Making Sense Through Writing – ráðstefna FEKÍ 2012

An international conference for language educators

June 7 – 9, 2012

The main focus of the conference is on the teaching and learning of writing. Through parallel sessions, we will discuss issues relevant to a wide audience, from recently graduated language teachers, to research scholars; from teachers of young learners, to adults; from teachers of English, to Japanese, to Icelandic. Presentations will be in English and Icelandic.

Schedule of Presentations

FRIDAY JUNE 8

09:00 to 09:30

Welcome from the Chair of the Association of Teachers of English in Iceland and Jón Torfi Jónasson, President, School of Education at the University of Iceland

09:30 to 10:30

Opening Plenary: Andy Curtis, Professor, Anaheim University, CA.  Hungry for More: Critical Reading as the Key to Creative Writing

10:30 to 10:50 Coffee Break

10:50 to 11:40

Deborah  Larssen, University of Stavanger, Norway.

Assessing the written language of young learners using the AYLLIT framework

OR

Gary Anderson, Cambridge University Press.

Tools for teaching kids writing inside—and outside—the box

11:45 to 12:15

Ion  Drew, University of Stavanger, Norway. University of Stavanger, Norway.

Does writing mirror reading? A longitudinal study of young learners’ EFL writing development in the Early Years Literacy Programme

OR

Birna Arbjörnsdóttir and Anna Jeeves, University of Iceland.

An Academic Writing Program for Secondary Schools

12:15 to 13:05 Lunch

13:05 to 13:35

Ásrún Jóhannsdóttir, University of Iceland.

English in Grade 4 in Iceland: Vocabulary knowledge at the onset of instruction, demographics and implications

OR

Liying Cheng, Queen’s University, Canada.

Factors influencing English Language Learners’ performance on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

13:40 to 14:10

Torill Hestetræet, University of Stavanger, Norway.

Trends in vocabulary teaching among Norwegian 7th grade teachers of English

OR

Anna Jeeves, University of Iceland.

“Learning to write correct English was the most useful thing”

14:15 to 14:45

Rebecca Charboneau, University of Stavanger, Norway.

Using the Early Years Literacy Program in an EFL context: A case study of a Norwegian primary school

OR

Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir, University of Iceland.

Autonomy and Alliance: Two core concepts in language teacher development

14:45 to 15:05 Coffee Break

15:05 to 15:35

Samúel  Lefever, University of Iceland.

Picking up English at home – the case of Icelandic children

OR

Yayoi Mizoguchi, Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð.

Teaching Japanese grammar to Icelanders: Some preliminary findings

15:40 to 16:10

Guri Figenschou Raaen, North Trøndelag University College, Norway.

A comparison of basic English skills in 7th and 10th grade

OR

Patience Adjahoe Karlsson, University of Iceland.

Storytelling as a teaching strategy

16:15 to 16:55

Anja Bakken and Guri Figenschou Raaen, North Trøndelag University College, Norway. Developing writing skills and awareness of genre and context

OR

Auður Torfadóttir, Brynhildur Anna Ragnarsdóttir og Lára Flosadóttir, Menntamálaráðuneytið, Enska í nýrri námskrá

19:30  Dinner

Iðnó Theatre and Restaurant, Vonastæti 3.

SATURDAY JUNE 9

09:00 to 09:30

Robert Berman, Samúel Lefever, Anna K. Wozniczka & Kriselle S. Cagatin, University of Iceland.

Secondary school immigrant students’ attitudes towards schooling, academic language and social participation

OR

Charlotte Rosen Svensson, Pearson ELT.

21st Century Skills for Language Teachers

09:35 to 10:05

Gary Anderson, Cambridge University Press.

Readin’, Ritin’ and…CLIL, Part 1

OR

Renata Emilsson Pesková, Hlíðaskóli, Reykjavík.

Exploring Technology in Elementary Classrooms

10:10 to 10:40

Gary Anderson, Cambridge University Press.

Readin’, Ritin’ and…CLIL, Part 2

OR

Björn Gunnlaugsson, Norðlingaskóli.

21st Century Toys

10:45 11:05 Coffee Break

11:05 to 11:55

Sylvie Dolakova, MSATE MSSUA, Czech Republic.

Topic Books: A tool to get, keep, store and retrieve knowledge

OR

Ármann Halldórsson,  Verzlunarskóli Íslands.

Role Playing Games:Workshop

12:00 to 12:50

Samúel Lefever and Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir, University of Iceland.

Is English teaching at a crossroads?

Panel discussion of Samúel’s and Hafdís’ presentation: Andy Curtis, Anaheim University; Auður Torfadóttir, Ministry of Education; Ion Drew, University of Stavanger; Liying Cheng, Queen’s University.