Events

Past events

Day to day realities of languages education and opportunities for further research

with Anita Wood and Kelsey Cooper

Abstract

Anita Wood and Kelsey Cooper of the Language Teachers Association of Tasmania brought a session exploring the realities and challenges of languages education in Tasmania. Anita and Kelsey shared their experiences teaching languages, what their ideal program resembled, and the reality of what actually happens in this learning area. Anita shared the primary school perspective, and Kelsey focused on secondary and senior secondary space.

Current language teaching methodologies were shared. Gaps for needed research regarding languages education in Tasmania were also discussed.

About the speakers

Anita, a UTAS graduate specializing in Indonesian and primary language teaching methodologies, has been teaching languages and general classroom subjects in Tasmania since 2005. She has taught French and Indonesian from Kinder to Year 12 across urban and rural schools in both public and independent sectors. Anita is a recipient of an Endeavour Language Fellowship and a BRIDGE program online exchange. She has contributed to Australian Curriculum V9 French and DECYP projects, including Snapshots and Languages Achievement Guides, and assisted with a UTAS research project on primary language teacher motivations. A past president of the Language Teachers Association of Tasmania, Anita now supports their web design and media. She works with DECYP’s Inclusion, Cultural, and Diversity Services, teaching in the Gifted Online program Ad Astra.

Kelsey Cooper, LTAT State President, AFMLTA Promotions Officer, FATFA Tasmania representative, and Alliance Française member, champions quality language education and sustainable teaching. A French teacher since graduating from UTAS in 2018 with the Barrie Muir Award for Excellence in Language Pedagogy, Kelsey has taught upper primary, secondary, and pre-tertiary French across sectors during her 6-year career. Her multidisciplinary “Fransmania” project integrated Tasmanian Aboriginal culture with French connections through hands-on learning, earning her the 2022 BELC scholarship for PL in France and the 2019 Goddard Sapin-Jaloustre Scholarship. Kelsey has contributed to curriculum reviews, national projects, and cross-curriculum collaboration. She recently received the 2024 Prize for Excellence in French teaching awarded by FATFA, the French Embassy in Australia, and SBS French Radio.

LinguaLab Writing Retreat: A Day of Focus and Collaboration at River’s Edge

On Thursday, December 3, 2024, members of LinguaLab’s research team gathered at the scenic River’s Edge Building in Invermay, Tasmania, for a day-long writing retreat. The event offered a refreshing escape from everyday distractions, allowing participants to focus intently on their writing goals while fostering meaningful connections with fellow writers.

The retreat was structured to maximize productivity, with carefully scheduled sessions that balanced intensive writing with moments of reflection and collaboration. Under the guidance of the facilitator, Dr. Nita Novianti, attendees engaged in goal-setting, writing warm-ups, and extended writing bursts.

Ample breaks, complete with delicious refreshments and a lunch that provided time to recharge, offered opportunities to share ideas, review progress, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Participants left the event feeling both accomplished and inspired.

Feedback from attendees highlighted the most valued aspects of the retreat:

  • Dedicated Writing Time: Uninterrupted blocks of time to focus solely on writing.
  • Supportive Environment: The positive energy and encouragement from like-minded colleagues.
  • Collective Expertise: The chance to draw upon the diverse knowledge and experiences within the group.
  • Accountability: The motivation of working alongside peers in a shared space of commitment and focus.

The retreat was not only a productive experience but also a celebration of the power of collaboration and shared purpose in academic and creative pursuits. Participants left with a renewed sense of motivation and tangible progress toward their writing goals.

Assessments for bilingual learners and Teacher Assessment Literacy

with Dr Yuen Yi LO

Abstract

In the era of internationalisation, numerous students are learning non-language content subjects through their additional language (L2). It follows that their academic achievement is often assessed in their less proficient L2, which raises concerns over the validity and fairness of assessments for these students. At the same time, teachers have not received sufficient professional support in terms of designing assessments for these students.

In this seminar, the speaker will share her recent work on assessments for bilingual students studying through English in Hong Kong secondary schools. She will first illustrate the cognitive, linguistic and multimodal demands imposed by high-stakes examination questions on bilingual students, and how these may affect students’ academic achievement. She will then introduce a conceptual framework and associated inventory for teacher assessment literacy in bilingual programmes and discuss how these can facilitate future research and professional development in this field.

