Concern over plan to employ Chinese teachers

LONDON (AFP) - Plans to hire staff from China to teach Mandarin in English schools could be scuppered because of their difficulty in coping with unruly pupils, a report for the government suggested Thursday.

Thursday, 27th September
Yahoo News

Online consultation on languages in the EU

The European Commission has just launched an online consultation aimed at both organisations and individuals about its work concerning the role and place of languages in the EU. This consultation is available in 22 languages at: http://ec.europa.eu/education/multiling/ The consultation site will remain open until the 15th November 2007. The results of the research will be published early in 2008.

Don't give up languages', employers urge teenagers

CILT’s Employers’ Advisory Group, the only national forum for languages in the workplace, met yesterday, the European Day of Languages, and issued the following statement: Many more teenagers should choose a language at GCSE than are currently doing so. We want them to be ambitious and successful in the competitive global environment in which we all operate – and to enjoy life to the full. We want teenagers to understand that language skills make them more employable. We want more young Britons to have the confidence to live or work abroad for part of their careers. We want them to be able to play their part in solving global challenges and to gain vital international experience to bring back to our businesses and public services.

Thursday, 27 September 2007
CILT

Today is European Day of Languages

Wednesday, 26th September 2007

Links
Council of Europe
CILT, The National Centre for Languages

PDA in BSL Studies Questionnaire

SQA are developing a Professional Development Award (PDA) in British Sign Language (BSL) Studies which will support progression to becoming a qualified BSL tutor, or leading on to other related careers such as Interpreting, or simply for self development reasons.

The PDA is designed to improve BSL skills and will lead on to the existing PDA 'Teaching in Further Education' for those tutors who wish to teach BSL.

SQA are now beginning the wider consultation part of this development and would welcome feedback from Deaf BSL tutors, employers, students thinking about starting the course, previous students, individuals, training centres and anyone who feels they can give useful input.

Closing date for the questionnaire is 10th October 2007
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/27862.html

Last man standing

All his staff have been made redundant, leaving the head of East Asian studies alone in his office. Matthew Killeya reports

Tuesday, 25th September 2007
The Guardian

Mind your language

Further letter in response to Jennifer Jenkins' article, including a response from Jennifer Jenkins to Roy Harris.

Friday 21 September 2007
THES letters, p.15

'Proper' English is not a luxury

Responses to Jennifer Jenkins' article 'Lashed by the mother tongue' by Roy Harris, Michael Bulley and Charles Owen

Friday 14th September, p. 15

Letters, THES

Lashed by the mother tongue

Smug native speakers of English could find themselves left behind in a world that uses it as a lingua franca, says Jennifer Jenkins

Friday, 7th September 2007

THES (subscription required to view online)