On Thursday 7 January, ASU Faculty candidates for Fellow status from the UK Higher Education Academy (HEA) attended a professional development workshop entitled: Using Teacher Language to Maximise Learning.  The workshop was delivered by Yvonne Johnson, ASU Programme Coordinator for English Language.  It examined how lecturers of content subjects, such as business or accounting, can improve student engagement and success by thinking more carefully about the language they are using in their classes.  It looked at the extra burden placed on learners who are learning content and language simultaneously, and offered tips on how to improve student comprehension and recall.  The material covered applied also to faculty who teach in Arabic language because the scaffolding skills presented could be transferred to teaching in any language.  Our faculty even experienced learning a few words of Japanese!  Following this workshop, ASU Fellow and Senior Fellow candidates will shortly enjoy their second week-long visit from Dr. Adrian Brockett, Senior Fellow of HEA and Principal Lecturer in International Development in the Faculty of Education and Theology at York St John University, UK.