Language World 2000: “Celebrating Diversity”, took place at the University of Derby, 30 June – 2 July 2000, a time of ‘shifting sands beneath the feet of modern languages’ with John Trafford at the helm as ALL President.
Dr John Dunford OBE, Secondary Head Association began the weekend with his opening plenary, followed by plenaries from Kathy Wicksteed, former Chair of ALL’s Policy Committee and Christopher Maynard, Principal Subject Officer for MFL, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
Sessions included:
• Gender and performance in modern languages, Barry Jones, Principal Lecturer, Homerton College, Cambridge and Peter Downes, Senior Research Associate, Homerton College, and Past President of ALL;
• “It’s hard!”: why students choose not to continue with MFL post-16, Linda Fisher, Homerton College, University of Cambridge;
• Interpreting on the undergraduate degree, James Halliday, School of Languages, Heriot-Wyatt University;
• Along with taster courses in Panjabi, Arabic and Russian.
Also that summer, Big Brother arrived on our TV screens, France won the football European Championship, Euro 2000, and Pete Sampras took home his 13 Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.