Supplementary Swedish Language Education in APAC will their next School Conference in Kuala Lumpur 21-23 February 2025
Approximately 106 school associations around the world offer Supplementary Swedish Education, all of whom are funded by the Swedish National Agency of Education (Skolverket) and local benefactors. Of these associations, about 16 are located in the APAC region, and they will now gather for a School Conference in Kuala Lumpur in 2025. The Swedish School in Kuala Lumpur will host the conference with support from the Swedish School in Sydney.
The conference’s keynote speaker, Anna Tebelius Bodin, will present under the title “The Learning Brain.” What are the conditions for learning, understanding, and remembering? How does language learning differ from other types of learning? She will examine the specific aspects of teaching that can make a difference. She will address questions about what happens to motivation and memory under stress or distractions but she will also explore potential solutions for the same problems. The focus will be on the brain, dopamine, relationships, communication, and why repetition is not always the key to mastering knowledge. Anna Tebelius Bodin – a speaker, educator and author, trained at Harvard University – will challenge established concepts about learning during the conference in Kuala Lumpur 2025.
The 2023 conference, held in Sydney, Australia, had a holistic Aboriginal framework, incorporating educational strategies and practical tips for teaching. The event was graced by Australia’s maybe leading linguist, Joseph Lo Bianco, Professor Emeritus at the University of Melbourne, who has worked with UNICEF and the EU researching community language schools around the world. Joseph discussed what is required to maintain a language abroad, noting that while educational institutions play a key role, other factors are of equal importance. He provided concrete examples from his global research on what is required to keep one’s native tongue abroad.
From an international perspective, attention was directed toward the grammatical and lexicographical work of the Swedish Academy. Products and projects for various levels and user groups were presented by Bo Ralph, member of the Swedish Academy and holder of Chair 2 in the Swedish Academy, which could be directly used in the classroom.
The Swedish language is evolving and changing. This transformation is reflected not only in vocabulary but also in attitudes and values. Professor Emerita of Nordic Languages, Anna Hannesdóttir, presented these changes.
From theory, global research and the development of the Swedish language, concrete tips were provided by Dr Janica Nordström on how to engage students in the classroom. Janica, who has previously worked as a HSC teacher for the Swedish School in Sydney, is well-acquainted with the realities of the Supplementary Education classroom.
In essence, these conferences present engaging and invaluable programs for educators, board members, and stakeholders involved in Supplementary Education worldwide. The full agenda of the School Conference 2025 remains confidential, but schools across Asia are eagerly mobilizing in anticipation of the imminent release of the official program.
CONTACT
principal@swedishschoolinsydney.org.au
www.swedishschoolinsydney.org.au
