Building and enhancing a language strategy in your

institution

A case study

Vicky Wright – vmw@soton.ac.uk

A process case study - SouthamptonOverview

•Starting points

•Developing a strategy

– identification of needs

– compilation of a report

– recommendations for action

– adoption of strategy

•Implementation and next steps

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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

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Developing a strategyIdentification 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).

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Developing a strategyCompilation 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

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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

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Developing a strategyRecommendations for Action

•19 recommendations in 5 key areas

– Education

– Research

– Professional services

– General visibility and communication

– Engagement with the community

•Specific actions and timescales

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Developing a strategyRecommendations 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

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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

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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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Recommendation Action Time frame

EDUCATION    1, 2 The Centre for Language Study takes the academic lead for language learning/teaching within the University. Immediate

3, 4 Languages Portal established with links to information about UG language modules, Curriculum Innovation, English language courses, CLS, Confucius Institute, Lifelong Learning, student societies, language and cultural events.

Launched September, 2012

4 Promote language learning opportunities widely around the University and at Open Days and school visit days. Ongoing

5, 6 Consult and set realistic target for take-up of languages and intercultural communication modules - e.g. by 2015, 80% of all UGs should have a language learning experience during their time at university and of these, half should progress through at least 1 language stage.

2013/14

4, 5, 6, 11,12 Work with Faculties and other Services to embed languages and related skills as a distinct offer within the student experience. This can happen at both Programme level and at the level of Faculty strategic planning.

 Ongoing

5 Offer a Languages Minor that can be added to the degree title of any student taking 5/6 language modules and gaining at least Stage 4

 2013/14

5 Explore the idea of language testing service so that students and staff can certify their language competence in individual language skill areas (e.g. reading, writing, speaking and listening).

 2013/14

5 Set up a central University group of “language champions” who will identify and feed in needs and who will promote languages. Representatives from faculties, services and the student body.

2013/14

7 Establish state of the art language learning resource centre/s.  on-going7 Explore possibilities for online access to a suite of learning resources.  2013/148 Carry out an audit to get an up to date picture of the language needs of non-native speakers of English and identify key

areas for action. 2013/14

9 Establish needs and provide CPD for academic staff working with EU/International students.  2013/14

10 Investigate the feasibility for a proofreading service and trial such a service.  2013/14RESEARCH    11 Carry out a language audit amongst research staff to establish range of existing and needed language skills.  2013/14

12 Trial language group/s or clubs which respond to the specific needs of the group e.g. giving papers or reading academic journals.

Repeated 2013/14

PROFESS. SERVICES

   

13 Identify circumstances in which interpreting and translation into and from a language other than English is appropriate.  Ongoing

13 Establish the need for a list of volunteer interpreters and translators and how a service could be effectively maintained. Set up the service.

 2013/14

14 Offer intercultural awareness training in conjunction with the staff development unit.  2013/4

15 Carry out a foreign language audit amongst administrative staff.  2013/1415 Work with HR to establish how language skills could be rewarded.  2013/14VISIBILITY    16 Establish the need for some foreign language translation of University web pages and implement as appropriate.  2013/14

16 Identify the documents which should be available in translation for either prospective students or visitors to the University campus.

 Ongoing

17 Identify the ways in which university campuses could look more welcoming to an international, international audience; this could include signage to key facilities.

 Ongoing

18 Work with Student Services and Communications to eliminate any English language communication issues in documents Ongoing

COMMUNITY     19  Explore options for social entrepreneurship/engagement with the community in the area of languages  2013/14

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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

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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?

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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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