LINGUIST List 4.525

Wed 07 Jul 1993

Confs: Evaluation of Immersion

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1. , FIRST EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON THE EVALUATION OF IMMERSION PROGRAMMES

FIRST EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON THE EVALUATION OF IMMERSION
PROGRAMMES
27th - 30th September 1993

The First European Conference on the Evaluation of
Immersion Programmes will be arranged in Vaasa, Finland
from Monday the 27th of September to Wednesday the 29th
of September 1993. The Conference will immediately be
followed by a meeting of the European Institute of
Immersion Programmes on Thursday the 30th of September
1993.

THE THEME OF THE CONFERENCE

The main point of interest at the Conference will be the
evaluation of and research into early total immersion
programmes in Europe and Canada. Viewing from a global
perspective, the conference will also discuss partial
immersion and the adaptation of immersion didactics into
regular language programmes.

The aim of the conference is to provide a global forum
for discussion, at which immersion and minority language
researchers meet, exchange views and discuss the most
recent research results. The Conference programme will
thus be determined on the basis of the participants'
contributions.

THE HOSTS OF THE CONFERENCE

The immersion research group under the leadership of
Professor Christer Laur`n at the University of Vaasa
have carried out research into early total Swedish
immersion for approximately ten years. Together with the
European Institute of Immersion Programmes, the
University of Vaasa Immersion Research Group will host
the Conference. The University's Continuing Education
Centre is responsible for the Conference arrangements.

THE CONFERENCE VENUE

The bilingual town of Vaasa on the western coast of
Finland will provide the setting for the international
Conference. As the county town of the Province of Vaasa,
the town is the centre of a area servicing 445,000
inhabitants. Vaasa is situated about 450 km north of
Helsinki and has approximately 55,000 inhabitants.

Early total immersion in Finland was first launched in
Vaasa in 1987 and has since spread to seven other towns
in the country. Currently approximately 120
Finnish-speaking children participate in Swedish
immersion in Vaasa alone.

The Conference venue will be the recently opened Hotel
Silveria, within walking distance of the town centre.
The organisers have made provisional reservations of
accommodation at the Hotel Silveria for the Conference
participants. Other accommodation options can be
investigated if required.

SOCIAL PROGRAMME

A come-together excursion for the Conference
participants will be arranged by Professor Christer
Laur`n on Sunday the 26th of September. The social
programme will also include other events in and around
the town of Vaasa.

PARTICIPATION IN THE CONFERENCE

The First European Conference on the Evaluation of
Immersion Programmes is aimed at a restricted number of
researchers involved with immersion or with minority or
second language education around the world.

A fee of FIM 650 will be charged for participation in
the Conference. The fee includes morning and afternoon
coffee as well as lunch each conference day and a
conference volume. The closing date for registration is
the 15th of August 1993 by which date registration forms
and hotel reservations should be forwarded to the
address below.

CALL FOR PAPERS

Participants are invited to submit papers that
contribute to the theme of the conference. Proposed
papers should be forwarded to the following address in
their complete form, including title, no later than the
15th of August:

University of Vaasa
Continuing Education Centre
P.O.Box 700
SF - 65101 VAASA FINLAND
fax +358-61-312 2521

More information about the conference can be obtained
from Ms. Tina Young at the above address.