SCDE Languages Group

Before coming to the University of Aberdeen, Colin was subject leader for the PGCE Languages course at University College London Institute of Education. He has held a number of advisory positions and has produced teaching resources in a variety of media. He has also worked in schools and colleges in different roles, such as a Languages Development project co-ordinator in a Language College and a head of department. His academic interests include the topic of spontaneous learner target language talk in the languages classroom.

Carrie McLennan is a Senior Lecturer in Education. Carrie was formerly a Principal Teacher of Modern Languages before she joined the University of Dundee in 2008. She has taught modern languages pedagogy on secondary PGCE, primary PGCE, BEd and MA Education courses. Since 2014, Carrie has been Programme Director of the MA (Honours) Education programme in primary education. Her interests are in curriculum design, quality assurance and modern languages pedagogy.

Dr Yvonne Foley is a Senior Lecturer in Language Education. She is a Co-Director of the Centre for Education and Racial Equality in Scotland, and previous Chair, and current executive committee member, of the only national association for English as an additional language (NALDIC) in the UK. She has worked as a teacher and teacher educator in the field of English as a second/additional language (EAL) in Taiwan and across the UK. Her portfolio of research includes an ongoing focus in the development of literacies for learners from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds; this has a particular interest in foregrounding learner voices to gain insights into their experiences of learning within an English medium school environment. This work links to the role of teacher education in promoting social, cultural and linguistic inclusion.

Michael is a senior lecturer in languages and modern languages teacher educator at the University of Edinburgh. His research interests include second language acquisition, language learning and teaching, teacher cognition and bilingualism. His PhD explored “Target language use in Modern Language classrooms: Perception and change among newly qualified teachers in Scotland”. Michael is currently an editor of “Pädagogische Horizonte”, the academic journal of the Pädagogische Hochschule der Diözese in Linz, Austria

Fiona is a Lecturer in Languages Education at Moray House School of Education, the University of Edinburgh. She is Programme Director of the MA Primary Education with Gaelic programme – in which students develop the skills, knowledge, values and dispositions to be Gaelic-medium primary teachers. She also contributes to teaching on the 1+2 Languages Strategy within the English-medium initial teacher education programmes. Her research interests focus on choice of Gaelic-medium education, and Gaelic-medium pupils’ experiences and attainment. She is also involved in research on the implementation of the 1+2 languages strategy in Scotland.

Hazel worked as a teacher of modern languages for many years. She has worked at the University of Glasgow since January 2006, where she teaches on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses and supervises a number of Masters and PhD students investigating a variety of topics, mostly, but not exclusively, related to language learning and teaching and teacher education.

Francisco joined The School of Education in 2016 after spending twelve years in a comprehensive secondary school in the outskirts of Edinburgh where he taught Spanish and French at all levels. He is a qualified Chartered Teacher in Scotland (GTCS), and has been Principal Teacher Modern Languages and Depute Head teacher Pupil Support.
Francisco’s research interests are based around modern languages learning and teaching, including interaction and the use of the target language in the modern language classroom, the links between theory and practice within the communicative approach, processes of teacher change, and how assessment can enhance learning.

Lorele is a Lecturer in Education in the Faculty of Social Sciences. She is Programme Co-ordinator for the BA (Hons) Professional Education Primary (with specialism in Modern Languages) and works across all Initial Teacher Education programmes. She is Senior Advisor of Studies and Placement Co-ordinator for the ITE programme, and is the external examiner for the MA (Hons) Primary Education degree programme, University of Dundee. As a Primary Education teacher, she taught all stages and has experience of both mainstream and ASN. Prior to commencing her post at the University of Stirling, she was a Teaching Fellow at Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, where she developed and ran a range of courses on both the PGDE (Primary) and B.Ed (Primary) programmes. Her research interests are in mentoring beginner teachers, and learning and teaching in second and subsequent languages.

Alan joined the University of Strathclyde as a Lecturer in Language Education in 2016 following the completion of his PhD from the University of Edinburgh. His research interests centre on issues relating to language learning and teaching, teacher professional learning and digital learning in education. Currently, he teaches on a range of courses including the iPGCE, PGDE Secondary Education, MSc Education Studies and PhD supervision. Prior to joining Strathclyde, Alan worked as a Modern Languages teacher in secondary education in Edinburgh.

