1. I’m in Graz at present, about to attend the ECML-EU joint colloquium on “Innovative Methodologies and Assessment in Language Learning 10 years on – moving forward together”.
There’s a live stream this afternoon https://youtu.be/nxMgt7PmLmA and tomorrow afternoon https://youtu.be/lT9ZiwiP1Nw
More details of the programme with links to the individual projects being reported on here https://www.ecml.at/ECML-Programme/Programme2020-2023/ECML-ECColloquiumDecember2022/tabid/5607/Default.aspx
2. Two interesting webinars later this week, of which the first is at 14:00 UK time this Thursday, 15th December, Integrating new learners with Elaine Gowie-Fleischer https://www.facebook.com/events/815447603087187?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7D
Elaine will discuss with Karen Waterston how to integrate new students that have come from a different culture, when language is often a barrier to integration as well as culture, taking examples from her work with children and their families when they first start state school in Norway.
3. The second webinar is at 14:00 UK time on Friday, 16th December, Green story time: the power of picturebooks for all ages with storytelling experts Gail Ellis and Sandie Mourão, the co-founders of co-founders of the Picturebooks in European Primary English Language Teaching project (PEPELT) https://pepelt21.com/ They’ll share some of their favourite environmental-themed picture-books for English language learners of all ages.
More info here https://green-action-elt.uk/events/ and registration here https://nile-elt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErdeuhqTkiHNx8wEuQ5s6L-pJ6Js3sA_q2
There’s a picture-book for everyone, claim Gail and Sandie, because “picturebooks not only contain rich, varied language and beautiful illustrations, but they’re an excellent way to grapple with difficult topics like the ecological and climate crises”.
4. And, finally, three more ‘gift’ article-cum-lists from my New York Times subscription:
the greatest films of all time https://tinyurl.com/yc3r734z (Full list here https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/greatest-films-all-time )
the best Jazz Albums of 2022, with taster playlist https://tinyurl.com/sr948amx – not one of which I knew but several of which I enjoyed, especially Immanuel Wilkins. (You can listen to the whole tracks on Spotify for free if you have an account.)
100 Notable Books of 2022 https://tinyurl.com/bdzb5dre – with the obvious caveat that what’s notable to the staff of the New York Times may not be universally, globally ‘notable’
Roy Cross's Blog 