The Fifth International Academic Symposium on Dialogue between Language Teaching and the Arts
The Fifth International Academic Symposium on Dialogue between Language Teaching and the Arts was held at the University of Leeds on 22 and 23 June 2023.
Delegates gathered to share their knowledge and talents, with expertise covering Chinese language teaching, music, opera, literature, cultural exchange and more. Many of the scholars, artists and teachers present were renowned experts in their field.
The Symposium was organised by the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies (SLCS), the Association for Supervision of Research Students in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages, and the Business Confucius Institute at the University of Leeds (BCI).
The overarching theme is that language and culture are very closely intertwined, and that there is great value in embedding culture in Chinese language teaching.
The opening remarks supported this idea. Professor Muradas-Taylor (SLCS) commented that the school is very diverse, bringing language education and cultural studies together to form their programmes. BCI Executive Director Giles explained that the Confucius Institute aims to promote Chinese language and cultural understanding, stating that cultural activities are a great way to convey shared values and differences.
Lead organiser Lan Yang then opened the Symposium, which this year returned to Leeds five years after the inaugural event was held here on campus.
The talks in the programme addressed the conference theme from various angles, providing academic insight, case studies and inspiration. Themed panels were held on:
- Language and Music
- Language, Translation and Art
- Language and Literature
- Language and Film
Attendees were also treated to a concert in the Great Hall featuring sopranos Juliet Petrus and Chen Wang and pianist Yuanfan Yang.
After travelling from all over the UK to attend, delegates took full advantage of the networking opportunities to discuss the ideas shared in presentations. New connections were made and existing relationships developed, furthering the ongoing dialogue between Chinese language teaching and the arts.
