KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

David Crystal

David Crystal works from his home in Holyhead, North Wales, as a writer, editor, lecturer, and broadcaster. He read English at University College London (1959-62), specialised in English language studies, then joined academic life as a lecturer in Linguistics, first at Bangor, then at Reading. He published the first of his 100 or so books in 1964, and became known chiefly for his research work in English language studies. He held a chair at the University of Reading for 10 years, and is now Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor. These days he divides his time between work on language and work on general reference publishing. He received an OBE for services to the English language in 1995, and was made a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 2000. David Crystal's authored works are mainly in the field of language, and he is perhaps best known for The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language and The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Recent books include The Language Revolution (2004), The Stories of English (2005), Pronouncing Shakespeare (2005), and How Language Works (2006). He was founder-editor of the Journal of Child Language, Child Language Teaching and Therapy, and Linguistics Abstracts, and he has edited several book series, such as Blackwell's Language Library. He has also been a consultant, contributor, or presenter on many radio and television programmes and series. In the 1980s, he became editor of general encyclopedias for Cambridge University Press - work that continues in the present decade under the auspices of Penguin Books. In relation to this activity, in the 1990s he devised a linguistically based knowledge management system, which has since evolved into procedures for enhancing online document classification and internet search, and is now chairman of Crystal Reference Systems, which aims to put these procedures into practice.

Only connect: living in linguistic fragments no longer
E M Forster's famous quotation reminds us of how easy it is to let things - language, in our case - slide into unconnected 'meaningless fragments'. Linguistics has always laid great stress on interconnectivity, but there are some aspects of language work which still need to be routinely connected, and new areas of language where the task of connectivity has yet to be thoroughly explored. The first of these issues is illustrated from the established relationship between language and literature in language teaching; the second examines the emerging relationship between computer-mediated communication and traditional conceptions of speech and writing.

Rod Ellis

Rod Ellis is currently Professor in the Department of Applied Language Studies and Linguistics, University of Auckland, where he teaches postgraduate courses on second language acquisition, individual differences in language learning and task-based teaching. His published work includes articles and books on second language acquisition, language teaching and teacher education. His books include Understanding Second Language Acquisition (BAAL Prize 1986) and The Study of Second Language Acquisition (Duke of Edinburgh Prize 1995). More recently, Task-Based Learning and Teaching early (2003) and (with Gary Barkhuizen) Analyzing Learner Language in (2005) ), were published by Oxford University Press. He has also published several English language textbooks, including Impact Grammar (Pearson: Longman). He is also currently editor of the journal Language Teaching Research. In addition to his current position in New Zealand, he has worked in schools in Spain and Zambia and in universities in the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States. He has also conducted numerous consultancies and seminars throughout the world.

Task-based teaching: sorting out the misunderstandings
This talk is in four parts. The first part will consider the design of task-based courses and the methodology for implementing tasks in the classroom.

The second part will present my rationale for task-based language teaching (TBLT). I will argue that the development of the implicit knowledge of a second language that is required for effective communication is best achieved by engaging learners in performing tasks. That is, learners can develop their communicative competence (including linguistic competence) through performing tasks, especially if the performance of the task entails attention to linguistic form.

The third part of the talk will examine theoretical objections that have been levelled against TBLT and argue that these are based on fundamental misunderstandings of its principles and methodology. Sheen (1994) and Swan (2005) have criticized TBLT on a number of grounds, including that there is no evidence to show that it works or works better than a more traditional form-focussed approach to language teaching. The assumptions underlying their criticisms will be examined and a response provided.

The fourth part will address more substantial problems with implementing TBLT in school classrooms, especially those in foreign language contexts. Again, I will suggest a number of possible solutions to these problems.

Sheen, Ron. (1994). "A Critical Analysis of the Advocacy of the Task-Based Syllabus," TESOL Quarterly 28 (1): 127.
Swan, M. “Legislation by Hypothesis: The Case of Task-Based Instruction”. Applied Linguistics 26(3):376-401

Marc Helgesen

Marc Helgesen is Professor in the Department of Intercultural Studies at Miyagi Gakuin Women's University, Sendai, Japan. Marc is the author of over 100 English Language Teaching articles and books including Longman Asia’s bestselling English Firsthand, and Listening in the PELT (Practical English Language Teaching) series (David Nunan, editor. McGraw-Hill. Forthcoming). He has been a featured speaker at Korea TESOL, JALT (Japan), ETA (Taiwan), Thai TESOL, MICELT (Malaysia) and TESOL Laos. He is particularly interested in language planning, extensive reading and sensory awareness/brain friendly teaching.

Language planning: a tool to connect theory to practice
Louis Pasteur said, “Chance favours the prepared mind.”, yet often we demand instant production in the classroom. (Teacher: Pair work. You’re A. You’re B. Here’s the task. TALK! NOW!). The result: Students say whatever they can come up with right away. It is the easiest thing possible, not what they are really capable of if given a chance to think. Language Planning (LP), a common sense alternative, gives learners tasks to think about what they want to say and how to say it. These include mental preparation, pronunciation awareness, personalization and choice. There are several clear benefits of language planning:

• increased fluency. Students think through what they want to say so they are able to speak more smoothly.
• increased complexity. Knowing what they want to say, they can do so more exactly.
• increased accuracy. Learners have been through it once so they are often able to say it more correctly.
• increased use of new vocabulary. Learners have time to remember and use words they are in the process of learning.
• reduced fossilization. LP can be part of the process of noticing the gap between the target forms and the way the learner is actually using the language.

