[Reader-list] Call for Papers - Children's Literature in Language Education - Hildesheim University, Germany

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>From http://www.childrenslit.de/

Children's Literature in Language Education
– from Picture Books to Young Adult Fiction
Hildesheim University, Germany
International Conference 25th – 27th February 2010


Hildesheim University and the Young Learner & Teenager SIG, IATEFL,
are organising an exciting and innovative international TEFL
conference on children’s literature which will cover a wide area in
English language teaching, from the youngest learners to advanced
language students. We are delighted to have secured plenary speakers
of international renown for each one of the strands. We invite
proposals for

PRESENTATIONS – which will be grouped into one of the following
STRANDS 1, 2 AND 3, and
WORKSHOPS/READINGS – by authors and storytellers in STRAND 4.

STRAND 1. EFL extensive reading – reading for pleasure
Plenary: STEPHEN KRASHEN, Professor Emeritus University of Southern California

STRAND 2. Original fiction for young adults and graded readers
Plenary: multi-award-winning author (NN)

STRAND 3.  Picture books, poems, nursery rhymes and non-fiction for children
Plenary: Prof. Dr. EVA BURWITZ-MELZER, University of Giessen

STRAND 4. Workshops with storytellers, illustrators and writers for children
Plenary: Dr. ALAN MALEY & ANDREW WRIGHT on The Power of Story and Poetry


Call for Papers

English language teaching (EFL and ESL) is usually considered to
embody a key role in education as a whole – also as an opportunity for
the development of intercultural learning and tolerance, parallel to
mother tongue education. High quality children’s literature can help
readers learn to map the world story by story, in fine overlays of
stirring narrative, while they successively acquire skills such as
visual, critical, literary and intercultural literacy.

Children’s literature and young adult English-language literature
across the world displays a stunning diversity, yet often remains
entirely undiscovered by English language teachers, and consequently
also by English learners. We consider this is against the best
interests of children, young language learners and society as a whole,
as the important contribution of reading to language acquisition and
world knowledge, through young adult literature as well as graded
readers, has been well documented. While English learning is so
time-consuming throughout schooling and beyond, it is surely
unacceptable that the potential for humanist discourse that arises
through interaction between language learners and first-rate
children’s literature is so manifestly under-realised.

The more complex picture books with their layers of meanings – often
hidden in the pictures and picture/ word interplays – are highly
suitable for thoughtful literary exchanges and the negotiation of
meaning, and are a fine opportunity for rich English-medium education
of young learners. Picture books pave the way towards extensive
reading – the most pleasurable path to familiarity with diverse
meanings and language patterns.

If children and teenagers, whose English language exposure revolves
solely around openings for functional communicative learning, are
later plunged straight into adult literature as advanced learners,
they miss out on the affirmative, motivating and self-esteem-promoting
educational potential of children’s and young adult literature, which
is a vital apprenticeship to life and to becoming a reader. The need
for a synergy between mother tongue literature education and English
medium literature education, particularly in teacher training, has
surely arrived.

The International Conference Children's Literature in Language
Education – from Picture Books to Young Adult Fiction intends to
disseminate information and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas
and experiences on the power of literature for the young; approaches
to children’s literature and young adult literature as a bridge to
reading beyond school; gender considerations – the different attitudes
of different readers – and the resulting consequences with regard to
the canon of literary texts for EFL; and the debate around original
children’s literature and graded readers.

Please send your proposal (max 300 words in English), affiliation and
brief biodata (max 50 words) to both luetge at uni-hildesheim.de and
janbla at arcor.de by 31.07.2009.

Please keep your eye on the conference website for updates
- on invited speakers
- on conference registration arrangements and fees for presenting and
non-presenting delegates
- accommodation advice
Precise info will be posted by 15.08.09.