The Association of Celtic Students is an international academic society, welcoming students from a range of disciplines, spanning languages and linguistics, literature, history, geography, and social studies to name but a few. Each year, the association holds a conference at a host university, where postgraduate students are invited to present their research to fellow Celtic enthusiasts. The breadth of research presented is fascinating and displays the vast array of topics and ideas connected to the concept of Celtism.
Last year, the conference was hosted by the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest, France. The 3-day event was attended by students from around the world, conducting research in a captivatingly diverse range of fields. I was delighted to be accepted to present my research – opportunities to do so provide PhD students with a chance to work on a variety of skills, such as concept explanation, conciseness, time keeping, and responding to audience questions. Speakers were encouraged to present their research through the medium of Celtic languages, with simultaneous interpretation taking place into English. I therefore presented my research through the medium of Welsh. This was the first time I had done so, and it provided me with a valuable opportunity to discuss my work in another language. Furthermore, hearing others present their work through the medium of Breton, Gaeilge, and Scottish Gaelic was a unique and enriching experience.
I am studying my PhD with the Department of Languages, Information and Communication at Manchester Met, specifically within the field of Modern Languages. My research explores how language lessons may be tailored to cater to the personal interests of students via the incorporation of authentic digital content in the language of study. I am interested in how the concept may be applied to different languages, and at the Celtic Students Conference I discussed the principles of my research in the context of Welsh language learning and teaching. I presented the background context to my research, and shared some practical suggestions on how language lessons may be designed in order to appeal to the personal interests of students. Examples of digital content – such as TikTok posts, Instagram Reels, YouTube videos – were shared with the audience, along with suggestions on how such content may be used in language classes. We discussed how examples of language points used in context may be extracted from such content, and how the overall concept could have a positive impact on student engagement levels during lessons.
I received some interesting questions from the audience following my presentation and was delighted to engage in further discussions around the concept during coffee and lunch breaks at the conference. Sharing ideas with fellow research students and creating connections with like-minded academics is an invaluable part of the PhD journey. I gained a great deal from attending and presenting at the conference and would encourage all research students to do so.
The Association of Celtic Students is a friendly and open society which always welcomes new members. Anyone who is undertaking research in a field connected to the Celtic world, or who is a Celtic language speaker, is welcome to join and participate in the association’s initiatives, meet-ups and conferences.
