1. Mark Twain once said, “All good things arrive unto them that wait – and don’t die in the meantime.” The selected proceedings of the 2017 Dakar Language & Development Conference have just been published and are definitely a good thing and worth waiting for https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/conference-proceedings-language-sustainable-development-goals
Philip Harding-Esch’s introduction covers a lot of ground well and also includes a thumbnail sketch of each of the papers in the volume, to help you decide which ones you might want to read. Two PDFs below: one of Philip’s introduction only, the other of the whole publication.
2. IATEFL’s Teacher Training and Education Development (TTED) SIG is holding a free online conference for both members and non-members this coming Saturday, 1st May, starting at 09:00 UK time. More info here https://ttedsig.iatefl.org/upcoming-events/1st-may-2021-one-day-online-conference/ and registration link here https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bSqv725fRbu-r9bMf4sHhw I can’t at present find a programme, but I expect that will soon appear.
3. One for those of you that manage or have ambitions (think that through carefully, now) to do so: Eaquals have just published their Academic Management Competency Framework. It’s been designed to provide guiding principles and tools for managers which will contribute to the enhancement of quality in language teaching and learning, with descriptors spanning four development levels to represent the range of competences that might be required across an academic manager’s role, intended as a tool to support managers in the awareness raising of their own strengths and possible development paths. More info, including an explanatory video, and downloads here https://www.eaquals.org/resources/the-eaquals-academic-management-competency-framework/ PDFs of handbook and tools below, as well.
4. Not great timing for those of us in the UK but pretty good timing for everyone else at 00:30 UK time on Friday, 30th April, is Poetry and the Creative Mind, this year’s Academy of American Poets’ annual gala – chaired by Meryl Streep, no less. Live only, no recording. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/poetry-the-creative-mind-virtual-gala-supporting-national-poetry-month-registration-138838474615 I shall be staying up!
5. And, finally, this Wednesday’s phobia, ataxophobia, is not a phobia I suffer from, says my wife. Whereas my wife …
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