About the speaker

Dr Yuen Yi Lo is an Associate Professor at the Literacy and Language Unit of the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong. She received her doctorate from the University of Oxford and had worked at the Hong Kong Education University prior to joining the University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include bilingual education, Medium of Instruction policy and classroom interaction. In recent years, she has been investigating the professional development of teachers in content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and issues related to CLIL assessments. Her research has been published in Review of Educational Research, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism and Teaching and Teacher Education, and collected in her book “Professional Development of CLIL Teachers”.

Situating English Medium Instruction Research and Development

Ernesto Macaro. University of Oxford, Department of Education

Abstract

There has been a global and rapid expansion of English-taught programmes (English Medium Instruction – EMI)  in universities in non-anglophone countries. Although this expansion has been matched by an equally substantial growth in EMI research, there is a continuing debate regarding where this research is situated in the broader fields of Applied Linguistics and of Education (Pecorari & Malmström 2018; Rose et al 2021). This presentation will provide comprehensive data of who is involved in EMI research (Macaro & Aizawa 2022;) and its relationship with research in English for Academic Purposes (Wingate 2022; Macaro & Aizawa 2024). It will conclude with a discussion as to the benefits of collaboration between all the stakeholders involved in EMI.

Macaro, E. & Aizawa, I. (2022) Who Owns EMI? Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2136187

Macaro, E., & Aizawa, I. (2024). English medium instruction, EAP/ESP: Exploring overlap and divergences in research aims. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12563

Pecorari, D., & Malmström, H. (2018). At the crossroads or TESOL and English Medium Instruction. TESOL Quarterly, 52: 497-515.

Rose, H., Macaro, E., Sahan, K., Aizawa, I., Zhou, S. & Wei, M. (2021). Defining English Medium Instruction: Striving for comparative equivalence. Language Teaching. 1-12 doi:10.1017/S0261444821000483

Wingate, U. (2022). Student support and teacher education in English for Academic Purposes and English Medium Instruction: Two sides of the same coin? Language Teaching, 1–12.

Rethinking marginalised silence

Dr Dat Bao, Monash University

In the discourse that advocates speech, silence is frowned upon as a form of disability. For a long time, many experimental studies have been designed to ‘kill’ silence in the classroom, treating it as a problem that harms learning and needs to be eliminated at all costs. Recent research, however, reveals the need to think twice. While silence in some students denotes incompetence, passivity and uncooperation, silence in others reveal high intelligence, incubated ideas, and complex ways of participating. Based on research in Australia, China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, the talk reveals multiple layers of classroom silence and argues that treating all learner silences as the same thing might damage many positive learning moments. By understanding diverse silences within every student, teachers can make pedagogy more inclusive.

Q methodology is a mixed-methods research approach that allows for the systematic study of subjectivity (viewpoints). It combines aspects of quantitative data (by-person factor analysis) and qualitative methods (interviews) and is suitable for studies with relatively smaller numbers of participants.

First developed in 1935, it has been used in exploratory studies by researchers in a wide range of fields, including environmental, health and political sciences, education and applied linguistics. For small-scale exploratory research, it provides a systematic approach that overcomes some of the limitations of typical qualitative research methods.

Q methodology also allows the researcher to leverage the power of by-person factor analysis rather than typical descriptive statistical analysis of survey data used in small-scale studies. This workshop is an introduction to Q methodology and is especially suited for people with limited or no prior experience.

You will gain an overview of the essential steps for conducting a Q study covering concourse theory, statement selection, P-set selection, Q-sorting, factor analysis and data interpretation. No previous knowledge of quantitative methods is required to successfully conduct a Q methodology study.

On 20th June, LinguaLab hosted a community roundtable discussion on languages in Tasmania.

The aim of the event was to bring the Tasmanian community together to explore and discuss the role of language and languages in the region.

The roundtable discussion focused on the cultural, economic, and educational benefits of languages in Tasmania, touching upon key themes such as the economic and social importance of languages, multilingualism and social justice, and professional development for languages teachers.

Panel and Participants:

The panel consisted of esteemed representatives from various organisations, including the Multicultural Council of Tasmania, DECYP, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, the Modern Languages Teachers Association of Tasmania, the Tasmanian TESOL Association, a Hobart City Councillor, and TasTAFE. The event was facilitated by Professor Lisa Fletcher, Head of the School of Humanities at UTAS.

