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Pedagogies of the Colloquial Register in Language Teaching and Learning in HE - 09 February 2022

This event aimed to build on the ‘Embracing Linguistic Diversity’ event in April 2021. It explored the place of colloquialism and everyday language in academia with insights from teachers and researchers in Portuguese, French, English and Russian.

 

Part 1 recording are available here

 

  • Welcome talk by Emma Cayley – Head of School of Language, Cultures and Societies and Yolanda Cerda – Director of Leeds Language Centre
  • From soap operas to real life drama - Bringing everyday language to the writing class - Carmem Mackle – Lecturer – SPLAS – LCS
    In this presentation, Carmem shared some fun activities I have used in my writing classes in order to provide space for creativity and experimentation with colloquial everyday language in different contexts.
  • A delicate balance: navigating register in informal yet professional contexts - Lucy Ferguson – MA researcher – LCS
    This presentation examines the conflicting levels of value attached to formal and informal modes of speech in a language-teaching context, focusing specifically on my own study of the French language, and the ways in which taught associations between ‘politeness’ and formal language affected my experience when working in a professional context in France. I address the difficulties faced by individuals when navigating interactions in workplace settings, a task which proves especially difficult when conversing in French as a non-native speaker. Combining anecdotal evidence with a consideration of politeness theory and the notion of ‘face’, I hope to underline how issues of politeness and hierarchy are intertwined with language in highly complex ways; rather than separating colloquial and formal language into a
    rigid dichotomy, we must embrace the need for nuance and flexibility when exploring the colloquial register in pedagogical settings.

 

Part 2 recording are available here

 

  • Colloquial language as a component of EAP in-sessional mathematics provision - Deak Kirkham – Lecturer in EAP
    Academic Personal Tutor (APT) meetings are central to University study. While the motivation for APT meetings is primarily academic, the interactional and relational dynamics imply an element of phatic talk and colloquial language. Embedded in-sessional provision can speak to
    this linguistic need for students from diverse linguistic backgrounds. This presentation will discuss both the motivating context for, and the pedagogical approach being taken to, this aspect of in-sessional provision in the School of Mathematics.
  • Benefits and challenges of integrating colloquial language in Modern Languages degrees: some reflections from Russian - James Wilson - Lecturer in Russian and Language Studies
    This presentation focuses on the place of colloquial language (teaching) in Modern Languages degrees. I argue that more training in everyday colloquial language and sociolinguistic variation would benefit our students as well as highlighting some challenges of introducing more colloquial language on our degree programmes within a broader discussion of HE language teaching. While seen in the context of Russian, the issues covered in this presentation are relevant to all LCS languages and serve as a springboard for further discussion.