Theme: LSP Making Connections Within and Beyond the Classroom
The 2024 symposium invites educators and scholars in Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP) and Business Language Studies to examine the ways that they are bringing the world into the classroom and bringing the classroom into the world. The conference theme allows for exploration of both theory and practice in LSP, through lively sessions focused on empirical research, innovative teaching, or community engagement. Potential topic areas include:
- LSP Pedagogy and Methodology: Innovative approaches to teaching language skills in specialized domains, curriculum design, materials development, assessment strategies, and technology integration in LSP education.
- Domain-Specific Language Analysis: Analysis of language use and discourse in specific professional contexts, including business, legal, medical, engineering, and other specialized fields.
- LSP in the Digital Age: Exploring the impact of technology and digital tools, including AI, on language learning, instructional design, learner autonomy, online language resources, virtual reality, and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in LSP.
- LSP for Intercultural Communication: Investigating the role of LSP in fostering effective intercultural communication and understanding, exploring cultural dimensions in professional contexts, and addressing challenges and opportunities in multilingual and multicultural environments.
- Experiential Learning: Creating community engagement projects, service learning, internships, study abroad, and LSP initiatives related to social justice, or other community-related topics.
Submission information: Proposals are sought for three session types: (1) individual paper, (2) panel presentation, and (3) lightning round. All proposals must be written in English and include no identifying information about the author(s) in the abstract or program description.
Individual paper/presentation (25 minutes)
Individual papers showcase topics related to theory, methodology, and practice for LSP. Individual paper presentations are limited to 25 minutes including Q&A. Please submit an abstract (maximum 250 words), and a brief program description (maximum 75 words).
Panel (50 minutes)
Panels capture a coherent set of multiple presentations, all centered on one theme, by two or more speakers. Please submit a panel abstract (maximum 250 words), abstracts for each individual presentation in the panel (maximum 250 words each), and a brief program description for the entire panel (maximum 100 words).
Lightning Round (8 minutes) ⚡
While the individual papers and panel presentations provide opportunities to delve into topics in depth, “lightning round” presentation slots are for those wanting to briefly share a relevant pedagogical initiative, short excerpt of scholarship, or nugget of wisdom from LSP experience. Lightning rounds presentations are limited to eight minutes and will be timed. Please submit an abstract (maximum 150 words) and a program description to pique curiosity (maximum 50 words).
Please note: The deadline for submissions was October 15, 2023, and thus we are no longer accepting proposals.
