Staff Profile

Introduction

I am an educational manager and language learning facilitator. I worked under Professor David Little of Trinity College Dublin where I was exposed to the concepts of autonomous language learning.

 I enjoy challenges, implementing initiatives and I am commercially aware. I (along with my team) am the winner of the Customer Service Excellence award for 2010 through to 2016. This is the United Kingdom’s Government Standard accreditation for organizations and an independent validation of achievement which tests in great depth those areas that are a priority for customers (with particular focus on delivery, timeliness, information, professionalism & staff attitude, developing customer insight, understanding user experiences, and a robust measurement of service satisfaction).

I have worked in the private sector; having been a sole-trader and a free-lance teacher and language trainer. I previously held the post of Direct Services Manager for the North of England Refugee Service. I have over twenty years of professional experience in the international education sector; initially training as an EFL teacher in 1983.  I came to Newcastle University in 2002. 

Background

I was brought up in Zaire and Angola then moved to the UK. I have since lived in France, Ireland and the UK. By the age of eighteen I had been to seven different types of educational establishments. These included an international mission school in Zaire with an American curriculum, a rural village primary school in the heart of Lincolnshire, a private prep school in London and a comprehensive in Nottingham.

Roles and Responsibilities

I am responsible for the management of Open-Learning Language Resources for the cross-faculty provision of language learning in support of the University’s Languages for All Policy through the School of Modern Languages and the Language Resource Centre. I have been strand Leader for Routes into Languages project for Newcastle since 2006.  This involves   organizing educational events to support Secondary School language learning and Access to Higher Education in the North East of England.

I am manager and founder of the Linguacast project which produces a range of web-based resources for foreign language learning and assists with the teaching of languages. The Linguacast site was the first university language learning site in the UK to use podcasts for language learning establishing in 2005.  http://linguacast.ncl.ac.uk

I have taken over the role of the Director of Routes into Languages North East as a custodian whilst the future of the project is decided with the Universities UK. During this period, the LRC is running an engagement programme with Language Ambassadors as well as the Linguacast Project

I am on the Executive Board of the Association of University Language Centers (UK & Ireland) as Convener for Teaching and Learning Support special interest group.

Committees and Projects

 Cross Faculty Education Committee,

INULTSEC

HASS PSLB

HASS Mobility Sub-committee

Digital Education Sub-committee

HASS Global Forum

HASS H&S Committee

VE Group 

Academic Study Skills 

NCL Europe Regional Interest Group 

International Newcastle

UCML Routes into languages Sub -committee and Directors Committee 

 Projects

EQUATE

Change Culture : prevention of Sexual Violence on Campus 

Chameleon Management

GOBL

 Qualifications 

MA in Cross Cultural Communication & International Management 
PG Certificate in Online Education and Training
Trinity Licentiate Diploma TESOL (DELTA)
TEFL Cert-Linguarama
B.A (Hons) Humanities

Previous Positions

I have been an EFL teacher since 1984 and have taught in the private and public sectors in the UK, France and the Republic of Ireland.
I have held management posts in Ireland and the UK; Director of Studies, Marketing and Business Development manager and I was the national co-ordinator for the Refugee Language Support Unit (CLCS) Trinity College Dublin. In the UK I was Direct Services Manager for the North of England Refugee Service before coming to Newcastle University.

Memberships

AULC
NE Chamber of Commerce

Honours and Awards

Gained The Government Standard for Customer Excellence award for the Language Resource Centre every year from 2010 to 2021

Languages

Diplome D’Etudes en Langue Française

Informal Interests

Scuba Diving- PADI Open Water Advanced 1997, Wreck Specialist 1999
Cycling
Sailing RYA Competent Crew Certificate 1984
Travel and expeditions: Asia, Africa, South America, Europe- eating good food in nice places! 

Teaching Experience

Over thirty years of experience in the teaching and learning profession for TEFL and TESOL. I have taught all levels of English. My experience spans all age groups and numerous specialist professions including medicine and business.

