In 1995 I received the Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language for Adults (RSA/Cambridge CTEFLA). This gave me a good grounding in practical teaching skills and an excellent understanding of how people learn. Many years’ experience (10+) as a teacher of English as a foreign language has helped me to communicate complex ideas and meanings in simple understandable terms and to understand learners’ diverse needs. This has proved invaluable in my work as a Learning Technologist.

My practice as a teacher of English as a foreign language usually involved learners taking part in lots of carefully scaffolded authentic communication activities, and performing practical and creative learning tasks. This approach ties in well with the ideas of Social Constructivism and Activity Theory which I was introduced to at the Open University in 2010, when I studied for the Postgraduate Certificate in Online and Distance Education (Pg Cert ODE). This course not only provided me with a broader and deeper understanding of pedagogy, it gave me practical experience of being a distance learner and introduced a wide range of tools and technologies for learning.

In June 2015 I was recognised as a Learning & Teaching Associate Fellow at the University of the West of England.

“The UWE Learning and Teaching Fellowship Scheme recognises, celebrates and supports colleagues who are making a significant, demonstrable and continuing contribution to the enhancement of student learning.”