LANGUAGE IN ACTION - VYGOTSKY AND LEONTIEVIAN LEGACY TODAY June, 8-10, 2006 University of Jyvaskyla, Finland

CALL FOR PAPERS

You are cordially invited to participate in the conference "Language in
action: Vygotsky and Leontievian legacy today" June 8-10, 2006, Jyvaskyla, Finland. The conference will be hosted by the Centre for Applied Language Studies and Department of Languages, University of Jyvaskyla. The conference offers a forum for scholarly discussions concerning language and action/activity, while at the same time celebrating the life and work of one of the eminent Russian scholars in this field, Aleksei Alekseevitch Leontiev. The conference will take place in connection with the Summer School of Applied Language Studies, June 5-7, 2006, focusing on sociocultural approaches to language learning and language education.

Keynote speakers of the conference will be
- Tatyana Akhutina (Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Moscow State University, Russia)
- Yrjo Engestrom (Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work Research, University of Helsinki, Finland)
- Dmitry Leontiev (Moscow State University, President of the Institute of Existential Psychology and Life Enhancement, Russia)

- Aida Markosyan (Russia)- Dorothy Robbins (Central Missouri State University, USA)
- Anna Stetsenko (The City University of New York, USA).

The conference has also invited papers from
- Aneta Pavlenko
- Gordon Wells.

The conference programme will include plenary sessions, parallel sessions and colloquia on specific topics. The official language of the conference is English. The conference has invited a colloquium on the following theme: "Language in action and activity: the unit of analysis." The speakers in this colloquium include

- Yrjo Engestrom
- Dmitry Leontiev
- James Lantolf
- Gordon Wells
- Anna Stetsenko

We encourage participants to present and discuss analyses that focus on the conference theme.

Proposals for individual papers (20 min. + 10 min. discussion) should be max. 500 words and must include a title. The following information is also required: author's name, institutional affiliation, mailing address, email address, and specification of any special equipment needed.

Proposals for colloquia (90 or 120 min.) should also be max. 500 words and must include the same information as a paper abstract for both the organizer and each participant.

The deadline for the submission of proposals for individual papers and for colloquia is December 15, 2005. Those whose presentations are accepted will be informed by the organising committee by February 28, 2006. The proposals must be sent electronically (by attachment) to conference secretary Sari Poyhonen (spoyhone@campus.jyu.fi).

The deadline for registration for all participants (with or without a
presentation) is May 1, 2006. Detailed information about the registration will be announced later. Conference website: http://www.solki.jyu.fi/english/conference2006/

The conference fee is 180 euros, for students 130 euros. If you participate in both Summer School and the conference, the conference fee is 250 euros and for students 160 euros. Participants are responsible for covering all travel and accommodation costs.

We look forward to seeing you at the conference!

Chair
Dr. Riikka Alanen
Fellow of the Academy of Finland
University of Jyvaskyla, CALS
e-mail: alanen@campus.jyu.fi

Secretary
Dr. Sari Poyhonen Research
Senior Researcher
University of Jyvaskyla, CALS
e-mail: spoyhone@campus.jyu.fi