Joanna has been involved in language learning and teaching in a variety of contexts, including teaching English as a foreign language in Italy and Japan and as an additional language in multilingual schools in the UK; and teaching Spanish and Italian in schools and FE. She has contributed to the professional development of languages teachers, though SCILT and the Schools of Education in Stirling and Strathclyde, and currently runs post-graduate professional development courses teachers supporting bilingual learners in multilingual classrooms. Her research interests focus mainly on issues affecting the professional development of languages teachers.

Ingeborg joined the University of Strathclyde as a lecturer in Gaelic in 2017 where she currently teaches on both the PGDE and BA Primary Education courses. She is also involved in post-graduate professional development courses for teachers who will be employed in the Gaelic-medium education sector. Prior to joining Strathclyde Ingeborg worked as a teacher and head of department in a number of different educational settings including Gaelic-medium early years and secondary education. Ingeborg is currently a member of the expert group on Early Language Learning at the ECML. Her research interests include language learning in the early years, the teaching and learning of minority languages, in particular Gaelic, and language policy and planning.

Khadija’s research interests and area of expertise are within Social Justice and Equality with a particular focus on Race and Diversity. Her research and practice inform her thorough knowledge and understanding of curriculum development and she uses this effectively to support students to consider their own practice as student teachers/early years practitioners in dealing with diversity, both culturally and linguistically. She am also a Patron of the Scottish Association for Teaching English as an Additional Language.
A focus is also required on ways to encourage the recruitment of BME practitioners into the workforce which is, quintessentially, a monocultural, female workforce. To this end, Khadija seeks to challenge the notion of ‘whiteness and privilege’ and create opportunities for educators to unpack their own stereotypical representations of diverse ethnic groups in order to support children and families in finding a sense of belonging.
.

Lorna joined Queen Margaret University in August 2020 where she teaches on the BA Education Studies (Primary) programme. She began her career as a primary school teacher and latterly as a peripatetic English as an Additional Language (EAL) teacher across schools in Glasgow. Lorna’s research interests are based around young language learning and teaching, including in the context of Scotland’s 1+2 policy, and multilingual and multicultural children and families’ funds of knowledge. Her doctoral research is on engaging bilingual parents in the teaching and learning of second additional languages in primary schools.

Margaret joined the School of Education at UWS in 2014 where she is Programme Leader for the MEd TESOL; prior to that she was Qualifications Manager (Languages) and ESOL Development Manager at SQA, having been Senior Lecturer in ESOL at Anniesland College, Glasgow. During this time she was a member of the Curriculum Framework Steering Group, a subgroup of the National ESOL Panel. Margaret began her career in education as an English teacher and an EAL teacher in the school sector. She taught English in Egypt: as an In-Service EFL Teacher Trainer with the Ministry of Education in Tanta, and as a TEFL Lecturer at Menoufia University, Shebin El Kom, Egypt. Her doctoral thesis explored the discourses around migrant ESOL learners through a Foucauldian lens, and her research interests are in sociolinguistics, particularly discourse analysis, in the areas of Bilingualism, TESOL and minority languages.

Argyro Kanaki is Lecturer in Education at the University of Dundee, and an experienced language teacher. Competent in five modern European languages, and qualified as a teacher in four of them, her current teaching focuses on the pedagogy of modern foreign languages, issues around culture, and debates in International Education. Argyro researches the field of language awareness, and multilingualism, and their appropriate pedagogical approaches. She has also published, and addressed conferences, on language policies, school practices, and their implications

Christine is a Lecturer in Modern Languages Teacher Education at the University of Glasgow and has been there since 2016. She teaches on a wide range of courses across the School of Education including undergraduate and postgraduate modern foreign languages as well as health and wellbeing. Christine was a secondary MFL teacher for 12 years taking on various roles including Advanced Skills Teacher (England). During this time she developed a skills-based approach to teaching MFL and coordinated a number of local and regional forums for the continuous professional development of teachers. Research interests include learning and teaching in initial teacher education including the use of technology, the development of self-reflection and ‘flipped’ learning. Other research areas include teacher confidence in dealing with pupils’ mental health and the place of attachment theory in teacher training.