Prof Fiona Barclay
@fionabarclay.bsky.social
French @StirUni. Settler colonial/Mediterranean migration from Algeria. @ahrcpress 'Remembering Empire'. Languages policy. Chair
@ucflangs.bsky.social Scotland
@ucflangs.bsky.social Scotland
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
We are delighted to share details of the 16th Douglas Johnson Memorial Lecture, organised by @frenchhistory.bsky.social & @asmcf.bsky.social to be held on Monday 12th January 2026, at the Institut Français, London.
November 19, 2025 at 2:29 PM
We are delighted to share details of the 16th Douglas Johnson Memorial Lecture, organised by @frenchhistory.bsky.social & @asmcf.bsky.social to be held on Monday 12th January 2026, at the Institut Français, London.
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
Pause your doomscrolling and listen to this story.
September 20, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Pause your doomscrolling and listen to this story.
We had such a great response to our History teachers webinar on teaching 'Migration and Empire' that we're offering another one! Come and find out about brand new resources co-created by teachers and academics: 4pm, Monday 29 Sept. Register here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/decolonisi...
September 15, 2025 at 9:12 AM
We had such a great response to our History teachers webinar on teaching 'Migration and Empire' that we're offering another one! Come and find out about brand new resources co-created by teachers and academics: 4pm, Monday 29 Sept. Register here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/decolonisi...
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
BA report shows that worst cold spots in SHAPE are in Modern Foreign Languages: French & German single honours degrees are declining sharply, with cold spots in all 4 UK nations. Progress in expanding provision of non-European languages is being reversed.
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
Cold spots: Mapping inequality in SHAPE provision in UK higher education
This British Academy report reveals that many parts of the UK are becoming subject cold spots – areas with no provision in a subject within a commutable distance. These are often in rural, coastal or ...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
September 10, 2025 at 8:49 AM
BA report shows that worst cold spots in SHAPE are in Modern Foreign Languages: French & German single honours degrees are declining sharply, with cold spots in all 4 UK nations. Progress in expanding provision of non-European languages is being reversed.
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
This is a positive sign that we may be moving back into Erasmus. The replacement Turing scheme has not been great (see posts above)
on.ft.com/45RFfyV
on.ft.com/45RFfyV
UK advertises contract to run Erasmus scheme
Tender indicates ministers are preparing ground to rejoin European student swap programme
on.ft.com
August 31, 2025 at 8:01 PM
This is a positive sign that we may be moving back into Erasmus. The replacement Turing scheme has not been great (see posts above)
on.ft.com/45RFfyV
on.ft.com/45RFfyV
Love this attempt to articulate the magic created by language in the intercultural encounter
www.thetimes.com/article/ecfe...
www.thetimes.com/article/ecfe...
Learning languages helps us to unlock cultures
Brits cannot always rely on English and not everything can be mediated through translation
www.thetimes.com
August 18, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Love this attempt to articulate the magic created by language in the intercultural encounter
www.thetimes.com/article/ecfe...
www.thetimes.com/article/ecfe...
History teachers in Scotland: teaching 'Migration and Empire' this year? Want to know how to teach about 'the impact of Scots'? Come and find out about brand new resources created by academics and teachers at this online session: 4pm, 10 Sept. Register here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/decolonisi...
Decolonising the SQA Migration and Empire module
An event for History teachers who want to bring a more critical, globally-aware perspective to the Migration and Empire unit.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
August 13, 2025 at 3:25 PM
History teachers in Scotland: teaching 'Migration and Empire' this year? Want to know how to teach about 'the impact of Scots'? Come and find out about brand new resources created by academics and teachers at this online session: 4pm, 10 Sept. Register here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/decolonisi...
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
When I lived in Russia, many years ago, the only being to whom I regularly spoke in English was the cat in the lobby. I discovered (by hearing myself imitated) that my professor's two very young kids thought I spoke Cat and so tried to communicate with her the same way ("kom hiyah, ki ti!").
July 23, 2025 at 8:15 AM
When I lived in Russia, many years ago, the only being to whom I regularly spoke in English was the cat in the lobby. I discovered (by hearing myself imitated) that my professor's two very young kids thought I spoke Cat and so tried to communicate with her the same way ("kom hiyah, ki ti!").
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
I agree with every word. H/T to @gsoh31.bsky.social
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👇👇👇
One of the key reasons allowing universities to disintegrate is so foolish: they are key institutions of state power. They incubate and protect national capacity in periods of geopolitical competition - e.g. right now. During the Cold War, we understood this.
Closing the Central Eurasian program at Indiana is a disaster for generations to come. It was a haven for developing expertise in regions virtually no other university would have. If the State Department, for example, has an expert on Mongolia or Tibet, they are likely IU grads.
