Interview with Professors Anna Mauranen (University of Helsinki) and Barbara Seidlhofer (University of Vienna)

Abstract

We interviewed professors Anna Mauranen (University of Helsinki) and Barbara Seidlhofer (University of Vienna) when they were invited as keynote speakers at the symposium “New Frontiers in Teaching and Learning English”, where they delivered talks about English as a Lingua Franca (ELF).

The symposium, held at the University of Verona, was organized by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, headed by Prof. Roberta Facchinetti,  and chaired by Dr. Paola Vettorel. The conference achieved resounding success, as shown by the presence of both academics and teachers at primary and secondary levels. Great interest in fact was displayed in relation to the topics discussed during the day: the focus was preeminently on the most recent research on pedagogical and didactic approaches to English teaching, developed in response to the globalization processes that have increased the relevance of English as a language of international communication.