1. This coming Saturday, at 10:00 UK time, NATESOL welcomes you to Infusing enjoyment into reading novels with Rym Ghosn El-Bel Chelbi from the University of Ouargla in Algeria. More info and registration here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8bV6eWlRrEeM2mrv37juqJnMv_KEBkE-5AGYMJ7TcrUKbRw/viewform PDF below.

NATESOL’S fortieth (!) annual conference is from 10:00 to 15:00 UK time on 11^th May, and they are again kindly offering free places to readers of this Free Resources message. More info here (and PDF of flyer below) https://www.natesol.org/event-details/natesol-annual-conference-2024 Send me a WhatApp, LinkedIn or e-mail message if you’d like a ticket!

2. Here’s Rose Aylett’s wonderful closing plenary from IATEFL last week, Disrupting the commonplace: embedding critical literacy within language education https://youtu.be/Hor2Iyx80is?feature=shared There’s a ‘show transcript’ button halfway down the page that you might find helpful.

“If language teaching is to foster criticality for active and reflective social involvement amongst learners, language teachers themselves should also be critically literate practitioners. But what does ‘critical literacy’ actually mean? And is it something we can learn and/or teach? Using Lewison et al.’s (2002) four dimensions framework of critical literacy, this talk will explore practical ideas to disrupt the status quo in language education, by embedding action for social justice within the many layers of our educational practice(s): from the individual to the institutional. The presentation will unpack the definition of critical literacy proposed by Lewison et al: (1) disrupting the commonplace, (2) interrogating multiple viewpoints, (3) focusing on socio-political issues, and (4) taking action to promote social justice.”

I’m all for disrupting the status quo!

3. Language Trends Wales: an AI-powered experiment to inspire students to learn languages https://youtu.be/O9yZGB4eGyU?feature=shared offers an imaginative use of AI in education, at a time when language learning in UK schools is at an all-time low. See what you think!

4. This one from The Guardian raises all the issues you need for a discussion of colonialism in class, Tory MP from slave-owning family set to gain £3m from sale of former plantation https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/20/tory-mp-from-slave-owning-family-set-to-gain-3m-from-sale-of-former-plantation

5. And, finally and free for a few days only from The Paris Review, Vladimir Nabokov, The Art of Fiction: https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/4310/the-art-of-fiction-no-40-vladimir-nabokov

Q. E. M. Forster speaks of his major characters sometimes taking over and dictating the course of his novels. Has this ever been a problem for you, or are you in complete command?

A. My knowledge of Mr. Forster’s works is limited to one novel, which I dislike; and anyway, it was not he who fathered that trite little whimsy about characters getting out of hand; it is as old as the quills, although of course one sympathizes with his people if they try to wriggle out of that trip to India or wherever he takes them. My characters are galley slaves.