential entrants to these professions of the value of language and intercultural skills in their future careers

Engineering & Built Environment Curriculum development Language courses linked to the vocational context of the students’ main degree Courses developed by language tutors in collaboration with vocational tutors and employers Guidance and support from CILT, SSCs and key professional bodies, e.g. ECUK, RICS External evaluation developed and delivered as a formative process to support teams and enable the sharing of best practice

Engineering & Built Environment Courses Salford University –Arabic for the Built Environment Loughborough University –German for the Built Environment Kingston University –French for Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering Bristol University –French or Spanish for Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering

Engineering & Built Environment Diversity of provision & delivery Timetabling –Intensive (1 week 4 hours per day) –Non-intensive (2 hours per week for 10 weeks) Pre-course entry levels: –ab initio/false beginner –GCSE –A level Blended learning & use of authentic materials Accreditation? Currently non-credit bearing

Engineering & Built Environment Achievements so far 3 curriculum models and schemes of work with contextualised materials for a 20 hour course Downloadable factsheets with 5 case studies each for Built Environment and Engineering Resources for CILT’s Vocational Languages Resource Bank External evaluation has begun Extra funding for further evaluation: the effect of collaboration with professional bodies and employers on curriculum development

Engineering & Built Environment To come Evaluation of and report on the project Guidelines for joint language and professional/ vocational HE curriculum development projects Dissemination event in May 2008 Workshop presentation at DIUS “Strengthening Partnerships between Professional Bodies, SSCs and HEIs” on 7 th February at the Brit Oval, Kennington

Engineering & Built Environment Main lessons learnt so far “HEI autonomy and diversity of employer needs calls for a collaborative approach that is supported by case studies of best practice and a menu of tools and methodologies” Enablers Existing internal & external working relationships Experience of courses delivered across departments Formative (rather than summative) evaluation strategy Barriers Constraints of traditional curriculum models & development Limited experience in initiating & managing collaboration Senior level commitment/vision not explicit Accreditation

Engineering & Built Environment Further work Strategic – getting decision makers on board Operational – providing toolkit & case studies

Translation & Interpreting Aims Development and dissemination of materials for outreach activity in schools, colleges and universities Development and dissemination of materials for use with potential mature recruits into the language professions Development of a model for structured work placements in translation companies for postgraduate students of translation Facilitate partnership development between HEIs, UK translation agencies and the professional bodies

Translation & Interpreting Outputs Case studies aimed at recruiting in schools, colleges, HEIs and mature recruits for widening participation Guidelines for use with case studies Graduate Apprenticeship Handbook

Languages Work - HE

European Award for Languages The European Award for Languages recognizes creative ways to improve the quality of language teaching, motivate students and make the best of available resources. The Award is part of a Europe-wide scheme supported by the European Commission, with CILT, the National Centre for Languages as the UK co-ordinator. Applications are invited from primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities, businesses and all other institutions engaged in foreign language teaching. For more information and to make a nominations, visit: Nominations deadline for the 2008 Awards is: 01 February 2008.

Higher Education Conference Languages in Higher Education Conference: Transitions and Connections University of York on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th July 2008 This two-day conference is jointly organised by the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies and CILT in partnership with key subject associations in languages and related studies in HE: UCML, SCHML, AULC, and Routes into Languages. Call for papers Deadline for submission: Thursday 31st January

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