Interpreting Training Suite

School of Education, Languages and Linguistics (SELL)

Explore the teaching and research taking place within SELL

At the School of Education, Languages and Linguistics (SELL), we examine the world through the ways we learn and communicate.

Our teaching and research aim to prepare the next generation of teachers and educational leaders, and help our students open doors into all kinds of professions through language, in the UK and around the world. 

Understanding the interconnected roles of education and communication is vital in meeting the demands of international business and global crises, and in giving marginalised people a voice. That's why we value and promote diversity, seeking to equip our students with the skills and intercultural awareness to live and work in a global community.

Three principles underpin our work – a global perspective, high-quality learning and teaching, and personalised support for our students.

A global perspective

SELL belongs to a long-established global community of students, staff and partner organisations – an inclusive multi-cultural environment where all are welcome. We are the University's hub for language learning, providing classes to students from all faculties and professional training for educators internationally. We offer opportunities to understand, work with and learn from others. 

High-quality learning and teaching

Our learning experience starts with high-quality, research-informed teaching by staff with excellent interdisciplinary expertise. Our staff use their skills and specialist knowledge to expand the learning environment beyond the classroom, supported by our investment in learning technology.

Personalised support for students

Our students have access to a wide range of dedicated academic guidance and pastoral support. We do all we can to enable them to be successful and enjoy their studies, which is reflected in the positive student feedback we receive each year.

Teaching

We provide courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students, including PGCE teacher training and research qualifications. A number of our courses are available to study both on campus and/or online via distance learning. 

Our teaching places students at the centre of the learning experience, ensuring sessions are engaging and interactive with time for discussion and debate. We offer opportunities for our students to gain real-world experience through professional and teaching placements and the chance to study and/or work overseas as part of their studies. 

Students from any faculty can learn another language for free with us as an extracurricular activity through the Institution Wide Language Programme (IWLP). We offer eight languages – Arabic, British Sign Language, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese.

We deliver a BALEAP-accredited Pre-Sessional English programme which supports hundreds of international students every year to improve their English language skills, so they can study at the University. We also offer Summer Schools each year – combining English Language development, team activities and cultural visits – for international students considering study in the UK.

Our teaching is supported by the latest technology, including our specialist Learning Resource Centre, Language Laboratories and Televic Interpreter Training Suite.

Our teaching areas

Explore the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees we offer within the following areas.

Childhood, youth studies and education courses

Want a rewarding career shaping how children and young people learn and develop? Choose one of our childhood, youth studies and education courses.

Child drawing with chalk on pavement
Explore now

Languages courses

Develop an in-demand skill set, and get a deeper insight into the culture, history and politics of another country, with a Languages degree.

Student using language labs
Explore now

Partnerships and collaborations

SELL has a well-established global network of over 60 partners in 12 countries across the world.

We collaborate with schools, colleges and education settings regionally and nationally, to provide placement opportunities for our students and/or research collaborations for our researchers. We work with several partner institutions to deliver our courses across a broader area, allowing students to study with us at their local college.

Find out more about collaborating with the School of Education, Languages and Linguistics.

Research

Our research feeds consistently into our teaching, so our undergraduate and postgraduate students benefit directly from our work.

We're investigating how education, language and linguistics can act as drivers of development in economic and social structures. This work has two main applications – within the context of how educational institutions can create an excellent student/pupil experience, and how global organisations use multiple languages and specific translations every day.

We also work with businesses, government and the local community to improve their organisational communication skills, language competences and use of educational technologies. We’ve worked on a variety of consultancy and knowledge transfer projects including:

  • using a research-informed approach to the classroom
  • research on lecturing to international students
  • professional development for English language teachers working overseas
  • medical English within the NHS
  • professional development for translators 

If you’d like to discuss working on a project with us, or you’d like further information about our consultancy offering, please contact us at sell@port.ac.uk.

We also offer postgraduate research opportunities within education and languages and applied linguistics.

Our education research

Learn more about the work we're doing across our other areas of research expertise in education.

Early years education

In this area of expertise, we're exploring the experiences and opportunities that play a role in the development of young children.

Teacher's hand extracting early years book from shelf
Read more

Further education

We're exploring all aspects of further education, from adult education to transitions from military service, leadership and management to further education student experience.

STANDARD LICENSE; PLEASE SEE ADDITIONAL ASSET FOR FULL LICENSE TERMS.
Read more

Higher education

We're researching into issues in higher education, and finding solutions to them. Explore our higher education research.

Group of postgraduate students in a meeting room
Read more

Gender, race and education

Our work is identifying, exploring and engaging with forms of discrimination across gender and race in the education system.

Female student in library looking over paperwork
Read more

Youth, development and social practices

Our work provides a platform that showcases research, innovation and wider activities being developed in collaboration with young people, community members and practitioner and academic colleagues.

Women dancing
Read more

Our languages and applied linguistics research

Find out more about the work we're doing across our four areas of research expertise in languages and applied linguistics.

Corpus linguistics

We're looking at huge datasets of natural language – often many billions of words – to explore how language is used in different regions, genres and situations.

