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Building and enhancing a language strategy in your institution

Building and enhancing a language strategy in your institution. A case study Vicky Wright – vmw@soton.ac.uk. A process case study - Southampton. Overview Starting points Developing a strategy identification of needs compilation of a report recommendations for action adoption of strategy

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Building and enhancing a language strategy in your institution

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  1. Building and enhancing a language strategy in your institution A case study Vicky Wright – vmw@soton.ac.uk

  2. A process case study - Southampton Overview • Starting points • Developing a strategy • identification of needs • compilation of a report • recommendations for action • adoption of strategy • Implementation and next steps

  3. Starting points • Context of Southampton • Remit to develop a university language strategy • Briefing document developed and conversations and consultation across the University: • Faculties (Deans / Associate Deans Education) • HR • Student Services • University management (PVCs Education/International) • Student Union

  4. Developing a strategy Identification of needs • A broad approach in the early stages: ‘a coherent university language policy should address issues at all levels of the organisation and should be co-owned by the whole community including governing bodies, teaching, research, administrative staff and students. It should also be kept under review since it is ‘the result of the context in which it is developed, and this context is subject to change’. CERCLES position statement (2011) on language policy in Higher Education http://www.aks-web.de/app/download/5783483461/CercleS+Language+Policy+Position+Statement+revised+Nov+2011.pdf).

  5. Developing a strategy Compilation of a report • Audience? Goal of a language strategy? A university-wide language strategy for Southampton will support the internationalisation agenda and the University’s commitment to creating a truly international learning and research community. It will include priorities and plans for valuing and promoting language learning and language diversity in all aspects of university life. This discussion document sets out the background to the strategy and then makes a number of proposals for action.’ Extract from the introduction to the Southampton report

  6. Developing a strategy Compilation of a report • Sections • Foreword and background (quick reading) • Current Position: Languages in the national/international context; Language learning and Teaching at Southampton; Points arising from discussions

  7. Developing a strategy Recommendations for Action • 19 recommendations in 5 key areas • Education • Research • Professional services • General visibility and communication • Engagement with the community • Specific actions and timescales

  8. Developing a strategy Recommendations for Action • A Education •  Assurance of quality • Visibility of languages and related skills and competencies • Take up of language/ intercultural communication skills • Provision of language learning resources • Support for non-native speakers of English

  9. Developing a strategy Recommendations for Action • B Research •  Responding to the language needs of research staff and students • C Professional Services • Provision of a service which has the appropriate foreign language and intercultural skills

  10. Developing a strategy Recommendations for Action • D General Visibility and Communication •  Achieving an international, multilingual environment which visitors from around the globe can access • E Engagement with the Community •  Promoting and using language related skills and knowledge more widely

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  12. Developing a strategy Adoption of strategy • Discussions and planning: • Internally at departmental level • At Faculty level • At senior management level • Carrying out recommendations in 5 areas

  13. Implementation and next steps • Evidence of impact and success? • Macro or micro level (University centre or more locally at departmental and faculty level)? • Some progress in terms of actions: • Languages included in the International strategy; a Languages web portal; refurbished Language Resources Centre ; welcome signs in various languages in Humanities; workshops for staff teaching International students; foreign language information sheets at Graduation; module in Intercultural Communication developed; Languages Minor offered to students in 2 faculties in 2013/14; ‘free’ courses?

  14. Implementation and next steps • More work to do • Difficult to get university wide actions/policies adopted • Quick wins? • Steer is to work with individual Faculties to embed language strategy within their planning process • Need for organised approach to developing language ‘friends’ or ‘champions’ • Need to carry on making the case for languages – statistics seem to make a difference

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