School of Education and Continuing Studies (SECS)

Profile

I am the Course Leader for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education for modern foreign languages in the School of Education and Continuing Studies and have worked here for 10 years. The MFL course has been part of an outstanding programme of teaching and learning (Ofsted 2007).  In 2010 Ofsted reported that we offer high quality central training that effectively supports trainees’ development and that, as subject leaders we provide tireless and highly effective support to help meet our trainees’ individual needs.

I aim to give an excellent student experience focused on knowledge and skills essential for roles in teaching languages in schools by working collaboratively with the School of Languages and Area Studies to deliver Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses in French and German.

I am in charge of the recruitment and retention of trainee teachers from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. At Portsmouth we have an inclusive ethos of and we proactively promote and support equality and diversity (Ofsted 2010).

I aim to raise aspirations and promote access to MFL teaching by working collaboratively with 8 other universities forming a consortium for Routes into Languages. As part of this project, I have initiated and sustained such events as:

The Able Linguist Event: where 350 local able linguists from schools attend to take part in enrichment activities

Reaching out to Parents: where approx 70 parents attend to look at how to support their child in continuing with language study post 14

The Gold Award: where school students undertake a two week language work experience, deliver community outreach work and undertake a challenge

E mentoring: where Portsmouth Undergraduates e mentor school students on a regular basis and take part in face to face mentoring.

I hold a Masters degree in Education. My research interests include foreign language teaching and learning in the primary and secondary curricular. I am particularly committed to coordinating a city and regional policy on the implementation of effective foreign language pedagogy in schools. In order to achieve this I work closely with Local Authorities and Schools.

I aim to promote the discovery, development and application of knowledge through high quality research by making regular contributions to the ALL Language Learning Journal and to CILT Links Journal and have recently published a chapter in Sociolinguistica.

Prior to working at the University I was a languages teacher and head of Department in schools for 11 years, teaching French and German at secondary level. My first degree was in French and Russian from the University of Portsmouth.