Subject centre Logo

Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

We are one of 24 Subject Centres funded by the Higher Education Academy
Our primary aim is to support learning and teaching of Languages,
Linguistics and Area Studies across UK Higher Education

Special Interest Group for Less Widely Taught Languages

The Special Interest Group for Less Widely Taught Languages advises the Subject Centre on the learning and teaching needs of this area, and on promoting and developing co-operation, innovation and good practices.

Convening the Group

The Chair of the Less Widely Taught Languages group is Itesh Sachdev, Director of the UCL-SOAS Languages of the Wider World CETL. The group meets twice a year to discuss current issues in the field and provide advice and recommendations on a programme of activities in the subject area. The group is supported by Lisa Bernasek (Academic Coordinator, Literature and Culture) who is responsible for ensuring that the Group’s programme of activities is implemented effectively.

Members of the Group and their specialisms

  • Inma Alvarez, Open University, Spanish
  • Robin Aizlewood, University College London, CEELBAS, Russian
  • Karin Barber, University of Birmingham, Yoruba
  • Teresa Birks, CILT
  • Clelia Boscolo, University of Birmingham, Italian
  • Judith Cherry, University of Sheffield, Korean
  • Margaret Clarke, University of Portsmouth, Portuguese
  • Clark Denmark, University of Central Lancashire, British Sign Language
  • Jo Eastlake, Languages of the Wider World CETL, Teacher Training
  • Anne England, University of Glamorgan, Welsh
  • Angela Gallagher Brett, Subject Centre for LLAS
  • Anne Marie Graham, CILT, Translation and Interpreting
  • Sharon Handley, Manchester Metropolitan University, Community Languages
  • Shio-Yun Kan, University of Oxford, BICC, Chinese
  • Elisabeth Kendall, University of Edinburgh, CASAW, Arabic
  • Victor King, University of Leeds, WREAC, South-East Asia
  • George Kolankiewicz, University College London, Central Europe
  • Henriette Louwerse, University of Sheffield, Dutch
  • Thomas McAuley, University of Sheffield, WREAC, Japanese
  • Heather McGuinness, Routes into Languages
  • John Morley, University of Manchester, University-Wide Language Programmes
  • Martin Orwin, School of Oriental and African Studies, Somali
  • Cristina Ros I Sole, Languages of the Wider World CETL, Spanish/Catalan
  • Itesh Sachdev, Languages of the Wider World CETL Director, Chair
  • Zahia Salhi, University of Leeds, BRISMES, Middle East
  • Senel Simsek, University of Oxford, Turkish
  • Jane Straker, City University London, Translation and Interpreting
  • Margaret Tejerizo, University of Glasgow, CRCEES, Russian
  • Bjarne Thomsen, University of Edinburgh, Danish
  • Vicky Wright, Subject Centre for LLAS
  • George Zhang, School of Oriental and African Studies, Chinese
Recent meetings
Date Location Documents
31 March 2006 University College London Minutes (96Kb)
4 December 2006 SOAS, London Minutes (44Kb)
15 January 2008 University of London Minutes (52Kb)
26 February 2009 SOAS, London Minutes (52Kb)