Best practice shared at first Cardiff language learning colloquium

A colloquium for best practice in language learning and teaching was hosted by the School of Modern Languages this June.

The fourth Colloquium on Innovation in Modern Languages Education took place in Cardiff and was organised by LanGW4 which brings together researchers and language practitioners from the universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter. The purpose of the conference was to discuss and share innovative practices in the field of language learning and teaching. The event also supports a closer integration of language learning theory and pedagogical practice and encourages collaboration across our institutions.

Head of School, Professor Rachael Langford introduced the day and was followed by Professor Chris Pountain of Queen Mary University of London who gave the keynote speech on Modern Foreign Languages as an academic discipline and what makes it distinctive from other humanities disciplines.

Dr Liz Wren-Owens, Director of Teaching and Learning at the School wrapped up the day by drawing together the emerging themes of the day’s presentations.

Over 70 people attended the event which was open to all members of the four universities that are part of the GW4 consortium and was an opportunity to network, share expertise and start new scholarly collaborations. While the event was not connected to one specific research project within the School it did contribute to sharing individual teaching experiments and projects and contributed to improving staff scholarship.

Senior Lecturer in French, Marie Gastinel-Jones who helped organise the colloquium said, “With this year’s colloquium in Cardiff, the LanGW4 conference has come to the end of its first 4-year cycle. It has grown bigger and stronger every year, demonstrating that our community of language teachers is thirsty for opportunities to meet, share ideas and start new projects which place our students’ learning at the heart of all that we do.”

The colloquium was held in conjunction with the Wales Festival of Innovation, in partnership with the Welsh Government and the Knowledge Transfer Network and was sponsored by the Alliance Française de Cardiff, the DAAD, the Instituto Cervantes and the Embajada de España.