DCU hosts Annual Conference of the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics
SALIS and the Applied Linguistics Research Group in DCU were delighted to be selected to host the Annual Conference of the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics. The conference took place on Saturday, 24th November in DCU. Entitled Applied Linguistics and Language Strategies: Practices and Policies, the focus of this year's conference was on Ireland’s first ever strategy for foreign-languages-in-education, Languages Connect, as well as on the most recent developments in the field of applied linguistics.
Highlights of the conference included:
A keynote lecture on Multilingual Language Teaching in Higher Education
This was delivered by Adj. Professor Dr Peppi Taalas, Director of the Language Centre in the University of Jyväskylä, Finland and one of the leading researchers globally in the field of language policy..
A round table on the implications for the Higher Education Sector of Languages Connect.
Participating were Dr Cinta Ramblado, Head of the School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics in the University of Limerick and Chair of the UL Taskforce with responsibility for implementing Languages Connect, Mr. Gerry O’Sullivan , Head of International Programmes with the HEA and the HEA Representative on the recently established Foreign Languages Advisory Group, Dr Jennifer Bruen, Associate Professor in the School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies and Founder of the Applied Linguistics Research Group in DCU and Prof. Mary Ruane, Founding Director of the UCD Applied Language Centre and Adjunct Professor in the of Asian Studies in UCC.
Presentations on core and emerging areas in applied linguistics
Participants from Canada, France, Germany, the UK, Finland and Ireland presented their research and engaged in discussion on core and emerging areas of applied linguistics ranging from the economic value of multilingualism, to language teaching and learning, and language policy.
Launch of Teanga
IRAALs newly revamped journal, Teanga, was launched at the conference in its new online, open access format by its new team of editors, Colin Flynn, Stephen Lucek and Úna Bhreathnach. A selection of papers from the conference will be considered for publication in the next edition.