As a teacher and principal teacher of Modern Languages for 11 years and subsequently Teacher Educator for 29 years, the last 18 years of which as Senior Lecturer in Language Studies at the University of Edinburgh, I have a deep knowledge of all areas of Teacher Education, both nationally and internationally and have developed valuable skills and experience across a wide range of sectors and contexts.

Over a period of 16 years, I held several senior leadership and management roles with the Moray House School of Education and Sport (MHSES), including Programme Director of the PGDE Secondary programme (6 years), Director of Undergraduate Studies (3 years), Academic Coordinator of Placement (6 years) and Depute Head of the Institute of Education, Teaching and Leadership (3 years), the last two positions overlapping.  I spent several months as Acting Head of the Institute of Education, Teaching and Leadership before I undertook 12 months sabbatical leave to focus again on my research interests again.

Research interests include:

Modern Language Learning and Teaching; Second Language Acquisition; Plurilingualism; Content and Language Integrated Learning; Bilingualism, Teacher Cognition, Mentoring

Target language use in Modern Language classrooms: Perception and change among newly qualified teachers in Scotland

Research Question 1

In what different ways do student teachers of modern languages use the target language in Scottish secondary school classrooms?

What reasons do student teachers of modern languages give for using (or not using) the target language in class?

Research Question 2

In what way(s), if any, do newly qualified teachers of modern languages change teaching pedagogy in their initial stages of teaching in relation to the use of the target language?

What reasons do they give for any changes they make?