AT Newcastle I took part in the EQUATE programme looking at the impact of “managed” autonomous learning over a two-semester period at Newcastle University.

I taught on   and co-ordinated the English Language Studies Skills programme for the Language Centre and provided in-sessional support for EAP.

I participated in the GOBL project; a Transversal European Commission programme with Radbound and Nijmegen Universities.

Prior to coming to Newcastle that I taught EFL for15 years in France and Ireland  and was  Director of Studies  for the English Language Unit of Portobello College Dublin.

I co-ordinated the delivery of teaching at centers across Ireland for the Refugee Language Support Unit of Trinity College Dublin later known as Integrate Ireland. This was an action research project.

Presentations and Papers at Conferences

University College Dublin

2013

AULC- Changing Roles of Language Centres –project evolution for strategy change.

Newcastle University

2013

Talking to the World – Conference manager and continuation facilitator.

Warwick University

2011

AULC – Quality and Customer Service Excellence in the Language Centre environment.

Canterbury University

2010

ALL Cutting Edges – Fun with on-line learning; Linguacast, the Angry Family and out-of-classroom experience.

York University

2009

CILT/LLAS  Routes into Languages – Digital AV and task–based learning.

Limerick University 

2009

AULC – Linguacast and Universed - RSS feeds and WebPages in a blended approach. PowerPoint and animation.

University College - Oslo

2009

Norwegian Forum for EAP – Open Access Centres and blended learning.

Cardiff University

2006

CILT/LLAS  Crossing Frontiers – Podcasting in autonomous  learning

Queens University Belfast

2006

AULC – Using Mp3 and Podcasting for language teaching – Introduction to Linguacast

Current Work

I am currently looking into vidoe enhanced observation (VEO) in the training of interpreters

Funding

ULTLSEC Innovation fund 2016/17 

UTLC Innovation Fund 2004/05

UTLSEC Innovation fund 2011/12 

 Other

Academy International Joint owner of language training company. Services include: accent neutralisation. EFL, and foreign language training agency, student recruitement.Secretary for LCCI examinations.

Presentations and Papers at Conferences

Queens University Belfast

University College Dublin

2013

AULC- Changing Roles of Language Centres –project evolution for strategy change.

Newcastle University

2013

Talking to the World – Conference manager and continuation facilitator.

Warwick University

2011

AULC – Quality and Customer Service Excellence in the Language Centre environment.

Canterbury University

2010

ALL Cutting Edges – Fun with on-line learning; Linguacast, the Angry Family and out-of-classroom experience.

York University

2009

CILT/LLAS  Routes into Languages – Digital AV and task–based learning.

Limerick University 

2009

AULC – Linguacast and Universed - RSS feeds and WebPages in a blended approach. PowerPoint and animation.

University College - Oslo

2009

Norwegian Forum for EAP – Open Access Centres and blended learning.

Cardiff University

2006

CILT/LLAS  Crossing Frontiers – Podcasting in autonomous  learning

Queens University Belfast

2006

AULC – Using Mp3 and Podcasting for language teaching – Introduction to Linguacast

Teaching Experience

Over thirty years of experience in the teaching and learning profession for TEFL and TESOL. I have taught all levels of English. My experience spans all age groups and numerous specialist professions including medicine and business.

AT Newcastle I took part in the EQUATE programme looking at the impact of “managed” autonomous learning over a two-semester period at Newcastle University.

I taught on   and co-ordinated the English Language Studies Skills programme for the Language Centre and provided in-sessional support for EAP.

I participated in the GOBL project; a Transversal European Commission programme with Radbound and Nijmegen Universities.

Prior to coming to Newcastle that I taught EFL for15 years in France and Ireland  and was  Director of Studies  for the English Language Unit of Portobello College Dublin.

I co-ordinated the delivery of teaching at centers across Ireland for the Refugee Language Support Unit of Trinity College Dublin later known as Integrate Ireland. This was an action research project.