Two students at a seminar desk
Read more

Discourse analysis

We're researching how ideas, concepts and people are represented through language, and exploring how language is used in real-life contexts.

Young man in conversation with older man
Read more

Professional communication

Our research in professional communication explores how spoken and written language is used in workplaces to develop relationships and achieve institutional objectives.

Smiling professional communication student seated at table
Read more

Sociolinguistics

Through our work in sociolinguistics, we're studying the ways in which language can affect, and is affected, by social phenomena.

Researchers discuss sociolinguistics text
Read more

Teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL)

We're focusing on the learning and teaching of English as a second or foreign language, in primary, secondary and adult learning contexts.

Two women studying and speaking
Read more

Translation

We're exploring how texts are translated and the practices around the translation of texts, including professional training, the use of technologies, and non-professional translation communities.

Male translator in speaking into microphone
Read more

Our research centres and groups

Much of our exceptional research takes place within the following cross-disciplinary research centres and groups.

Centre for European and International Studies Research

We're researching topics such as citizenship, race, language across borders, social theory and transnational politics.

European union flags
Read more

Education, Social Justice and Transformation Research Group

This group seeks to open up opportunities to share and explore critical, radical, alternative and liberatory approaches to the research and practice of education across multiple global contexts.

Ethics building blocks
Read more
Marjorie Huet-Martin Portrait

Mrs Marjorie Huet-Martin

Interim Head of School of Education, Languages and Linguistics

marjorie.huet-martin@port.ac.uk

School of Education, Languages and Linguistics

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Read more
Matthew Ross Round Portrait

Dr Matthew Round

Associate Head (External Accreditation)

matthew.round@port.ac.uk

School of Education, Languages and Linguistics

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

PhD Supervisor

Read more
David Paul Mather Portrait

Mr David Mather

Associate Head (Students)

David.Mather@port.ac.uk

School of Education, Languages and Linguistics

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Read more
Claire Marie Reid Portrait

Dr Claire Reid

Associate Head (Employability and Placements)

Claire.Reid@port.ac.uk

School of Education, Languages and Linguistics

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Read more
Helen Lois Ringrow Portrait

Dr Helen Ringrow

Associate Head (Research and Innovation)

helen.ringrow@port.ac.uk

School of Education, Languages and Linguistics

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

PhD Supervisor

Read more

SELL news and blogs

Latest news

View all news
TV remote

What is pornography teaching our children? New study to analyse PornHub and XVideos content

2 October 2024

What is pornography teaching our children? New study to analyse PornHub and XVideos content
Group of University students in Kenya

University of Portsmouth students travel to Kenya for climate resilience workshop

28 May 2024

University of Portsmouth students travel to Kenya for climate resilience workshop
Ofsted

Outstanding Ofsted for Secondary Education Training at University of Portsmouth

2 April 2024

Outstanding Ofsted for Secondary Education Training at University of Portsmouth
classroom

New study calls for inclusion of death education in school curriculum

20 March 2024

New study calls for inclusion of death education in school curriculum
body image

New project to help young women deal with social media body image pressures

19 March 2024

New project to help young women deal with social media body image pressures

Latest blogs

View all blogs
ONLY TO BE USED FOR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS. BLOGS AND NEWSLETTERS ABOUT THE CONFERENCE AND REHABILITATION COMMS.

EdD Conference 2024 – Research in Practice

EdD Conference 2024 – Research in Practice
Two person talking.

Embracing AI with Authenticity

David Mather

Embracing AI with Authenticity
classroom

Why school suspensions and exclusions have risen dramatically in England – and what could be done

Simon Edwards

Why school suspensions and exclusions have risen dramatically in England – and what could be done
Group of red counters and one brown one

Words such as racist slurs can literally hurt – here’s the science

Glenn Hadikin

Words such as racist slurs can literally hurt – here’s the science
The unstoppable evolution of the English language

The unstoppable evolution of the English language

The unstoppable evolution of the English language

Explore our faculty

Explore the other schools and departments that make up our Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

School of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Read more about the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and explore the teaching and research activities that take place within it.

Female forensics worker checking fingerprint on computer screen
Read more

School of Area Studies, Sociology, History, Politics and Literature

Explore the School of Area Studies, Sociology, History, Politics and Literature, and find out more about the teaching and research activities happening now within the school.

Educational License- Faculty members and Staff members may use, reproduce, archive, modify, and display the asset: for advertising, marketing, promotional, and decoration purposes related solely to the Enterprise, for professional and academic activities related solely to the Enterprise, and not for any other commercial purpose.- Students may use, reproduce, archive, modify, and display the asset in all media, solely in connection with course work at the Enterprise, and not for any other commercial or p
Read more

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Explore more about the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, teaching and research activities taking place across the faculty's four schools and institutes.

Female students in museum looking at antique boat
Read more about the Faculty

Contact us

To get in touch, please contact our Faculty office.

Phone: +44 (0)23 9284 2992

Email: hss-enquiries@port.ac.uk