Teachers of foreign languages/civilizations: "Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?"

Placed under the scientific responsibility of Joël Bellassen (PLIDAM) and Michel Bozdémir (CERMOM), our symposium aims to deepen reflection on the trajectories of teachers of foreign languages/civilizations, their social and professional status, while taking into account the conditions under which they exercise their profession in a constantly
evolving global and digital environment.

In the university fabric, the academic "modern language" sector is split - in both teaching and research - into a multiplicity of sub-sectors implementing specific pedagogical approaches. Traditionally, in their learning path, modern language students, and future teachers in particular, are confronted with the
tripartition: language/linguistics - literature - civilization; to this classic range of sub-disciplines is sometimes added translation.

The field known as "civilization" generates a special academic status: a specialist in the foreign language (or linguistic area), capable of interpreting written and oral documents in the target language and working at the intersection of diverse disciplinary fields (history, geography, sociology, political science, international relations, visual arts, music, cinema, media, etc.
- Career paths, motivations: individual determinations that may have led a teacher to turn to language teaching; the representations that teachers of languages and civilizations have of their profession;
- Teaching a foreign language and culture: what initial and continuing training? What are the theoretical foundations? What are the career prospects?
- Teachers' linguistic and cultural profiles and skills in the face of technological innovations, both in traditional language classes and in other hybrid or digital educational systems.
- Positioning of teachers, whether native or non-native, in the face of scientific and pedagogical requirements, as well as the political and economic choices that influence their daily practice.
- Teachers' relationship to the knowledge to be transmitted, to the language/culture taught and to the target community: what place for the mother tongue and culture? 
- The diversity of authentic resources and learning tools, both traditional (textbooks, grammars, dictionaries, etc.) and innovative, and their impact on language teaching/learning.
- The role and place of foreign languages and cultures in the professionalization of professions such as commerce, diplomacy and the media.
- What links are there between linguistics and extra-linguistics? Global approach to a country? A larger area? Synchronic? diachronic? exposition of institutions and practices.

We hope that this colloquium, co-organized by two research teams but open to all, will provide a great opportunity for exchange, sharing of experience and expertise between those involved in foreign language teaching, the central idea of the project being to bring out collective reflection, even introspection on our practices, and on our contribution to the construction of knowledge and the confrontation of values.

The originality of our approach: instead of "juxtaposing" CVs, the aim is to balance a set of testimonies, commitments and questionings, without losing sight of the dynamics, complementarities and tensions that structure our academic field in search of voices of access to typologically and genetically varied languages and the civilizations that carry them between identity and otherness, singular and universal.

Languages of the symposium: French, English, Turkish

Contributions reflecting the diversity of linguistic and cultural areas are warmly encouraged.

Organizing committee:

Joël BELLASSEN, Honorary Inspector General of Chinese
Michel BOZDEMIR, INALCO
Arsun URAS, Istanbul University
Thomas SZENDE, INALCO
Sibel BERK, INALCO
Amandine ADWAN, INALCO
Zeljko JOVANOVIC, INALCO
Ali TILBE, Istanbul University Cerrahpacha)
Erdinç ASLAN, Marmara University
Feyza Nur TUNCER KILINÇ, Istanbul University
Cristina BIRSAN, INALCO

Contacts:

Joël Bellassen View e-mail 
Michel Bozdémir View e-mail