Stefan Romaniw OAM

Mr Stefan Romaniw OAM currently holds the position of Executive Director of Community Languages Australia. He served successful terms as Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission. He has a teaching qualification and prior to moving into management and consultancy worked in a range of school settings.
Currently he serves as Chairman of a number of committees and organizations within the Ukrainian and broader Australian communities - among them are the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations, Multicultural Arts Victoria and Multicultural Issues Forum with Hume City Council.

He has served on the Centenary of Federation Victoria Committee, Board of Council of Adult Education, Commonwealth Ministerial Standing Council on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Board, Spirit West Advisory Group with the Western Bulldog’s Football Club, Victoria Olympics Committee for -2000 Sydney Olympics and Gold 2000 Committee in Victoria.

In 2001 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to education and the CALD communities and in 2003 received the Centenary Medal. He has also received the Order of Sts Peter and Paul for contributions to the community and international recognition receiving the Order of St Stanislaw in 2001. He was appointed an Australia Day Ambassador in 2004 and 2005.

He has participated in delegations to China, Germany, and Ukraine. He has recently returned from a three month positing in Kyiv Ukraine where he worked on developing Australia-Ukraine Relations .
He is a keen follower and member of the Essendon Football Club and is also a member of the Naval and Military Club in Victoria.

Quality Community Languages’ programs stakeholders and partners
Languages education and cultural maintenance are integral to ensuring communities remain vibrant and relevant. They also ensure that Governments interested in being part of the internationalization processes have access to this major social and economic asset. The importance placed on languages education is an indicator of how at one level linguistically and diverse communities understand and value their heritage and on the other how Governments support, promote and access this asset. Community Languages’ schools are a complementary languages education provider to our mainstream system. They have in past, do now and will in the future allow these indicators to be a reality. The question that lies before us is- How do we ensure that quality Community Languages’ programs grow and who are the stakeholders and partners who will make this happen?

Aída Walqui

Aída Walqui directs the Teacher Professional Development Program at WestEd. The main objective of the program is to support teachers grow their expertise to be effective with students who are currently being underserved. Lines of work in the program include The Strategic Literacy Initiative (Schoenbach and Greenleaf), focused on developing literacy for adolescent students, and a national study, Impact of National Board Teachers in Low Performing Schools, (SRI and Walqui). Dr. Walqui developed and directs a nationally and internationally recognized program, Quality Teaching for English Learners, focused on improving teacher ability to accelerate the linguistic and academic achievement of English learners in secondary schools.

A native of Perú, Walqui holds an MS in Sociolinguistics from Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. in Education from Stanford. For over thirty years she has worked on the development of deep literacy skills in second languages. She has taught at all levels and at universities in Peru, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the US. Her most recent academic position was in the Division of Education at UC Santa Cruz. Walqui has written widely in Spanish and English. Her latest book is L’Ecole Vivante: Enseigner la langue maternelle dans un programme d’education bilingue.

Myths about the education of English language learners and their teachers
This keynote presentation discusses some of the most common myths surrounding the education of English Language Learners and their teachers. Building on existing literature, Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) experiences in the field, and QTEL evaluation research, the focus will be placed on basing future development in the fostering of a pedagogy of hope and quality for all students. Video clips from classroom work will illustrate how these myths do not hold when well-supported teachers work with English Language Learners.

Cynthia White

Cynthia White is Associate Professor in Linguistics and Second Language Teaching in the School of Language Studies, Massey University. She has research interests in language learning strategies, learner autonomy, distance learning environments, and language and settlement issues among migrants and refugees. In 2004 Cynthia received the TESOL Virginia French Allen Award for Scholarship and Service. She has recently completed four projects on language and settlement issues in New Zealand funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. In 2003 her book Language Learning in Distance Education was published by Cambridge University, and a co-edited book entitled Languages and Distance Education: Evolution and Change appeared with Multilingual Matters in 2004.

Research and practice: closing the distance and making the link
How we think about research, theory and practice in language learning and teaching has undergone something of a sea-change in recent years, both internationally and within New Zealand. There has been a growing concern to bring together the worlds of research, theory and practice, driven in part by the impact of migration and globalization on language teaching and learning, as well as developments in approaches to research and teacher development. Increasingly the reflections and lived experiences of language learners and teachers are recognised as a central focus of enquiry into diverse research problems and in teacher education. In this paper I trace shifts in language teaching within New Zealand over the last decade, which have served to reduce the distance between research and pedagogical practice. In the second half of the paper drawing on two relatively new avenues of enquiry – learner beliefs and online learning – I show how the concerns and practices of teachers, researchers and learners have become increasingly interrelated. To conclude I argue that while a number of factors work against the development of links between research and practice, closing the gap between the two is valuable for all participants in language learning - researchers, teachers and learners - as a means of developing an informed understanding of what we think we may know, what we may need to know and what we do.