Sultan Qaboos University
	THE LANGUAGE CENTRE
	Fourth Annual National ELT Conference 2004
Language Centre Homepage	Stretching Pedagogical Boundaries: independent learning, community connections and cultural context	Conference Homepage
	Call for Proposals

The Language Centre at Sultan Qaboos University is inviting proposals for presentations, (papers, workshops, and poster presentations), for the fourth annual national conference on the teaching of English to be held on Wednesday and Thursday, March 24th and 25th 2004. The conference will be a two-day event with the theme: "Stretching Pedagogical Boundaries: independent learning, community connections and cultural context"

The conference will provide an opportunity to share ideas about issues extending beyond the formal ELT environment.

Formal learning typically comprises the learners, the educators and the syllabus. However, this environment is integrally related to the world around us. Factors outside the classroom influence the language learning process that takes place inside. Equally, learners and teachers can make use of outside resources to enhance their learning.

How can we as ELT professionals ensure a productive relationship between the language learning environment and the world beyond? What opportunities and challenges exist within the spheres of independent learning, cultural contexts and community connections?

Invitation to Contribute

Contributions for the conference are invited from teachers and other language professionals working in the Sultanate of Oman or abroad. These contributions may be in the form of papers, workshops, or poster presentations. A selection will be published in the Conference Proceedings.

Contributions to this 4th conference are likely to consider such questions as the following:

• What are the benefits and limitations of a counselling, mentoring or coaching relationship between teachers and students?
• What are the roles of learners, educators and materials designers in promoting independent learning?
• What type of skills - for example linguistic, cognitive, critical thinking, problem-solving - can be engendered through independent learning?
• What mass-media facilities or other new technologies provide novel opportunities for independent language learning?
• How does English language learning fit in with the role of language in society and education?
• What kinds of skills, knowledge and attitudes are local companies and organizations looking for?
• To what extent can or should these be incorporated into the ELT classroom?
• How is the ELT classroom linked to the various communities it serves - such as parents, students, teachers, university, government, private sector?
• What is the educational value of creating bridges between the ELT learning environment and the community? What is the educator's role in this?
• Does cultural awareness of the target language influence a student's own feelings about their nation and culture?
• Should the aim of the educators be to help learners become bilingual but not bicultural?
• What are some of the opportunities and challenges presented by cultural differences with respect to materials and student-teacher interactions?
• What are some of the ethical considerations that come into play in the ELT community?

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS

1. General Guidelines for Presenters

Presenters are invited to submit proposals in one, or more, of the following categories:

a) a paper, to be delivered in the form of a lecture followed by questions and/or activities
b) a workshop, in the form of a discussion and/or tasks; essentially an activity-based session
c) a poster presentation, whereby the message to be delivered is presented on a poster and may or may not be accompanied by handouts. A poster may also be presented in an electronic form, using a computer and screen, and a Powerpoint display.

Proposals for Papers should meet the following guidelines:

· Be relevant to the conference theme
· Strive to present up-to-date information
· Be relevant to a wider audience in, or outside, Oman
· Include handouts or other materials that participants can take with them
· Provide a synopsis of any theoretical framework

Proposals for Workshops should meet the following guidelines:

· Provide a clear statement of goal
· Include a synopsis of any relevant theoretical framework
· Describe clearly the tasks to be performed
· Encourage audience participation
· Provide some practical solutions to issues and topics in the field

Proposals for Poster presentations should meet the following guidelines:

· Provide a clear statement of purpose
· Provide a draft of the format of the poster
· State size/area required
· State whether you need to be in attendance (wholly or partly) or whether
your poster is free-standing
· Give details of any handouts to accompany the poster
· Indicate whether a computer/screen/projector are required

2. Guidelines for Abstracts (for papers and workshops)

The attached proposal form has a space for you to write an abstract of the paper or workshop. Abstracts of all paper/workshop presentations at the Conference will appear in the Conference 2004 programme booklet. Please follow these brief guidelines:

· It should not be more than 150 words
· It is written in the third-person present tense
· It is carefully edited and proofread
· It avoids references to published works

Please remember that we shall endeavour to present a wide range of topic areas, so some proposals may not be selected.

3. Proposal Form

Please complete the attached form, whether you are submitting a proposal for a paper, a workshop, or a poster presentation. The box for 'Abstract' is for you to describe your paper or workshop as previously indicated (this will be included in the Conference booklet if your proposal is accepted); if you are submitting a poster presentation, then please use this space to give the details required.

The form can be downloaded for completion and return, or a hard copy can be sent to you if you request one.

Please ensure you give all necessary information for contacting you, and full details of what you propose to present.

The deadline for submitting proposals is Wednesday, January 28th, 2004.

Please send the form to:

Najat Al-Kalbani
Conference Coordinator
The Language Centre
Sultan Qaboos University
P.O. Box 43,
Al Khoud, P. C. 123
Sultanate of Oman

e-mail: najat@squ.edu.om
eltconf@squ.edu.om

Thank you for your interest in our Conference. We look forward to hearing from teachers in all kinds of English language teaching situations in Oman, and also from outside the Sultanate.