LALS Prize Winners
LALS prize winners in 2011
Joy Lancaster - Linguistics Prize
After taking a variety of courses in my first year at Victoria, I soon realised that it was the area of language that interested me the most. I enrolled in my first Linguistics course the following year, enthusiastic, but with very few ideas as to what an ‘Introduction to Linguistics’ might actually involve. I was definitely not disappointed and found each Linguistics course I went on to take just as interesting as the first.
I have just completed a BA majoring in Linguistics, French and Spanish. Unable to continue studying all three subjects simultaneously, I have decided to spend 2012 doing Honours in Spanish, but hope to get the opportunity to continue my Linguistics studies further down the track.
Emma Rowbotham - Applied Linguistics Prize
I came to Victoria as an International Student from Canada and began my studies in Term 2 of 2010. Even before I started attending my MA courses, I was blown away by how thorough and individualized the orientation was for International Students. Once I started my courses, I was impressed with the caliber and experience of the lecturers. The combination of their solid pedagogy and passionate research interests inspired me as an educator initially, but as I continued to study I became inspired to become a researcher as well. The MA TESOL/ Applied Linguistics programme taught me the importance of sound research in the TESOL field and several papers I took marked distinct paradigm shifts in my personal practice as an educator. In terms of the teaching environment, I thrived in the small seminar style classes and found all of my lecturers to be completely approachable and understanding. Although my journey is over for the moment and I am back at the front of the classroom, I am already mulling over future research topics for a PhD proposal and my first application will definitely be to Victoria University. Thank you to all the excellent lecturers whose passion and innovative teaching methods have inspired my practice and future career goals in the ESOL community
Jay Woodhams - Ian A Gordon Prize
Jay Woodhams graduated from VUW with a BA in Linguistics in 2005 and after living in Canada and the Czech Republic returned in 2011 to complete an MA in Applied Linguistics. Jay's MA research dissertation focused on the way politicians use metaphor to represent New Zealand's social welfare system and its beneficiaries. A keen tramper and snowboarder, Jay enjoys exploring New Zealand's natural environment, and his love for travel has taken him to over 30 countries. His future plans include more world travel and further study of the relationship between politics and language.
Gillian Claridge - English Speaking Union Award
Mohd Aizat Bin Omar - English Speaking Union Award
A fresh Bachelor of Education TESOL graduate, my experience of doing my degree here at Victoria has helped in my development as a teacher-to-be especially in meeting and sharing experiences and knowledge with well-known individuals in the TESOL education field. I will officially assume my responsibility as a teacher in Malaysian secondary school in 2012 and the experiences I gained throughout my study will be my guide in helping future Malaysians to enjoy and experience the wonderful aspects of English as world’s modern lingua franca.