This workshop provides an introduction to Social Network Analysis (SNA).

After a basic introduction to the approach we focus upon qualitative and mixed method social network analysis (MMSNA), and consider how qualitative methods can be combined with SNA in data collection and analysis.

Throughout the workshop, we will draw upon examples from a range of MMSNA social research projects to illustrate the practicalities and value of such an approach.

LinguaLab hosted an enlightening event in March 2023 featuring Dr. Connie Cirkony, a lecturer in Science Education at the University of Tasmania (UTAS).

The session focused on exploring the nuances of literature reviews in education and their significance in research, policy, and practice within the education sector.

The event drew a diverse audience, including students and staff from the UTAS Faculty of Education, as well as participants from other schools and colleges across UTAS.

Discourse analysis is a method in linguistics which takes a macro, top-down view on the use of language when words, expressions, sentences and paragraphs are combined into texts for the purpose of communication. For example, in the field of second language teaching a teacher-researcher might look at the way students use discourse markers (e.g., therefore, however, nonetheless, on the other hand) to create cohesion and coherence in their language.

Critical discourse analysis (commonly referred to as CDA) operates on the same fundamental principles of language analysis but the addition of ‘critical’ refers to analysis which also looks at how decisions about the language being used may reflect political purposes of the text producer. For example, analysis using CDA might look at how politicians use the repetition of specific phrases to embed targeted messaging in the wider public. While rooted in linguistics, the use of CDA as a research method has spread widely in recent years within academic fields in the social sciences.

This seminar will be designed to introduce both discourse analysis and CDA using examples from second language learning and political discourse. It will also point attendees in the direction of readings, resources and tools which they can use to further develop their knowledge and skills in this area.

Members of LinguaLab’s research team met for the day at the Silo Hotel in Launceston to focus on writing. It was a fun and productive day for everyone, with plenty of opportunity to discuss writing projects, brainstorm ideas and eat delicious food.

But, most importantly, it offered members the chance to get some serious writing done, in intensive bursts where no talking was allowed and internet surfing strongly discouraged!

Dr Stephanie Richey facilitated the day with great professionalism and a survey after the event confirmed the atmosphere in the room. Participants found the event to be enjoyable and valuable for:

  • The positive and supportive attitude of colleagues
  • Dedicated writing time that can be difficult to find in a regular schedule
  • The collective wisdom and experience available within the group, and
  • The accountability of being in a room together with colleagues all writing at once

Staff and students at the College of Arts, Law and Education, along with colleagues in other schools at UTAS, and professionals from Tas TESOL and MLTAT were treated to an excellent presentation by Prof. Andy Gao of the University of New South Wales in November, 2022.

Andy talked about the use of narratives as a metholodogical approach in research.

He explained how narratives can be conceptualised with reference to ecological perspectives and how the two concepts work together in research.

Publishing in International Top-Tier Journals

Featuring outstanding presentations from Prof. Yongyan Zheng, Prof. Andy Gao, and Dr Peter Crosthwate, this event, on 9th February 2023, was so popular we ran out of spaces in our Zoom meeting! A robust Q and A ensured that attendees received everything they needed to know to maximise their chances of successful publication in top-tier journals. Our sincere thanks to everyone involved.

This forum provided an overview of the publication process, key considerations for publishing your work in top tier journals and the key principles that guide decision-making. The roles of the editor, the reviewer, and the author, were considered, viewing the process as a conversation between the three.

  • Editors’ perspectives: How editors conduct initial screening of submissions, identify and secure reviewers, make editorial decisions, and some suggestions on how to interact with editors.
  • Reviewers’ perspectives: Considers the kinds of questions reviewers are likely to have in mind when reviewing a manuscript, the key aspects reviewers typically focus on, how reviewers determine their recommendations to the editor, and how to effectively engage with reviewers.
  • Authors’ perspectives: Preparing your manuscript, selecting an appropriate journal, information to include in a cover letter, producing an exciting abstract and title to inspire potential reviewers to review your work, addressing reviewers' comments, what to do in the case of suggested major revisions, dealing with rejections, and some useful 'do's and don'ts' before, during and after the publication process.