Edited by Garold Murray (Okayama University, JAPAN) this book has just been published:
Social Dimensions of Autonomy in Language Learning, edited by Garold Murray (2014, Palgrave Macmillan).
Here is an excerpt taken from the book cover:
Learner autonomy in language learning, initially associated with independence, is now
viewed as a capacity that can be developed in social contexts involving learner
interdependence and collaboration. In this volume researchers, most of whom are also
language teachers, from Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and North and South America, explore
the social aspects of learner autonomy in various language learning contexts. Bringing
together theory, research and practice, the studies draw on socially oriented theoretical
perspectives – such as social constructivism, sociocultural theory, situated learning, ecology
and complexity – and primarily employ case study and ethnographic methodologies. This
research suggests that the social dimensions of learner autonomy encompass underinvestigated
emotional, spatial and political dimensions. In addition to theoretical issues,
the authors discuss implications for practice, making this book of interest to teachers,
researchers, and other language professionals working in classrooms, distance education,
self-access centres, as well as virtual and social learning spaces.
With contributions by: Alice Chik and Stephan Breidbach (from Langscape), Garold Murray, Christine O’Leary, Tim Lewis and Tomoko Yashima and others
For a detailed list of contents and authors, please see here.
To purchase, refer to Palgrave Macmillan Publishers.
Dear Langscape members and friends,
this is to inform you about a very international conference co-organised by the University of Waterloo (Barbara Schmenk) and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Lutz Küster & Stephan Breidbach) taking place before long:
Sloganizations in Language Education Discourse
Venue: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
8 – 10 May, 2014
Since I´m aware that this announcement comes a bit late, I would like to invite you to join this interesting conference at least mentally and take note of the conference website:
It would be a pleasure to meet some of you there.
You find all neccessary information on the website, which is up-dated regularly. In case you would like to attend or have any further question concerning the conference, do not hesitate to write an e-mail to: sloganizations2014@hu-berlin.de.
Kind regards,
Claudia Schmidt
Dear Langscape members and friends,
The Interdisciplinary Centre for Educational Research (IZBF) at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin invites postgraduates and PhD-researchers to take part in the Doctoral Summer School 2014.
This year’s motto of the Summer School will be:
The methodology chapter in educational research –
issues in empirical and theory-driven research
The Summer School welcomes doctoral researchers from all fields of educational research. In 2014, there will be a special focus on research projects in language education. Working languages will be German and English.
The Summer School will take place on 11th and 12th September 2014 at the Campus Mitte of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
The overall aim of this year´s Summer School is to foreground important methodological issues in both empirical and theory-driven research. Guiding questions will be:
-
What basic assumptions is a research question based on?
-
What are the contexts that give relevance to individual projects?
-
Which is the scope of the expected results of a research project?
-
How are the research topic and the applied methods linked?
-
Which perspectives are opened by individual research designs and which are excluded? What are the potentials and limitations of analytic-nomothetic and interpretive-reconstructive methods?
-
Which issues referring to ethical guidelines for research are to be accounted for?
These and other related questions will be discussed in workshops and counselling sessions conducted by various experts in the field of research methodology.
Details on the program, application & registration procedure and participation fees will be announced in May 2014. Members of the IZFB qualify for a reduced rate.
For further information, please refer to:
http://zentrum-bildungsforschung.hu-berlin.de/summerschool/
Alternatively, contact Jurik Stiller at the IZBF: jurik.stiller@hu-berlin.de
Organising Committee of the IZFB-Summer School 2014:
Anka Bergmann (Russian Language Education)
Stephan Breidbach (English Language Education)
Stefan Kipf (Latin/Greek Language Education)
Lutz Küster (French/Spanish Language Education)
(You can find this announcement as pdf file here.)
Best regards,
Claudia Schmidt
Dear Langscape members,
please save the date for another interesting conference on 18 and 19 September at Brussels!
The International conference “SOCIOCULTURAL COMPETENCE & LANGUAGE LEARNING IN MULTILINGUAL SETTINGS”
at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BRUSSELS, on 18-19 September 2014.
All information concerning the conference, deadlines for the Call for Papers etc. are to be found here:
http://www.vub.ac.be/events/2014/scll2014
Please forward the link and information on this conference also to anyone not (or not yet) affiliated with the Langscape Network.
PLEASE NOTE: We are planning a Langscape- as well as a BoD-Meeting alongside the conference, so coming to Brussels in autumn will be rewarding in more than one way…
A precise date will be negotiated in due time.
Kindest regards,
Claudia
Dear Langscape members,
I´d like to forward information on an interesting opportunity for support of postdoctoral researchers and projects to you:
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin currently offers support and funding of Post-Doc Fellowships for outstanding (young) researchers from Germany (outside HU) and abroad. In general, projects from all disciplines are welcome and are merely asked to be compatible with the HU research portfolio. The funding scheme allows for various networking opportunities.
We´d like to direct this offer especially at researchers whose research and projects are closely connected to the Langscape network.
If you can think of possible candidates you would like to propose, please contact Stephan Breidbach or Lutz Küster as Langscape Co-ordinators accordingly.
