Teaching the new English A-level is the theme of an English Association conference at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, March 1. Speakers include: Peter Barry, University of Wales, Aberystwyth; Jenny Stevens, Godolphin and Latymer School, on the transition from GCSE to A-level, setting up an introductory course in critical theory and new ways of approaching old texts; and Richard Jacobs, The College of Richard Collyer, Horsham, on issues of teaching texts in contexts. Fee: pound;40, pound;35 members. Details: The English Association, Leicester University, LE1 7RH. Tel: 0116 252 3982. E-mail: engassoc@le.ac.uk. Website: www.le.ac.ukengassoc The English Association’s English 4-11 conference on promoting English through information and communications technology will be held at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, March 18. Fee: pound;40, pound;35 members. The annual subscription fee for three issues of English 4-11 is pound;10. Details as above.
Students can listen to distinguished academics and attend seminars and workshops on a range of literary activities at English Association sixth form conferences. Accompanying teahers attend the same morning lectures and their own specially arranged afternoon seminars. The next conference will be held at King’s College, Strand, London WC2, on April 14. Fee: pound;15. Details as above.
Regional events organised by the National Association for the Teaching of English include: “Literacy at key stages 2-3”, a North Region conference in Rotherham, March 11; the first all-Wales NATE conference on April 6 in Llandrindod Wells; and “Cultural diversity and the imagination”, an East Midlands NATE conference in association with Library Services, Leicester, March 25. Details: NATE, 50 Broadfield Road, Sheffield S8 OXJ. Tel: 0114 255 5419.
Forthcoming conferences from the London Association for the Teaching of English include: “Moving English On” (a celebration of the life and work of Ros Moger), March 18; information and communications technology and English, May 20; and the summer residential weekend on English and Drama, July 14-16. Details: John Wilks, NATE general secretary, 20 Vanbrugh Hill, London SE3 7UF. Tel: 0208 853 3838. E-mail: wil@spwcs.freeserve.co.uk