July 4, 2025 at 10:42 PM
I agree with every word. H/T to @gsoh31.bsky.social
👇👇👇
👇👇👇
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
"It would be a catastrophically unwise decision for humanity to abandon a key step in training young brains simply because they can now clack a few keys and produce something that sounds intelligent even as they never become intelligent" - @brianklaas.bsky.social
www.forkingpaths.co/p/the-death-...
www.forkingpaths.co/p/the-death-...
The Death of the Student Essay—and the Future of Cognition
One professor's reflections on the end of an era, as AI tools such as ChatGPT have murdered the student essay (RIP). Here's why that threatens the future of human cognition—and how to save ourselves.
www.forkingpaths.co
June 26, 2025 at 8:32 AM
"It would be a catastrophically unwise decision for humanity to abandon a key step in training young brains simply because they can now clack a few keys and produce something that sounds intelligent even as they never become intelligent" - @brianklaas.bsky.social
www.forkingpaths.co/p/the-death-...
www.forkingpaths.co/p/the-death-...
'... AI tools like LLMs will [likely] create some unequal stratification in which those people who already have advanced critical thinking skills can unleash even greater potential in collaboration with AI tools, while others will simply never develop those skills because they use AI as a crutch.'
After the latest round of grading papers, I wrote about AI, ChatGPT, the death of the student essay, and what it means for the future of human cognition.
The Death of the Student Essay—and the Future of Cognition
One professor's reflections on the end of an era, as AI tools such as ChatGPT have murdered the student essay (RIP). Here's why that threatens the future of human cognition—and how to save ourselves.
www.forkingpaths.co
June 19, 2025 at 8:38 PM
'... AI tools like LLMs will [likely] create some unequal stratification in which those people who already have advanced critical thinking skills can unleash even greater potential in collaboration with AI tools, while others will simply never develop those skills because they use AI as a crutch.'
Delighted to be part of the deep (yet concise!) thinking on languages taking place in this @lspjournal.bsky.social Opinion series.
Fiona Barclay considers the longstanding deficit in the social value associated with languages, true not just of Scotland, but across the UK. She proposes 3 avenues for improving public perceptions of languages www.lspjournal.com/post/languag... @cforsdick.bsky.social
‘Language capital’: reframing formal language-learning in Scotland.
Fiona Barclay | 3rd June 2025 | Opinion PieceIn this article, Fiona Barclay considers the longstanding deficit in the social value associated with languages. She argues that this deficit has contribut...
www.lspjournal.com
June 5, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Delighted to be part of the deep (yet concise!) thinking on languages taking place in this @lspjournal.bsky.social Opinion series.
Love working on our campus! @litandlangstirling.bsky.social
May 15, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Love working on our campus! @litandlangstirling.bsky.social
Thanks to @sahavoice.bsky.social for organising this much-needed event! Great to see the importance of Languages being highlighted.
📣What does good advocacy look like?
On Friday 9 May, SAHA ran a joint event with the School of Advanced Study, University of London at the Royal Society of Edinburgh to explore how the #arts and #humanities can more effectively advocate for their importance to our society, economy and culture.
On Friday 9 May, SAHA ran a joint event with the School of Advanced Study, University of London at the Royal Society of Edinburgh to explore how the #arts and #humanities can more effectively advocate for their importance to our society, economy and culture.
May 14, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Thanks to @sahavoice.bsky.social for organising this much-needed event! Great to see the importance of Languages being highlighted.
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
‼️Issue 38 of the Scottish Languages Review, our online journal for language practitioners, is now LIVE ‼️
A central theme of this issue is #IDL, with articles also on #Latin as L3 and strategies for #CommunityLanguages.
Free to download ➡️ loom.ly/dO81dzk
A central theme of this issue is #IDL, with articles also on #Latin as L3 and strategies for #CommunityLanguages.
Free to download ➡️ loom.ly/dO81dzk
May 13, 2025 at 9:11 AM
‼️Issue 38 of the Scottish Languages Review, our online journal for language practitioners, is now LIVE ‼️
A central theme of this issue is #IDL, with articles also on #Latin as L3 and strategies for #CommunityLanguages.
Free to download ➡️ loom.ly/dO81dzk
A central theme of this issue is #IDL, with articles also on #Latin as L3 and strategies for #CommunityLanguages.
