Welsh Assembly to have more powers for Welsh language legislation

MPs have backed giving the Welsh assembly more powers to legislate on the Welsh language.

Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said he wanted to give the assembly the authority to make laws on the language.

He told MPs it played a "central, fundamental role" in society and it was right to now build on the "firm foundations" of the Welsh Language Act

BBC news

The language of Avatar revealed

It all started with what Professor Paul Frommer now describes as a "fateful e-mail."

The linguistics expert from the University of Southern California is the brains behind the language used by James Cameron's 10-foot-tall alien tribe in the much-anticipated science fiction epic, Avatar.

BBC website

Child protection rules could bring end to school language exchanges

Teachers' leaders representing almost 45,000 schools have written to the government to object to new child protection rules they say will stop language exchange programmes and deter parent-helpers.

The Guardian

Read House of Lords debate on Modern Foreign Languages

On 3 December 2009, the House of Lords debated the importance of Modern Foreign Languages to the Economy.

The Hansard transciption of the debate can be found here

National Teaching Fellowship Scheme nominations open

NTFS 2010 individual awards call for nominations

The call for nominations for the individual awards of the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) is now open, with a closing date of 3 February 2010. The awards aim to raise the profile of learning and teaching in England and Northern Ireland.

Further information:

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/supportingindividuals/ntfs?tabIndex=0&#tab1

Review of modern foreign languages: joint response by HEFCE and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The HEFCE Board on 27 November considered a review of modern foreign languages in English higher education (HE). The review, commissioned by HEFCE and undertaken by Professor Michael Worton, Vice-Provost of University College London, drew on a range of data to make recommendations that aim to assure the long-term sustainability and vitality of modern foreign languages (MFL) provision in HE. A

Full statement on HEFCE website