German Language Association annual conference hosted at York
Posted on Wednesday 7 October 2026
On 18 September 2026, the Department of Language and Linguistic Science hosted the second annual conference of the German Language Association (GLA). The event brought together higher education German language educators from across the UK and Ireland under the theme "Revisiting Culture- and Language-Integrated Education".
Professor Richard Ogden opened the conference with a welcome address delivered in German, highlighting the vital role of languages in fostering international communication and cultural understanding. "Languages are vital for mutual understanding and social and cultural progress," noted Professor Ogden during his opening remarks.
Dr Nils Bernstein from the University of Hamburg delivered the keynote address, exploring how creative writing and performance-based tasks in German can enhance language development. The presentation concluded with examples of student work from poetry slam projects.
Members of the department contributed significantly to the success of the event. Thomas Jochum-Critchley, a member of the GLA executive committee, led the local organisation and chaired one of three parallel panel sessions. Ulrike Wray presented a paper on using the Japanese storytelling art of Kamishibai theatre to foster engagement in German language teaching.
Read more about the organisation on the German Language Association website: