The Fourth Biennial Arabic Teaching Conference
Translanguaging and Linguistic Diversity in Arabic
The University of Cambridge is hosting the Fourth Biennial Arabic Language Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Conference on Thursday, 18th April 2024, at Cripps Court, Magdalene College, University of Cambridge.
The previous Biennial Conferences were held firstly at the University of Leeds in 2017, then King’s College London in 2019, and last hosted online by the University of Exeter in 2021.
The conference will cover the following sub-themes:
Perceptions of Translanguaging:
Papers on learners’ and teachers’ perceptions of translanguaging and linguistic diversity in Arabic language programmes. This could also include ways to inform sociolinguistic awareness, as well as approaches to decolonisation, and the place of translanguaging and linguistic diversity in teachers’ training.
The Varieties We Teach:
Papers on the rationale behind the choices of Arabic varieties taught, learners’ linguistic backgrounds and needs, as well as the analysis of the linguistic affinity and distance between the Arabic varieties taught, and those used as the medium of instruction.
Pedagogical Approaches:
Our presenters will showcase research findings and sharing of good practice on how we approach translanguaging and linguistic diversity in curriculum design, lesson planning and teaching resources.
Approaches to Assessment:
This includes discussions on how translanguaging and linguistic diversity can be assessed.
Keynote Speaker
We are privileged to announce that our keynote speaker will be Professor Clive Holes, Emeritus Professor for the Study of the Contemporary Arab World & Emeritus Professorial Fellow, Magdalen College. His topic for the conference keynote will be ‘Paper title: Classical or Colloquial? the False Dichotomy’.
For more information of Professor Holes see here.
Key Dates
- Registration opens: Tuesday 17 October 2023
- Registration deadline: 28 March 2024
- Conference: 18 April 2024
Fees / Registration
There will be a conference fee of £35.00 per delegate. To register for the event please use the University’s online sales page here.
- Programme
- Accommodation
- Conference Team
To open the programme in a new browser tab click: Cambridge Arabic Conference Programme – Draft
Should you have any further question, please contact us on arabic.conference@ames.cam.ac.uk .
Cambridge offers a range of accommodation possibilities from Premier Inn and Travellodge to small bespoke hotels and B&Bs. The city is very small so you are never very far away from the action. Some of the cheaper accommodation is located to the South and East of the centre (such as the PremierInn and Travellodge off East Road) and it makes sense to get a bus into the central bus station at Drummer Street. From here you can walk to the venue through the middle of the historic city – roughly 16 minutes.
There are good hotels and B&Bs much closer to Cripps Court (such as Arundel House which is on the same road and close by) but these are more pricey.
Organising Committee
Farida El Keiy (University of Cambridge)
Neil Cunningham (Centre of Islamic Studies, Cambridge)Advisory Committee
Mark Critchley (Durham University)
Amira Mills (King’s College London)
Rasha Soliman (University of Leeds)Scientific Committee