Are you passionate about the School of English? Looking for work experience that fits around your studies? Then we want to hear from you!
We are looking to recruit energetic and ambitious students from the school to help on a range of student-focused tasks across the year. If you join the programme, you’d be asked to help with the following kinds of work, paid for your time and have your expenses covered:
1. Induction week assistance for the school office
2. Open and Visit Days
3. Help with major public events run by the school (ushering, ticketing, administrative support etc.)
Of course, there’d be no expectation that you worked on every single event and we’d always be working to find ways to fit this around your studies.
We are also looking to recruit a Student Blogger. Please read the attached role description to see if this would be something you’d be interested in.
To be successful, you’ll need to be confident, reliable and self-motivated, have good communication skills and a clear understanding of how our degrees work and the strengths of Newcastle University. Experience of working in customer service or marketing is desirable but not essential.
The programme is open to all students from our school.
Application Deadline: Friday 7th May, 4pm.
Interviews for the Student Blogger position will be held on Thursday 20th May.
The Literature Speaker Series is proud to announce two upcoming talks by Joseph North (Yale) and Grace Lavery (Berkeley). These online events aim to help the SELLL community think critically about the value of literature and to reflect on the big questions animating the field of literary studies. Please join us for what promising to be two exciting discussions.
Undergraduate SELLL students can check their Canvas enrichment page for the Zoom joining details for the following events:
Joseph North (Yale), “In Praise of the Mob” – Thursday 25th February, 11.00-12.00
Grace Lavery (Berkeley), “Some Objections to the Anti-Pornographic Reading of The Old Curiosity Shop“ – Thursday 4th March, 16:00-17:00
Lots of our modules offer opportunities to delve into local archives and collections, housed right here in the Newcastle University Special Collections. Digital exhibitions transform physical archives into online spaces that you can enjoy online.
One SELLL student took this opportunity to raise awareness for Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s LGBT History. LGBT Histories draws attention to the people and places who have helped shape the region as a liberal space. The exhibition features items on literary legend Jane Gomeldon and suffragist Ethel Williams, as well as local LGBT spaces such as the nightclubs on Newcastle’s Bigg Market.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this insight into the exciting work our students have been creating.
If you have any questions about Newcastle University School of English Literature, Language & Linguistics with email english@ncl.ac.uk.
As you progress through your degree, you will increasingly specialise your topics of interest and research. This means at Stage 1 you will do broad modules that will likely cover a huge breadth of time and geographical space. By Stage 3 the modules are increasingly specialised, meaning you will gain an in-depth knowledge (as well as the breadth of knowledge you gained in your previous years).
SEL3392: Between the Acts: English Theatre, 1660-1737 is a Stage 3 module, currently run by Dr James Harriman-Smith, than focuses on Restoration and eighteenth-century drama. In this module students look at lots of different genres from the time period, including tragedies and comedies, but also pantomimes, burlesques, satires and more. They will also examine texts that describe performance, such as the first English acting manuals, early theatre reviews, and legal and business records about the stage.
In Newcastle University School of English Literature, Language & Linguistics there are lots of opportunities to get creative with your assessments – from podcasts to film, digital exhibitions to posters, you will have lots of scope to learn new skills and get creative.
One of our first year modules SEL1008: The Nature of Language asks students to submit “anything but an essay” to demonstrate the Linguistics work they’ve been learning in the first semester. This is a really exciting project that allows students to get creative.
Here are some examples of work students submitted in 2020.
Caitlin Knaggs produced an illustrated children’s story on bilingual language acquisition.
Welcome to the Fifth Edition of our SELLL UG News, for a fortnightly round up compiled by Caroline Ede, with contributions from Professional Services (PS) colleagues in the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics.
Some new items below for this edition and important dates for your diary. Plus, our regular wellbeing, IT and assessment support, if needed, has now moved to the end of the newsletter.
Students are working hard on their upcoming assessments.
NEW FOR THIS EDITION
Dates for your diary!
Buffer Week w/c Monday 18th January 2021 (further details below)
End of Semester 1 Assessment Hand-in Date NOW Thursday 21st January 2021
Semester 2 Induction Week w/c Monday 25th January 2021 Meet with your Personal Tutor via Zoom (if you haven’t already in Buffer week). Prepare for the start of online teaching the following week. Semester 1 Induction material is still available on Canvas.
