Cercles – the European Confederation of Language Centres in Higher Education – is pleased to invite you to the XVII CercleS International Conference 2022, “The Future of Language Education in an Increasingly Digital World: Embracing Change”, which will take place on 15-17 September 2022.
The event is hosted by ReCLes.pt, the Association of Language Centres in Higher Education, in Portugal, at ISCAP – The Porto Accounting and Business School, Porto, Portugal.
In 2020 we met at a crossroads, which reflect the dynamic and challenging times we live(d) in. Now, there is a need to embrace the change we have all encountered and tailor it to meet the needs of teachers, students, and all relevant stakeholders. It is no longer about exploring new directions, but rather forging new sustainable paths for language learning, integrating technology into our teaching and learning environments and experiences.
At a time when the literature acknowledges that the effective integration of new technologies improves learners’ language learning skills, as it enables the creation of numerous alternatives, the chosen path is clear. However, for teachers and managerial staff, facing up to the disruption this has caused and the changes this may then require still raises many questions. As technology continues to grow in its importance, and by encouraging the learner to become the centre of the teaching and learning experience, teachers’ roles inevitably change. How might teachers be ready to assume their new role as facilitators of the teaching and learning process? How should teachers embrace the uncertainty that it entails?
On the other hand, are students prepared to assume the stage? Are they fully aware of the responsibility that they have assumed – greater autonomy and self-regulation?
Finally, are Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Language Centres prepared for the disruption that the full integration of digital technologies requires from them and will they accept the implications?
Embracing technology resources does not guarantee teaching or learning success, however the possibilities and opportunities lead us into unprecedented times and situations for which we all need to be prepared.
The conference, with its diversity of strands, will enable teachers, researchers, and managerial staff in HEIs to discuss a spectrum of cultural and linguistically challenging contexts.
Over three full days, we hope to engage in sharing best practices for teaching and learning to inspire and identify areas of opportunity and enhancement. We aim to contribute to the dialogue on the possible futures of language education, while duly recognising the impact of the digital world.
Important Dates:
Submission of proposals: 31st March 2022
Notification of acceptance: 30th April 2022
Registration opens: 15th April 2022
Early bird registration: 15th May 2022
Regular rate registration: until 31st August 2022
Conference dates: 15th-17th September 2022
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Plurilingualism and minority languages
Diversity of Englishes: World Englishes, global English, …
Plurilingualism and lingua franca
Languages in contact: interference, code switching, code mixing
Academia, science, and the workplace
Teaching languages of minorities
Mediation
Language acquisition in digital multilingual environments
2. Translation and terminology management
Management of translations: external and internal translators, general and ad hoc recruitment, quality guarantee
Higher education terminology: strategy of choice, harmonisation of terms, harmonisation of concepts, different databases
Universities as clients
External clients – business strategy
Business translation environments and the promotion of language learning (e.g. subtitling, interpreting, transcription, …)
Technological environments for translation and terminology management
3. Learners and their environment: interactions, roles, strategies and attitudes
Helping students take responsibility for their learning, developing self-reflection and metacognition
Autonomous learning and learners’ autonomy, implementing aspects of autonomy into mainstream teaching and curricula, self-organised learning, and self-regulation
Motivation and flow in the learning process
The role of emotions in language learning
Lifelong learners
Social aspects of learning: learning communities, environment, interdependence, importance of cooperation, classroom dynamics
Ethics and etiquette
Equality and inclusivity in digital environments
Learners as content co-creators
Collaborative autonomy
4. Practices, strategies, and tools for the digital environment
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in higher education and vocational training
EMI – English as a Medium of Instruction
COIL – Collaborative Online International Learning
Virtual exchange, virtual mobility
Storytelling
Virtual Labs
5. LSP and teaching methodologies
Maximising the effectiveness of teaching and learning
Encouraging active use of knowledge
Needs analysis and consequent teaching strategies: motivation, teacher’s commitment, critical perspectives, corpus-based approaches, interdisciplinary approaches...
Flexible modes of delivery
Academic vs. specific language
6. Managing and leading change in language centres
Managerial competences and professional development
Internal dynamics and dependencies within the language centre
2022+ skills-set of language centre teachers
"Hybrid"+ leadership
Variety and efficiency of ICT tools and other technology solutions in management
7. Language policy and politics
Status of national languages
University language policies (local, national, international) – creation, content and implementation
Development of student and staff plurilingual identities
Linguistic diversity
8. Testing and assessment
Digitalisation and digital challenges
Assessment for the academic context
Assessment in multilingual contexts, ethics and justice
Learning-oriented assessment, including informal assessment
Connections between teaching and assessment
Fairness, quality and validation of assessment in a digital world
What we assess: learner proficiency, learner development, achievement, skills, competences, task performance…
Assessment and policy contexts
Certification and recognition
9. Teacher training and development
Broadening and extending the core skills of the LC teacher
2022+ skills-set of language centre teachers
ICT and multimedia as part of teachers’ literacy
Teachers’ wellbeing
Teacher, Scholar, Researcher
Relevant forms of scholarship and research within language centres (action research, classroom research, exploratory practice, …)
Changes to core skills of the language teacher (professional training, core skills, soft skills, new skills)
10. Internationalisation and intercultural competence
Language and skills (citizenship, interpersonal, intercultural, etc.)
Intercultural awareness versus intercultural competence
Strategies for intercultural communication
Technologies in intercultural communication
Cultures in contact
Cross-border collaboration or interaction
Internationalisation at home
In September 2022, we will also welcome you to the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the CercleS, which currently includes more than 350 members of HEIs, in activities that include staff training and exchanges, research focus groups in language teaching and learning, observatories on technological developments, and academic publications. Founded in Strasbourg in 1991, the three decades were completed during the pandemic. As a result, CercleS 2022 Conference offers us the first opportunity to celebrate together, in person, by the seaside glow of Porto, Portugal.
Conference Languages: English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese
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