A major theme of the conference, organised by the Association for Language Learning, will be the need for a coherent national policy modern languages teaching.

TES readers’ favourite Ted Wragg opens the proceedings on Friday night with a talk on “Lifelong teaching for lifelong learning”. Professor of education at the university and a former modern languages teacher himself, he will look at the demands on people in the future and at the professional skills that teachers will need to prepare pupils for the years ahead.

Other speakers include Tony Giovanazzi, the former HM staff inspector for modern languages at the Scottish Office Education Department, who wants to see a strategy that crosses all phases of language teaching from primary to post-16 and teacher training. The Scottish Association of Language Teachers, of which he is honorary president, has set up a study group to consider what a national policy for Scotland might entail. Gareth Thomas, dean of faculty of languages and European studies at the University of the West of England, Bristol, will talk of the need to educate for a plurilingual Europe.

Labour’s shadow further and higher education minister, Bryan Davies, and Anthea Millett, chief executive of the Teacher Training Authority will also speak.

Places are still available at the conference which provides an opportunity for language teachers to share ideas and expertise at a host of talks and workshops. For further details contact the Association for Language Learning, tel: 01788 546443, fax: 01788 544149.