British Council English Language Teaching News
English Language Teaching News Edition 122005

  • 4th International British Council ELT Conference in Berlin
  • British Council Hungary Language Assessment Conference in Budapest
  • ELTAB-B workshops: Henry Widdowson & Penny Ur in Berlin
  • IATEFL YL INTERACT Conference in Vienna
  • Modern Languages and Culture Conference in Kaunas
  • Events at the British Council Centre in Berlin
  • 4th International British Council ELT Conference in Berlin
Current Trends and Future Directions in English Language Teaching,
17-18 February 2006

The timetable is now available online: www.britishcouncil.de/e/english/time06.htm

Cornelsen Verlag sponsored 10 places for students and trainee teachers - these places have now all been taken.


Wristbands. Do you wear one?
At the end of last year, young people started wearing colourful wristbands to support charities. It so happened that the bands have showed plenty of staying power! Here's a bit more about wristbands and a nice class from Language Assistant.
Wristband: © Breast Cancer Care


  • British Council Hungary Language Assessment Conference in Budapest
(Sent on behalf of Edit Nagy, ELT Projects Manager, British Council Hungary)

Into Europe - European Standards in Language Assessment, 9-10 February 2006

This international conference is to mark the closing of the Examinations Reform Project of the British Council in Hungary. This project resulted in the publication of the INTO EUROPE series and a suite of in-service training programmes (see ww.examsreform.hu).

The conference is for English teachers who are interested in finding the most effective ways of preparing their students for English exams, testing experts, language examiners, representatives of examination boards and policy makers.

The first day of the conference will focus on the European scene, what the key issues are in foreign language education and assessment, what endeavours there are in Europe to create standardised language assessment and certification and what is happening in examination reform. The second day will have a more practical focus helping teachers to prepare their students for modern European English examinations and there will be reports of some case studies.

The plenary talks will be as follows:
  • European language policy, main trends
  • The accreditation process - quality assurance (Raising standards of assessment in Hungary)
  • Principles of language testing - the contribution of the Exams Project to the professionalisation of language testing in Hungary
  • Linking exams to the Common European Framework of Reference - The Manual and the Catalan experience
  • Good practice in standard setting and test equating
  • The European Language Portfolio
The plenary speakers will include key European experts in the field, representatives of the European Commission and the Council of Europe.

To find out more and to register click here

Making Books
Wondering what to do after story-telling? What about some book making projects? You can use the texts to extend language work on descriptions and instructions, and the crafts to encourage creativity and collaboration. It makes a change!


  • ELTAB-B workshops: Henry Widdowson & Penny Ur in Berlin
ELTAB-B, the English Language Teachers' Association Berlin-Brandenburg, has organised workshops by two high-profile ELT figures for February 2006: Henry Widdowson will be speaking on 'Defining Issues in English Language Teaching', and Penny Ur will be speaking on 'What is effective teaching?' This is a rare opportunity to see these speakers in Berlin.

Admission is €12 for non-members and free for ELTAB-B members. Annual ELTABB membership costs €40 and includes admittance to all ELTAB-B workshops, a quarterly newsletter, and membership in the email discussion list.
The workshop details are:

Henry Widdowson: Defining Issues in English Language Teaching
February 4, 2006, 10 am - 1 pm
Cornelsen Infozentrum, Friedrichstr 149 (1 OG)

Penny Ur: What is effective teaching?
February 25, 2006 , 10 am - 1 pm
Location to be announced

To register, contact Nathan Keeves at nathankeeves@gmx.de. For more information, contact Sylee Gore at sygore@gmx.de.


WHAt is a 'POdcast'?
It's an audio recording posted online, a blog with audio instead of text. As with blogging, podcasting offers a world of possibilities for language learning. Check out Englishcaster for lesson podcasts and the recently launched YahooPodcasts for more!
© BBC


  • IATEFL YL-SIG Conference in Vienna
(Sent on behalf of the conference organisers)

INTERACT - Integrating Drama and Storytelling in ELT, 24-26 March 2006

On the occasion of the Austrian EU Presidency, the Centre for Information on Foreign Language Teaching and In-service Training (IFU) in Vienna in co-operation with the IATEFL YL SIG are very pleased to invite you to join us in this special international event in Vienna next year. It will take place at the IFU/PIB-Wien, Grenzackerstr. 18, A-1100 Vienna, Austria from 24-26 March 2006.