You find more detailed information on the funding profile as well as requirements and deadlines for application etc. here:
Kind regards,
Claudia Schmidt
Seasons Greetings
The co-ordinating team wish all Langscape members, associates, friends and families a very Happy Christmas and a New Year full of flourishing prospects and good health. We look forward to new and extended Langscape activities in 2014.
Best wishes from Stephan Breidbach, Lutz Küster and Claudia Schmidt
Dear Langscape members,
1. concerning all Langscape members – especially their supervised PhD candidates:
http://www.univ-paris3.fr/17th-rencontres-jeunes-chercheurs-rjc-2014–234286.kjsp
(submission deadline: 14th January 2014)
2. concerning the Langscape network:
Dear Langscape members,
please note: the AILA-ReN “Sociocultural Theory & Emergentism“ and Langscape Symposium “Interactions of Sociocultural Theory and Emergentism in SLA and Language Education Studies – Conceptual and Interdisciplinary Concerns”
jointly held in Berlin next week, now has an official website accessible via:
https://www.angl.hu-berlin.de/confslecs/AILA-ReN-Langscape-Symposium_2013
You will find information on the programme and other organizational issues published here.
If you have not registered or confirmed attendance yet or in case of problems of any sort do – as usual – not hesitate to contact me.
Looking forward to meeting all of you who will attend the conference in Berlin.
Kind regards,
Claudia Schmidt
Dear Langscape members,
Please take note of the date(s) concerning the next “AILA Junior Researcher Meeting in Applied Linguistics” which will be held at the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) in May 2014. The conference is not initiated by the Langscape Network, yet we are glad to forward according information on behalf of the organizers.
Thus, please find further information and important dates as well as contact sites and addresses in the letter attached below.
AILA Research Network on Learner Autonomy in Language Learning
******************************
FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS: EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING
AILA-Europe/AFinLA welcome you to the 6th Junior Researcher Meeting in Applied Linguistics 12th-14th May 2014 hosted by the University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
The conference will focus on first and second/foreign language learning and teaching but also papers on other areas of applied linguistics are welcome. A paper may present also work in progress.
Please submit your abstract of no more than 350 words (excluding the title) using the link on the conference website: https://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/tutkimus/hankkeet/jrm2014.
The invited plenary speakers are
Dr Judit Kormos, University of Lancaster, Dept of Linguistics and English Language
Dr Sari Sulkunen, University of Jyväskylä, Dept of Languages
Dr Maria Ruohotie-Lyhty, University of Jyväskylä, Dept of Teacher Education
Important dates:
submission opens October 15th, 2013
second call for papers November 1st, 2013
submission closes November 29th, 2013
notification for acceptance January 31st, 2014
early bird registration March 31st, 2014
final registration 14th April, 2014
The Junior Researcher Meeting allows early career applied linguists to present their research and network in an interactive and informal international environment. ‘Junior Researchers’ include those working on their Master’s and PhD theses, as well as those who have graduated within the last three years. The conference will also be the 15th Spring School of Language Studies, which as a national event has been organized for post-graduate students by the University of Jyväskylä since 1996.
At the conference, each paper session will have designated senior researchers as commentators to guarantee questions and discussion. The programme will also include workshops on various aspects of academic career, such as publishing and seeking for funding.
The conference venue, Vesala (http://www.jyvaskylanseurakunta.fi/palvelut_ja_yhteystiedot/leirikeskukset/vesala/), is located some 15 kilometres from Jyväskylä, and transportation will be organized for participants from the airport/bus/railway station. Vesala offers not only conference facilities, accommodation and catering but also sauna, lake, and Finnish nature. Among other things, the social programme includes a conference dinner at the University of Jyväskylä, and a sauna experience at Vesala – by one of Finland’s thousands lakes.
More information on the conference and venue:
https://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/tutkimus/hankkeet/jrm2014
For any queries, please e-mail : ailajrm2014@jyu.fi
Warmly welcome to Jyväskylä!
Organising committee
Dear Langscape members,
my name is Claudia Schmidt and I´d like to take the opportunity to introduce myself as a new member of the Langscape Coordination Team.
I am a BA-student of English (major) and Latin (minor) at Humboldt University in Berlin, and in the future, I will strengthen the backbone of the Langscape Coordination by supporting the work of Lutz Küster and Stephan Breidbach. My main tasks will be to manage the Langscape Blog and facilitate communication between the Coordinators and the Board of Directors and R&N Consultants. I will also help with the coordination of conferences and meetings at Humboldt University on behalf of the Langscape Network.
The first opportunity to meet face-to-face will be on 13th and 14th December at Humboldt University for those of you who will attend the Symposium of AILA ReN and/or the meeting of Board of Directors.
Please forward any material, news or events you would like to have posted to the Langscape Blog to me, using the following e-mail address: schmidcy@hu-berlin.de. I will be happy to take care of a speedy publication.
Hoping to be able to add my share to making Langscape a mutually fruitful network, I am much looking forward to working with you,
Best wishes for now,
Claudia