SELLL Postgraduate Panel Event for UG students Are you interested in studying for a Master’s degree? Look out for the upcoming SELLL Postgraduate Panel Event (w/c 25th January), organised by Engsoc. Details to be announced soon on SELLL social media. Newcastle University’s PG Virtual Open Day is being held on Monday 8th February – sign up to find out about all aspects of PG study from the link on the University website home page.
Next Girl’s Club Meeting (and first for 2021) Tuesday 26th January 2021, 6-7.30pm (full details below)
Semester 2 Teaching Starts Monday 1st February 2021
THIS AND THAT
Buffer week w/c 18th January 2021 A reminder that Semester 2 module Canvas sites will be published from today (18th January). Material from the Semester 1 enrichment week – such as Doing the Degree videos and the information about the marking, moderation and Exam Board processes, is still available on Canvas. Given the now extended assessment submission deadline, there will be no further scheduled enrichment activities for this week, but there is a further enrichment week at the beginning of March.
Assessment tips from Module Leaders & Students Our student leaders asked some SELLL lecturers and students for their advice on how to tackle those end-of-module essays. Head over to Instagram to see what your English Literature and Language colleagues have to say. Best of luck for all your assignments from all of us.
Girl’s Club Meeting – Tuesday 26th January 2021, 6-7.30pm The new theme for this semester is girls club: on consumption and the text is EAT UP! by Ruby Tandoh. No problem if you don’t have time to read the book, everyone is still very welcome to pop by for a chat! To clarify it is not a girl’s only reading group. Any questions, comments or concerns please do email Tamsin at t.rees1@ncl.ac.uk Join Zoom Meeting https://newcastleuniversity.zoom.us/j/85669186272 Meeting ID: 856 6918 6272
What does a PEC for Board of Examiners’ consideration mean? Submitting a PEC for Board of Examiners’ consideration is different to submitting a PEC for extensions. We have put together some FAQs to help answer your questions so please read at your leisure.
NUSU Events Check out what events and activities, NUSU are running this term at your Union.
Online Chat – Every Tuesday 10-12 & Thursday 2-4pm Just a reminder that if you need a quick response to a question, you can use our twice weekly online chat service for an instant reply. Further details are included in the Wellbeing and Support section.
Some English Facts to sign off
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver and purple.
The word “whatever” consistently ranks as the most annoying English word.
A new word is created every 98 minutes, which is about 14.7 words a day
English is spoken by 952 million people around the world – 339 million people speak English as a first language, and 603 million speak it as a second language. It is the official language in 67 countries and 27 non-sovereign countries such as Hong Kong.
From the Professional Services Staff in the School of English Literature, Language & Linguistics.
Are you interested in Further Study? Want to learn more about the PG options in SELLL?
Join current SELLL Masters Degree students Abi Hockaday, Shaun Thomas and Becky Robinson and academic Stacy Gillis in a friendly, informal Q & A session with EngSoc President and UG 3rd year Olivia Blackham.
When: Thursday 28th January 2021 @ 4pm on Zoom
You are welcome to join either with video turned on or off, or via the text chat function – whatever you prefer.
Please note the event is being recorded so that we can upload to Canvas for those who are unable to join the live event.
If you have any questions you would like Olivia to ask on your behalf please email o.blackham@ncl.ac.uk by midday on Thursday 28th January.
Congratulations to Professor Linda Anderson who has been awarded an OBE for services to Higher Education. She has changed the face of the literary landscape in the North through her outstanding contribution to the field of creative writing for nearly 40 years.
Her role at the NCLA has earned the organisation an international reputation for its work promoting literature and creativity. Thousands of people have enjoyed its free programme of talks, readings and events.
Professor Anderson is a respected poet and her reputation has attracted word-class writers to work at Newcastle including TS. Eliot Poetry prize and Forward Poetry prize winners. She has also helped to shape the way creative writing is taught nationally and has championed work on employability in the cultural industries.
She was also responsible for Newcastle University acquiring literary archives from Bloodaxe Books and the writers including Sean O’Brien, Selima Hill, Jack Mapanje, Moniza Alvi and Selima Hill, greatly enhancing Newcastle’s importance as a centre for literary research.
She also devised grassroots projects where writers worked with NHS, prison service and Northumbria Police.
