Month: September 2017

Language Teaching in Higher Education Training Course announced

The Department of Applied Linguistics and Communication is offering PhD students the chance to participate in a Language Teaching in Higher Education Training Course. Funding was awarded following a successful BGRS Generic Skills training application.

Objectives

The aim of this course is to provide PhD students with a foundation and training for foreign language teaching at university. The first part of the course will cover the foundations of language teaching and will combine mini lectures, discussions, reflection activities, microteaching practice and presentations. Students will be required to complete readings and other tasks. The second part of the course will provide an introduction to teaching English for Academic Purposes, and will include workshops, lesson observations and, for a limited number of students, an opportunity for teaching practice on courses under the guidance of a mentor.

Who is this course for?

The course is primarily aimed at PhD students in linguistics and language- and education-related subjects, but is open to all research students studying at Birkbeck. Research students in linguistics and language- and education-related subjects from other universities in the Bloomsbury area are also eligible to apply. No prior teaching experience is required. This course is open to all postgraduate researchers but recommended for those in their 2nd year or later.

Course leaders

The course will be led by Dr Tom Morton, an expert on foreign language teaching methodology and an experienced teacher trainer, and Melanie Ferreira, a specialist for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and an experienced EAP teacher.

Format and requirements

  • The course will take place between 10.00 – 17.00 on the following dates. Students who are offered a place are expected to attend all sessions: 25 November, 16 December, 13 January and 27 January.
  • Lesson observations and teaching practice will be held in February and March (timetable to be confirmed).
  • Maximum number of participants: 20 students. If there are more applications, priority will be given to students who can take part in all training sessions.
  • Places on the teaching practice part of the programme will be limited, depending on availability of classes.
  • Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

How to apply

If you would like to attend please complete this application form and return it to linguistics@bbk.ac.uk by 10 November 2017.

Notification of acceptance on the course: week beginning 13 November 2017 

Highlighted CHASE training opportunities for Arts and Humanities students at Birkbeck

The following CHASE training opportunities are now open to all Arts and Humanities students at Birkbeck.

Transmissions

From 6 October | Goldsmiths, University of London

Running over the course of three years, this series of events will offer specific training in artistic and creative research in the areas of Fine Art, Art-Writing, Performance and Poetry. A requirement of research, generally speaking, is that it ‘form a distinct contribution to knowledge’. Within artistic and creative research, specifically, this is coupled with a further requirement to develop the very form whereby such a contribution can be made. In this respect, artistic and creative research complicates the basic criterion for academic research – by extension, raising philosophical questions around knowledge and judgement – through a specific emphasis on communicability.

Deadline to apply – 29 September
Find out more and register

Women of Colour Index (WOCI) Reading Group – Intercultural and Intersectional Skills Training for Practice Research in the Arts

Beginning Wednesday 1 November
Women’s Art Library, Goldsmiths, University of London

A series of five sessions that aims to create a forum for responding to the legacy of women artists of colour, to improve the visibility of these artists, and also to create a self-reflexive space for researchers to acknowledge their own relationships to race, class, gender and sexuality and through critical frameworks, which is key to our research strategy.
Find out more and register

Object Literacy – Research through Epigraphy and Inscriptions in Chinese Art History

3 Workshops: 18 December and 2 further dates in March and mid May 2018

SOAS, University of London and Victoria & Albert Museum

The aim of this training is to build the capacity of participants to employ inscriptions on objects of art and material culture as historical evidence, through a rich introduction to epigraphy—specifically, to the historical framework for the addition, positioning and textual content of inscriptions as well as appraisal of the significance of stylistic references and graphic modes employed.
Find out more and register

BGRS induction for new MPhil/ PhD students

19.00, Thursday 19 October

The Birkbeck Graduate Research School (BGRS) is holding an induction and welcome session for all new MPhil/PhD researchers on Thursday 19 October at 19.00 in the Clore Lecture Theatre (B01), Clore Management Centre. The session will begin with a welcome from Professor Julian Swann (Director of the BGRS and Pro-Vice Master Research) followed by a series of brief presentations and a drinks reception.

19:00 Welcome and introduction 
Julian Swann (Director of the BGRS and Pro-Vice Master Research)

19:05 An overview of the BGRS
Tim Hoe (BGRS Manager)

19:10 Birkbeck Institute for Social Research (BISR), one of Birkbeck’s Research Centres
Esther Leslie (BIH Co-Director) and Felicity Callard (BISR Director)

19:15 Student Services and Research Students
Alex Jones (Careers & Employability Consultant, representing Student Services)

19:20 Careers and Employability resources for Research Students
Alex Jones (Careers & Employability Consultant)

19:25 BBK Talent and Research Students
Emmeline Shadrach (Recruitment Manager)

19:30 Library Research Support 
Emma Illingworth (Subject Librarian)

19:35 Research integrity/ ethics
Sarah Lee (Head of Research Strategy Support)

Afterwards there will be a drinks reception and the chance for attendees to meet with other new research students, with the BGRS team and with PGR Student Reps.

Attendees are asked to register on this BGRS Eventbrite page.

Gilchrist Educational Trust PhD student prize – call for entries

Call for entries

The Birkbeck Graduate Research School (BGRS) aims to highlight the activities and successes of our research student community. We are pleased to announce a £300 book voucher prize which will be awarded to a Birkbeck PhD student able to demonstrate the most notable contribution to their field while undertaking their postgraduate research in 2016/17. Examples or successes or activities might include:

  • A publication with a highly ranked publisher (or which has resulted in a high level of citations if this is appropriate to your discipline)
  • An invitation to speak at a conference
  • A conference, workshop or event that you have played a key role in organising
  • Any other notable successes or awards.

The competition is open to all current part time and full time PhD students at Birkbeck.

How to apply

If you would like to be considered please complete this entry form and send it to graduateresearchschool@bbk.ac.uk by the end of Friday 6 October.

The form requires a brief statement from the student and the supervisor which can be understood by a non-specialist.

The winner will be awarded the prize at the BGRS Winter party later in the year and will be featured on the BGRS blog.