<div dir="ltr">
<p class="MsoNormal">Please share with your networks and colleagues.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear All,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We would like to invite you to a workshop “Learning
Indigenous</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">languages — can universities
help?" preceding the Australian Linguistic</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Society (ALS) Annual Conference this year. This
is a follow-up workshop from the</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">workshop held pre-ALS at Wollotuka (University of Newcastle)
last year.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Date:* Tuesday 8 December, 2015</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Time:* 9am-4.30 pm</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Place:* Western Sydney University, Parramatta City Campus
(Level 4, 100</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">George St, Parramatta- walking distance from Parramatta
train station).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For details of the schedule see:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.als.asn.au/conferences/uws-2015/associated-events">http://www.als.asn.au/conferences/uws-2015/associated-events</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Background*</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Indigenous language awareness is essential for professions
such as</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">teachers, legal andhealth professionals, community and
language</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">revitalisation workers. And yet training in Indigenous
languages is</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">rarely available to them through university courses on
Indigenous</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Australian languages. Nor are there many tertiary
courses for speakers</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">of Indigenous languages to enrich their study of theirfirst
language.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> None of the languages still spoken by children
have a university on</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">their country, thus restricting their
access. This workshop aims to</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">bring together people who want to improve the situation, and
to discuss</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">what universities could do to get more language skills into
the hands of</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">people doinggrass-roots language work. The workshop will
include</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">roundtable discussion and the formation of a working group.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Format *</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">9.30- 11.30 Session 1 "showcase" format of 3
minute presentations on</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">what people are doing</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">11.30 – 2.45 Session 2: Workshop groups exploring focus
questions</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2.45- 3.45 Session 3: Action Items</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you would like to present we encourage
participants to prepare a</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">poster, or single Powerpoint slide, to accompany their brief</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">presentation, suggestions for focus questions are welcome
(see current</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">program).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you wish to participate but not give a presentation, you
are still</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">welcome to propose one or two focus questions that you would
like to</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">have discussed in a workshop group, and bring with you some
kind of</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">visual representation of your work or interests.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working on, or
interested</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">in language revitalization are strongly encouraged to
attend.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Deadline 1st December 2015 *for expressions of
interest in attending:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please RSVP to Sophie Nicholls re: “Learning Indigenous
Languages - Can</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">universities help?" workshop at <a href="mailto:_als2015conf@gmail.com">_als2015conf@gmail.com</a></p>
</div>