Dear colleagues,
Many of us probably have contacts in schools in Germany and Austria dating back to our time as language assistants. It seems to me that it would be worth raising awareness there that the scheme is under threat, and I'm sure that the British Council would appreciate German/Austrian schools sending letters to the DfE.
Year abroad coordinators might want to inform students who have recently returned from assistantships about the situation -- students would then have the option of contacting their schools if they felt that was appropriate.
I'm not suggesting that this may change the DfE's mind, but it can't do any harm.
All best,
Laura
Quoting David Clarke <[log in to unmask]>:
> Dear colleagues,
>
> Just to provide an update on this, we have heard that the DfE has
> still not yet decided what to do and is refusing to give a date for a
> decision. The assistantships team at the BC would appreciate any
> letters to the DfE on behalf of them and the scheme. Here in Bath we
> are about to send such a letter.
>
> So - another protest to add to the growing list!
>
> Best wishes,
> David
>
> --On 04 November 2010 14:37 +0000 Martha Worsching
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Dear colleagues in German Studies in England and Wales,
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Many of you will have seen the article in the Independent on 23rd October
>> 2010, about the government?s lack of commitment to the British Council
>> Language Assistantship programme:
>>
>>
>> ?Century-old teaching programme suspended after spending cuts?,
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/centuryold-tea
>> ching-programme-suspended-after-spending-cuts-2114235.html
>>
>>
>> In fact, as the British Council website says:
>>
>>
>> ?Recruitment is not open for candidates in England and Wales
>> (undergraduates studying languages at a university in England or Wales or
>> independent applicants living in England or Wales). The Language
>> Assistants programme is managed for England and Wales by the British
>> Council on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE). As the programme
>> is funded by the DfE, it is subject to the current government review of
>> all public spending and at this stage we are unable to open recruitment
>> for English Language Assistant placements in 2011-12. As soon as we are
>> advised of the outcome by DfE, we will update the guidance on this site.
>> Please return to this page to check on progress in due course.?
>>
>> (http://www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistants-ela-how-do-i-apply.htm)
>>
>> This is very serious for any students hoping to go out as Language
>> Assistants in 2011-12, and, as Talin Chakmakjian, the Project Delivery
>> Manager for the scheme has told me today, the recruitment process is
>> already weeks behind; if the DfE does not clarify the situation very
>> soon, a whole generation of potential assistants is in jeopardy. In a
>> country where good linguists are becoming increasingly rare, we cannot
>> stand by and just hope for the best.
>>
>> I would therefore urge colleague to send faxes to the DfE: 01928-794248
>> and express your concern.
>>
>> Please urge your colleagues in other languages to do the same and also
>> write to your local MP.
>>
>>
>>
>> What else can we do as Germanists?
>>
>>
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Martha Wörsching
>> Department of Politics, History & International Relations
>> Loughborough University,
>> LOUGHBOROUGH
>> LE11 3TU/UK
>> Tel +00 44 (0)1509 222998
>> [log in to unmask]
>> http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/eu/
>>
>> Office Hours:
>> Tuesday from 10-12 am
>>
>>
>> Reviews Editor of the JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN STUDIES
>> For further information on this journal, please visit the following
>> website:
>> http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/
>>
>>
>
>
>
> Dr David Clarke
> Senior Lecturer in German
> Director of Undergraduate Programmes
> Department of European Studies and Modern Languages
> University of Bath
> Bath BA2 7AY
> Tel: +44 (0) 1225 386244
>
> http://germanstudiesblog.wordpress.com/
>
>
--
Dr Laura Bradley
University of Edinburgh
Division of European Languages and Cultures
David Hume Tower
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9JX
--
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.