A Language Day Conference aimed at giving school teachers a fresh perspective on language teaching is being held at the University of Essex on Saturday 20 September. 

The day will be hosted by the Department of Language and Linguistics at the Colchester Campus and is targeting teachers of modern foreign languages and English language.

Teachers from schools all over Essex and Suffolk will be attending the event, with around 40 people in total expected to turn up.

The Department of Language and Linguistics at Essex offers a unique combination of internationally reputed linguistics research with skills-based applied foreign language teaching. Through this event, the University hopes to foster links with local secondary schools and provide an opportunity to share ideas and be inspired.

The day will include short presentations, practical ideas for teaching and displays and demonstrations as well as opportunities to meet the staff and discuss any questions.

The conference aims to raise awareness at local sixth form schools and show them more about what the department does, as well as developing links with teachers who advise school leavers about where and what they want to study.

Claudia Nehmzow, Teaching Fellow in the Department said: ‘The conference will demonstrate the importance of language and linguistics within the education system; the two combined are essential in understanding our fundamental abilities to communicate.’

The Language Day Conference is part of a broad programme of events aimed at promoting language learning in schools including events for local school children.

Anyone interested in attending the Conference are encouraged to come along, even if it is short notice. Contact Claudia Nehmzow on, telephone: 01206 872212 or e-mail: cnehm@essex.ac.uk . The event will be hosted in 4SB.5.3, located off Square 4 of the Colchester Campus, and runs from 11am- 4pm.