LLAS News Blog

News articles of interest to higher education LLAS subject fields.

Tuesday 27 May 2008

USA: Creek language in a Florida School

0844 A report from Andy Gallacher on the Native American Seminole Tribe in Florida. Andy Gallagher visits a school at which some of the teaching takes place in the Creek language.

Today programme (listen again)
Tuesday 27th May


Related links

EDUCATION-US: Seminole School Thriving In Florida
www.ipsnews.net

Seminole Tribe of Florida- official website.

Tuesday 20 May 2008

Expert says txt is gr8 4 language

A linguistics expert has rejected claims that texting by mobile phone is bad for language and literacy skills.

Professor David Crystal argues that such condensed messages enhance and enrich language skills.

Tuesday, 20 May 2008
BBC website

USA: Nasa sponsors course on how to talk to aliens

The US space agency Nasa is sponsoring a university course on how to talk to aliens.
English students at the University of Wyoming are being encouraged to consider the possibility that humanity might one day make contact with aliens and then not know what to say.

The Telegraph
Tuesday, 19 May 2008

So, what's the attraction?

For Americans, it's St Andrews, while the Chinese like Manchester. Jessica Shepherd reveals the university hotspots where different student nationalities congregate.

Tuesday, 20 May 2007
The Guardian

Want to tour in Europe with a band?

Are you aged 17 - 21?

Love music?

Learning a language at school, college or university?

Available summer 2008?

TV production company Shine Limited are looking for enthusiastic young students for the ultimate work experience - touring with a band and helping fix some of the arrangements, using language skills along the way to assist the team

Apply now at fixers@shinelimited.com

More details: Routes into Languages website

Monday 19 May 2008

Standard Cornish spelling agreed

A standard written form of Cornish has been agreed after two years work.

Members of the Cornish Language Partnership have voted to ratify the written form for use in education and public life.

Monday, 19 May 2008
BBC website

Also: Breakthrough for Cornish language, BBC news

Tuesday 13 May 2008

Minority language 'could be lost'

A unified strategy to protect British minority languages such as Gaelic and Welsh has been called for.

Orkney-based expert Dr Donna Heddle said without one they would become "devalued and lost".

Tuesday 13 May 2008
BBC website

Monday 12 May 2008

Modern languages in Scotland: supply and demand in post-school education

The Scottish Funding Council has published a report for consultation concerning future language provision in Scottish further and higher education.

Scottish Funding Council report

LLAS e-bulletin: May 2008

This month's ebulletin is now available on the subject centre website at:

http://www.llas.ac.uk/e-bulletin.aspx

We would be grateful if you would forward this bulletin to colleagues and relevant mailing lists. Please do not hesitate to contact the Subject Centre if you have any queries regarding this bulletin.

Friday 9 May 2008

Call for papers: 49th Parallel: An interdisciplinary journal of North American Studies

49th Parallel is an interdisciplinary e-journal devoted to American and Canadian studies and looks to promote innovative and challenging academic work. The journal takes its name from the 1,270 mile border separating USA and Canada, and in this sense is keen to encourage dialogues and debates which transcend the boundaries of customary theoretical approaches to the culture, history, and politics of the North American continent.
ISSN 1753-5794





49th parallel website

ITALY: Second-class colleagues

Charles Lambert reflects on the struggle of foreign language teachers at Italian universities to attain respect and workers' rights

Times Higher Education (subscription needed for online version)
8-14 May 2008, p. 14

Saudi Prince donates £16 million to improve Islamic Studies

Edinburgh and Cambridge universities to set up Muslim research centres. Olga Wojtas reports

Two new research centres that aim to improve understanding between the Muslim world and the West have been launched this week at the universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge thanks to a £16 million donation.

Times Higher Education (subscription needed for online version)
8-14 May 2008, p. 14

USA: Budget Crisis Prompts Berkeley to Halve Its Offerings in East Asian Studies

The California budget crisis has taken a toll on the University of California at Berkeley’s department of East Asian languages and cultures, which has announced that this fall it will eliminate classes for 1,500 students to make up for an unexpected financial shortfall.

Chronicle of Higher Education