There will be several plenaries and about 50 presentations, talks and workshops with various European experts on drama and storytelling. There will also be a reception in the Vienna City Hall on Friday night and a free pre-conference workshop on Friday afternoon.

We are very pleased to announce that for early registration (received by December 31, 2005 ) you will receive a 10% discount. From 19 December we will also list on our web site - www.pib-wien.ac.at - some hotels which will offer special conference prices.

More information and a registration form can be found already at www.ph-tirol.tsn.at and soon at www.pib-wien.ac.at. We look forward to hearing from you.

With best wishes from Vienna,
Anton Prochazka

OStR. Prof. Mag. Anton Prochazka, Co-organiser of the Conference and Head of the IFU - www.pib-wien.ac.at/content/organ/zentren/ifu/


Funky Phrasals
Phrasal verbs help learners sound more natural when trying their English out. At Funky Phrasals you learn them by listening to short conversations on several topics. You can also download the scripts and try the funky quizzes!


  • Modern Languages & Culture Conference in Kaunas

(Sent on behalf of the conference organisers)

Language, Culture and Technologies Conference, 19-21 May 2006

Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania is holding its fourth international conference. Teachers, scholars and postgraduate students are invited to participate and to contribute papers.

For effective communication across cultures one needs not only linguistic competence, but also social communicative skills and intercultural awareness. Language education could play a crucial role in stimulating a better understanding and mutual respect between different cultures. It is very important to develop the communicative and intercultural competence necessary to participate fully in our modern societies.

The objective of the conference is to provide an international forum for researchers from around the world to exchange good practice as well as to stimulate the implementation of innovative approaches in the studies of modern languages and culture.

The conference is expected to result in a broadening of the knowledge base of international Digital Technologies development, and to foster the formation of professional networks among participants.

The conference will include a number of plenary, paper presentation sessions and round table discussions.

Conference languages: English, German, French, Russian and Lithuanian
Suggested topics are recommended, but not limited to the following areas:

  • Linguistics
  • Sociolinguistics
  • Problems of Translation and Intercultural Communication
  • Language and Technologies
  • Culture in the Context of Globalization and 'Glocalization'
  • Means of Intercultural Communication: Music, Language, Arts and Technologies
Selected papers on languages will be published.

The deadline for submission of abstracts and registration forms is January 25, 2006. Full details including online call for papers form are at the conference web site: www.ktu.lt/en/conf2006.html

Send abstracts in the original language of the article (250-300 words) to ruta.veteryte@ktu.lt

Visit the conference website for important dates and register your interest now!
Please forward the information to any colleagues who might be interested.

Looking forward to meeting you in Kaunas!

Yours Sincerely,
Vilmante Liubiniene
Chair of the Conference


Web Research: 10 Tips for the Techno-Challenged
Do you have trouble finding what you want on the Internet? Have a look at these tips for improving web research. Learn how to find and save things in an organised fashion and become a supersearcher!
© BBC


  • Events at the British Council Centre in Berlin
British films in the Centre of Berlin
The Day: 19th January 2006

The Time: 19.30

The Place: British Council

The Event: Derek Jarman's 'The last of England' (1988)


The British Council Centre invites you to our Film Club. Every month we will be screening the best of UK films, introduced by real or adopted Berliners, followed by discussion, wine and nibbles. So, why not come along, bring a friend, and enjoy great British films in a unique atmosphere!

Register with: martin.bradbeer@britishcouncil.de
Entry for British Council members: free; Non-members: €2

Workshops for Englischleistungskurs students
Proactive workshops on Mass Media, Multicultural UK, Class System, Devolution. Why not bring your students along for one, or more, of these workshops. Just contact martin.bradbeer@britishcouncil.de to arrange a day and a time. For more information, follow this link: www.britishcouncil.de/d/services/workshop.htm

We also offer the chance of combining the workshops with a film showing, or you can arrange simply to watch a film here with your group.
The workshops are free, and for teachers and students who come along, we offer a special discount for becoming a member of the British Council, €15 a year instead of €40!



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