An update about innovative interdisciplinary research into modern languages
Open World Research Initiative
May 2020 update
Welcome to this edition of the Open World Research Initiative monthly update. Highlights from our interdisciplinary modern language research projects,articles and policy/political references impacting languages as well as events. Please share for
new subscribers. For feedback on content please email Ciaran Higgins
ciaran.higgins@qub.ac.uk
Learn about our innovative modern languages research
New LinguaMania Podcasts
The
creative multilingualism LinguaMania
podcast series continues with new episodes about how metaphors shape our world and creative approaches to language learning in schools.
Multilingual community film makers in London
Deptford Storytelling Project 2020. 10 short films by people who live in and around Deptford, south east London. Funded by Language Acts and Worldmaking, films available to view
here
Try a language with your cuppa
'TeabreakTasters' are short, simple language lessons with no tests or targets, created with the help of student volunteers from the Multilingual Manchester unit, part of the
Cross-Language Dynamics consortium.
What’s Coronavirus doing to our languages?
MEITS researcher Hui (Annette) Zhao looks at how our language is being affected by the current
Coronavirus situation
Languages in the Media and Blog posts
Selection of recent articles referencing modern languages
Slanguages explores the creative way artists employ and take inspiration from languages. This includes partnering with Punch records and three Birmingham-based artists who use different languages in their musical and artistic work. Curated and brought to the public in the
Slanguages exhibition and other
events.
The project has featured many creative performances including producing a hip-hop theatre version of Russian play
Oxygen spoken word poetry and live music in the
The Yoruba Sonnets and collaboration on
multilingual poetry.
The
Multilingual Performance Project (MPP) has worked with teachers across England and Wales to showcase the multilingual nature of schools and demonstrate how multilingualism can interact creatively with teaching in the classroom, promoting both taught languages and the use of community languages.
This has included a variety of
workshops and events that incorporate multilingual performance and drama activities in their teaching (from short sketches, play readings and news broadcasts through to full theatre productions).
Act Yourself workshops also invited members of the Public to participate and uncover their hidden language stories. Remaining
activities have moved online to adapt to the Coronavirus crisis, with downloadable
resources also available.