Free to download ➡️ loom.ly/dO81dzk
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
📣Primary teachers & primary student teachers 🏴
👋Join @karen-scilt.bsky.social @suzannescilt.bsky.social & me in person & outdoors 🌻💨🍃🌤️at all 3️⃣ in person, interactive workshops
🎯Developing outdoor IDL contexts for targeted, incidental & practising language use outdoors from & with each other
👋Join @karen-scilt.bsky.social @suzannescilt.bsky.social & me in person & outdoors 🌻💨🍃🌤️at all 3️⃣ in person, interactive workshops
🎯Developing outdoor IDL contexts for targeted, incidental & practising language use outdoors from & with each other
🍃The first in our series of primary outdoor learning workshops takes place on 14 May in Pitlochry! Sign up now for free, or join another workshop at a location closer to you. More info on our website: loom.ly/GVnjN3k
April 30, 2025 at 4:00 PM
📣Primary teachers & primary student teachers 🏴
👋Join @karen-scilt.bsky.social @suzannescilt.bsky.social & me in person & outdoors 🌻💨🍃🌤️at all 3️⃣ in person, interactive workshops
🎯Developing outdoor IDL contexts for targeted, incidental & practising language use outdoors from & with each other
👋Join @karen-scilt.bsky.social @suzannescilt.bsky.social & me in person & outdoors 🌻💨🍃🌤️at all 3️⃣ in person, interactive workshops
🎯Developing outdoor IDL contexts for targeted, incidental & practising language use outdoors from & with each other
"We have to help students see that experiences matter and that to make their way through life as active agents, rather than passive doers of school assignments"
Highly recommend this piece by D. Graham Burnett that really grapples with the fact that LLMs can produce an incredibly convincing simulation of human thought, but also why we can't treat the simulation as the same was what happens when humans think. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
Will the Humanities Survive Artificial Intelligence?
Maybe not as we’ve known them. But, in the ruins of the old curriculum, something vital is stirring.
www.newyorker.com
April 28, 2025 at 7:37 PM
"We have to help students see that experiences matter and that to make their way through life as active agents, rather than passive doers of school assignments"
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
A great read to learn more about Wendy and Charles' fantastic work on language, policy, and education at Murray Edwards College 💬 @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social @mmll-cambridge.bsky.social
April 22, 2025 at 12:35 PM
A great read to learn more about Wendy and Charles' fantastic work on language, policy, and education at Murray Edwards College 💬 @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social @mmll-cambridge.bsky.social
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
What happens when you mix contrasting worldviews and pedagogies in one university classroom? Marie N Bernal explains how to balance students’ differing expectations – and your own – to prepare them for a globalised world: www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/impor... #highered #edusky
The importance of educational cultural awareness in the multicultural classroom
What happens when you mix contrasting worldviews and pedagogies in one university classroom? Find out how to balance students’ biases – and your own – to prepare them for a globalised world
www.timeshighereducation.com
April 17, 2025 at 10:19 AM
What happens when you mix contrasting worldviews and pedagogies in one university classroom? Marie N Bernal explains how to balance students’ differing expectations – and your own – to prepare them for a globalised world: www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/impor... #highered #edusky
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
This right here.
Teachers have to know what the work is.
Students have to know what the work is and right now, far too many of them think it's jumping through a hoop to get a grade.
Learning should change you.
Teachers have to know what the work is.
Students have to know what the work is and right now, far too many of them think it's jumping through a hoop to get a grade.
Learning should change you.
Even accepting the premise that AI produces useful writing (which no one should), using AI in education is like using a forklift at the gym. The weights do not actually need to be moved from place to place. That is not the work. The work is what happens within you.
April 15, 2025 at 4:06 PM
This right here.
Teachers have to know what the work is.
Students have to know what the work is and right now, far too many of them think it's jumping through a hoop to get a grade.
Learning should change you.
Teachers have to know what the work is.
Students have to know what the work is and right now, far too many of them think it's jumping through a hoop to get a grade.
Learning should change you.
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
"I knew I wanted to play for Real Madrid. So I needed to learn Spanish, this is very important.
I really wanted to learn it… I also had some Spanish teammates, so I could practice with them.
I wasn’t afraid of making mistakes. I wanted to learn as much as possible. That’s how I learned." #LangSky
I really wanted to learn it… I also had some Spanish teammates, so I could practice with them.
I wasn’t afraid of making mistakes. I wanted to learn as much as possible. That’s how I learned." #LangSky
Kylian Mbappe leaves fans stunned with speech in 'perfect' Spanish
Mbappe joined the Spanish giants earlier this summer, and underwent his medical on Tuesday following the conclusion of Euro 2024, in which he helped France to the semi-finals.
www.dailymail.co.uk
April 12, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
Today UK authors are protesting against Meta for stealing our work to train their AI model. Authors earn an average of £7000 per year, we are not rich, and yet a trillion dollar company decided it didn’t want to license our work fairly as it was “too expensive”
Theft is not a valid alternative.
Theft is not a valid alternative.
April 3, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Reposted by Prof Fiona Barclay
