First Webinar of the “9 months, 9 universities” Series: “Teaching Academic Skills: Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Problem-Solving in Action”

Join us for the public lecture “Teaching Academic Skills: Creativity, Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving in Action”, where the textbook “English for Academic Purposes and Research (C1)” will be introduced, and two activities of Concept Analysis & Academic Debate will be demonstrated by students.

This is the first of the series of guest lectures “9 Months, 9 Universities” to be offered in the framework of the Plurilingual and Intercultural Hub. These lectures focus on specific topics related to language and culture and target mainly graduate and post-graduate students as well as early-stage researchers and academic staff. The lectures are intended to generate awareness and appreciation for the topic of multilingualism as well as an understanding of the many areas of our lives that are related to and influenced by language. The first webinar will take place on 24th October at 14.00 CEST.

Live on The Arqus Youtube channel.

 

Information about the textbook

“English for Academic Purposes and Research (C1)” is an essential English language teaching toolkit for advanced learners and their educators, with a primary focus on the social aspects of language use and the application of an action-oriented approach. This textbook is highly practical for anyone seeking to comprehend the reciprocal relationship between language use, social structures, academic conventions and specific communication objectives. Emphasizing language use guided by academic principles of integrity, relevance and contextual accuracy, the book sets a high standard for individuals aiming to enhance their language learning skills, integrate teaching curricula effectively, and cultivate critical thinking.

Meet the presenters

Roma Kriaučiūnienė is a Professor at Vilnius University, Faculty of Philology, Director of the Institute of Foreign Languages, a Vice-president of the European Language Council, and a co-lead of Arqus Work Package 11 “Plurilingual and Multicultural Hub”. Since 2019, she has been working closely with Dr. J. Fischer from the University of Göttingen (Germany) to launch an extensive project focused on implementing task-based and action-oriented approaches in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses offered at various faculties of Vilnius University. As a result of this collaboration, the ESP courses have undergone significant modifications, aligning with task-based and action-oriented approaches. This substantial shift in language teaching and assessment methodology draws from previous experiences at language centres across Germany, various parts of Europe, and Central Asia.

Liudmila Arcimavičienė is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Foreign Languages within the Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University of Lithuania. In her capacity as the head of the Department of Foreign Language Teaching and Research, she has introduced curriculum changes for English Language instruction (C1) at various faculties of Vilnius University under the supervision of Professor Roma Kriaučiūnienė. Since 2019, one of the notable changes she has implemented is the incorporation of a speaking activity involving academic debates. This initiative has developed into the annual Inter-Faculty Academic Debate Tournament at Vilnius University, which is both organized and overseen by Liudmila Arcimavičienė.

1st Year Undergraduate Students from the Institute of Political Science and International Relations (Vilnius University):

The concept analysis task will be demonstrated by Nojus Kipras Ramanauskas, who will delve into the concept of ‘exit poll.’

In our Academic Debate, we will explore the motion: ‘With declining trust in democratic institutions, is the current election procedure outdated and in need of change?’

 

Representatives:

Proposition: Greta Saulevyčiūtė and Austėja Obolevičiūtė.
Opposition: Modestas Zizas and Dominykas Šimaitis.

“9 Months, 9 Universities” is the continuation of the series “Seven Months, Seven Universities”, offered during the first 3 years of the Alliance, when Arqus was formed by 7 universities. it was offered in the framework of the Action Line Multilingual and Multicultural University and focuesd on specific topics related to language and culture.