Professional Information

Professional Biography

My career history spans mainstream primary teaching, initial and in-service teacher education for EFL teachers, MA TESOL, PhD supervision in Applied Linguistics, Management of Change projects in EFL in Central Europe and empirical research related to how young children learn foreign languages in state school contexts.

In addition, I have carried out many short-term consultancies concerned with the early teaching of English for teachers and policy makers in Europe , East, South-East and Southern Asia. In the development of my knowledge and expertise in this field I owe a debt of gratitude to my own educators in the fields of primary education, EFL , educational change management and educational policy.

I am deeply committed to contributing to enabling more young children to speak more languages with confidence and enjoyment.

Qualifications

  • B Ed University of Brighton 1982-86
  • MA English in Education, Institute of Education, London University (ESRC scholarship) 1991-92
  • Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, IH Barcelona/UCLES Cambridge 1994/5
  • Doctor of Education, University of Bristol. Thesis title: "The Politics of Non-Decision Making in Language Policy in Hungary" 1997-2001

Research and Consultancy

Early Language Learning in Europe (ELLiE) 2007-2010. Project director for a seven- country longitudinal study of young children's experiences of foreign language learning in state schools, beginning at 6/7 years of age. The study aims to clarify what is realistically achievable in state schools where only a limited amount of curriculum time is available for foreign language learning.

For regular updates see the ELLiE website A European Commission funded project under the Lifelong Learning Programme, Project no. 135632-LLP-2007-UK-KA1SCR.

British Council. Kosovo Ministry of Education - consultancy to advise on reform of early primary English provision in state schools (2010)

ELLiE Scoping Study 2006-2007. A British Council funded exploratory study across six European country contexts to assess the potential scope of conducting a more substantial, longitudinal study.

Globalisation and Europeanisation Network in Education [GENIE] 2002-2005. Member of EU funded Erasmus Thematic Network aiming to provide a means for interested and concerned academics from across Europe to develop and consolidate a knowledge base for teaching and research around the theme of globalisation and Europeanisation in education.

Brighton & Hove Pathfinder Project. 2003-2005. Co-researcher with Dr Cathy Watts of Brighton University, conducting an independent monitoring and evaluation of Brighton and Hove City Pathfinder project.

All content © Dr Janet Enever