Standard and variation in second language education:
a cross-linguistic perspective
Roma Tre University 12-13 November 2015
Call for papers
Teaching approaches have been diversely interpreted and implemented in different contexts, while a gap between
innovation and actual classroom practice is still widespread. This is particularly true for standards and language
variation. If the global diffusion of English has facilitated the spread of innovative teaching approaches while meeting
the challenge of World Englishes and English as a Lingua Franca, the long-standing traditions of French, German,
Portuguese, Russian and Spanish have differently contributed to the development of specific approaches and enhanced
several research studies. More recently, because of migration flows within Europe, a further challenge is represented by
the growing number of European national languages being now taught as second or additional languages.
Other languages such as Arabic, Chinese or Japanese are now emerging as most requested foreign languages at
university level. Some of these ‘new’ languages present quite a composite picture of diglossia, with strong normative
tendencies expressed by the local academic circles or/and governmental institutions. The relationship between standard
and variation is critical not only in the emerging languages, but also in those with a long-standing teaching tradition. In
spite of the claims for the adoption of a more authentic approach, the grammatical, phonological and lexical norms
generally adopted in foreign language teaching are still linked to standard linguistic norms. These norms often act as
gatekeepers and very rarely do they take into account linguistic and pragmatic variations of both native and non-native
speakers.
It is within this scenario that the conference ‘Standard and variation in second language education: a cross-linguistic
perspective’ will be held at Roma Tre University where courses of both western, eastern and near eastern languages are
offered. The conference aims to bring together scholars and practitioners and to provide an opportunity to present,
compare and discuss current practices and approaches to second/foreign language education at university and tertiary
level. The conference focuses on the relationship between standard and variation in different second-language
pedagogical traditions, with a view on the reception and implementation of western second-language education theories
in different contexts.
THEMES
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Input and material selection
The use of corpora and of lexicographic tools
The role of learners’ cultural and first language background
Cross-linguistic language awareness
Intercultural communication
The teaching of language varieties
Assessment
Plenary speakers:
Diane Larsen-Freeman, Professor Emerita, School of Education; Department of Linguistics; Research Scientist
Emerita, English Language Institute, University of Michigan.
ZhaoHong Han, Professor of Language and Education, Director of the Applied Linguistics and TESOL Program,
Codirector of TCSOL (Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages) Program, Teachers College, Columbia
University.
Olivier Durand, Professor of Arabic Dialectology and Semitic Philology, Italian Institute of Oriental Studies-Sapienza,
Member of AIDA (Association Internationale de Dialectologie Arabe).
Ineke Vedder, Senior researcher Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC), Department of
Modern Foreign Languages & Cultures, Faculty of Humanities.
TYPES OF PRESENTATION
Proposals are invited for Paper presentations and Poster displays.
The Paper presentation discusses and describes work that the presenter is doing or has done in relation to theory,
research or practice (Duration: 30 minutes, including 10 minutes for discussion).
The Poster display enables participants to post their ideas/thoughts/materials on a notice board and answer
queries/respond to comments from participants.
Poster sessions will be scheduled as part of the conference programme and will be first introduced by the presenters in a
special session. Specific guidelines for poster presentations will be sent together with the acceptance notification
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION: March 15, 2015
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Abstracts can be in English or Italian for both paper and poster presentations.
Abstracts should be 300 words long (exclusive of title and references). A list of three to five keywords has to
be included at the end of the abstract. Titles should not exceed 12 words. Abstracts should be submitted as a
PDF attachment.
Co-authored abstracts must be submitted by the first author only, but they should include all the co-presenters’
data.
The presenter(s)'s and co-presenter(s)’s name(s), address(es), affiliation(s), and brief biodata should not be
included in the abstract. These must be e-mailed together with the abstract, but as a separate PDF attachment.
Each person may submit no more than one single-authored abstract in addition to one joint-authored abstract
Abstracts submitted for paper presentations and poster sessions will be evaluated by at least two reviewers.
Abstracts should be submitted by March 15, 2015 by email to:
SLEdu@uniroma3.it
The object of the e-mail should state:
SLEdu 2015 Paper submission (in case of papers)
SLEdu 2015 Poster submission (in case of posters)
PUBLICATIONS
A selection of the papers will be published in an online book. The deadline for full manuscript submissions is January
31st, 2016.
IMPORTANT DATES
March, 15, 2015: deadline for submission of all abstracts
April, 15, 2015: notification of acceptance by email
June 1st, 2015: deadline for early registration
January 31, 2016: deadline for full manuscript submissions
Organizers:
 Lucilla Lopriore
 Elena Nuzzo
 Chiara Romagnoli
 Cristina Solimando
Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Roma Tre University