Monday, April 18, 2016

Coverage  
of  
IATEFL Birmingham 2016 Conference

Day (5) 






Michael McCarthy’s Speech:

 Chatting in the Academy: Exploring Spoken English for Academic Purposes

 On the last day of the Conference, we may find that Michael McCarthy’s speech is highly vital.Although Michael delivered a short 30-minute-speech, he was able to target the core of his topic.
Michael revealed that there exist differences between spoken academic English and written academic English.He referred corpora to support the issue he was handling in his speech, as he meant to reveal that the target issue is quite essential to be considered when ESL/EFL materials are planned for ESL/EFL courses.He utilized ‘Academic Vocabulary in Use’ coursebook to illustrate the issue in a practical fashion.
Coverage  
of  
IATEFL Birmingham 2016 Conference 


 Day (4) 







 Diane Larsen-Freeman Plenary:


Shifting Metaphors from Computer Input to Ecological Affordances 

 Once again ,we see Diane Larsen-Freeman in IATEFL Conference this year in Birmingham.She delivered a plenary in IATEFL Liverpool in 2013.

 This year Diane targets the linguistic input that could be a catalyst for English language learners to develop their skills .This input received by the learners will influence the output produced by them. She elaborates on how the computer terms have been utilized to describe the process of language acquisition and that is entirely rejected on her behalf. a role in language learning.

Then Diane tackles affordances are mutual relationships between the English language learners and their environment. Affordances grant opportunities for action from these learners, taking into consideration that they precept these affordances. In this fashion, learners make up their own affordances. Therefore, affordances restore ‘catalyst’ to learners. This orientation could somehow reveal why the developmental patterns of learners are various.

Diane , in her plenary , displayed these affordances and discussed their significance for English language learning and teaching.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Coverage  
of  
IATEFL Birmingham 2016 Conference 

Day (3) 






Silvana Richardson's Plenary: 

The ‘Native Factor’, the Haves and the Have-Nots


Silvana targeted a crucial issue in the ESL/EFL world in her plenary. I believe that this issue has never dared to be targeted before. That is why the plenary is highly appreciated ,especially that it is based upon actual facts taking place in our quotidian life.The audience applause shows how much this issue touched many ESL/EFL instructors and lecturers and myabe other language professionals. 

Silvana aimed at revealing the nature of the struggle of ‘non-native’ teachers to find their status in the ESL/EFL world after spending many years of their lives conducting many studies and practicum.For many employers and learners ,the ideal teachers are the ‘native speakers’ regardless of their credentials and qualifications.On the other hand, there are many ‘non-native’ speakers who are highly qualified and professional , but could not seize a genuine job opportunities to reveal their potentials and professionalism.The sole reason attributed to this inclination is that they are not ‘native speakers of English’.

 Silvana conducted practical research studies through different media and real ESL/EFL exemplars in our actual life demonstrating her hypothetical issue.Her issue with its research and results proved the state of inequality and social injustice in the ELT world.She examined the logic of the market that justifies its discriminatory practices when hiring ESL/EFL teachers / instructors and lecturers.She frustratingly demonstrates the dominance of the native-speakers of English in the ESL/EFL world while diminishing the role that ‘non-native speakers’ can play in this world as well.

 Finally, Silvana explained how the ESL/EFL ‘non-native speaker’ teachers/instructors may involuntarily contribute to this inclination, as they are unconfident about their professional capabilities and feel shy about disclosing their identities,These attitudes have to be ceased for the sake pf finding their vital role in the ESL/EFL world.
Coverage  
of 
 IATEFL Birmingham 2016 Conference

Day (2)







Professor David Crystal's Plenary:

What Would of Thought It? The English Language 1966-2066 

 One of the most prominent sessions on the second day of IATEFL 2016 is Professor Crystal's plenary. As in all in his lectures and speeches, Professor Crystal is able to address all the mentalities starting from the common people to the language professionals.His plenary flowed smoothly and explained uncomplicatedly how the English language has been changing since the 1960s.He clarified how many English words that were utilized in the sixties vanished and new words have been popping up on the global arena , as English has become‘lingua franca’.

Professor Crystal began the first part of his plenary by citing some words that existed in the past and the new words that we have been recently dealing with. He mentioned that online texts can never be trusted if one desires to track the English grammatical changes all over certain period of time or times. He talked about the modals and how some modals are diminishing in their usage and other modals are taking their functions.He tackled the issue of the trend of using the progressive form with static verbs that has started in the sixties with ‘Macdonald’ slogan although that this form is against the English grammar .Then he targets the recent rejection of using the relative pronoun , which, and that ‘ that’ highly replaces it.

With the shaky file in regards to the different English accents,Professor Crystal reveals that the people’s acceptance of different accents and dialects penetrates our lives ,unlike in the past when the unusual accents or dialects were entirely reprehensible. He strikes an example of how BBC could not accept British regional accents until 1980s. He refers to the unconscious changing of people’s accents because of the social factors ,He strikes the example of Her Majesty the Queen of the UK who is noticed to have changed her accent.He added how some foreign accents have been introduced into the UK and that would normally influence the English pronunciation in the UK.He noticed the disappearance of the periods with the abbreviation like BBC.

Professor Crystal believes that the English internet language,is used today, tends to abbreviate and shorten the words and use symbol will dwindle.


 Q &A Session with Professor David Crystal 

Professor Crystal poses , though the questions of the audience, a critical issue related to whether the distortive inclinations English language learners between learning British English and American English.In fact, the issue is open for many solutions

 Professor David Crystal’s Interview with Nik Peachey 

Nik Peachey ,IATEFL presenter, asked Professor Crystal about how collected the materials that were tackled in his plenary. Professor Crystal answered that he grounded his plenary upon the works of lexicographers , dictionaries and personal efforts of keeping records of any linguistic changes.

 Professor Crystal mentioned that he made up ‘Dictionary of Shakespearean Pronunciation’.When he was asked about how it was made up , he answered that he referred to the Shakespearean texts where jotted down all his observations about the nature of the texts. He also referred to a rare ‘Hamlet’ quatro that had been found and circulated among Shakespeare scholars for the best decade. This is available on the professor’s website at: www.davidcrystal.com 

Finally, Nik Peachey expressed his astonishment about Professor Crystal’s capability of authoring four books simultaneously.