Position
Senior Lecturer in Education (Primary English)
Profile
I have taught at HE level since 1997, firstly at De Montfort University and currently at the University of Bedfordshire, with a brief interim period at the University of Northampton. During this period I have led professional studies at under-graduate level; co-ordinated partnership at both post and under-graduate level and currently lead English.
I was recently appointed as a Teaching Fellow by the University.
I qualified as a teacher of Drama and English in 1975 and taught English, Drama and Humanities in two secondary schools from 1976-1979 and again from 1981-1987. My primary teaching experience was acquired whilst working in a community arts workshop in London in 1979; a middle school in 1980; when leading the multi-cultural education service in Milton Keynes from 1987- 1975 and a second middle school from 1996-1997, where I was a Year Leader.
As Co-ordinator for Multicultural Education I gained considerable experience of planning and leading CPD provision in equal opportunities; race equality, EAL acquisition and support and language development.
In 1987 I supplemented my initial Cert Ed. with a Dip. R.S.A. (Teaching English in Multicultural Schools) and in 1995 I gained an M.A. with the Open University. I am currently preparing for a PhD through publication.
Teaching Expertise
- B.Ed (Hons) Specialist English: Levels 2,3. (current)
- B.Ed (Hons) Core English: Levels 1,2,3. (current)
- B.Ed (Hons) Dissertation. (current)
- PGCE Core English. (past)
- B.A. (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies.(past)
- M.A. Dissertation. (past)
- M.A. Negotiated Study (Module Leader) (past)
- M.A. Research Methods.(past)
- Professional Tutor. (current)
- Placement tutor and moderator (past)
University of Northampton 2002 – 2004
- Course Leader B.A. (Hons) Teaching and Learning.
- Foundation Degree (Teaching Assistants)
- Teaching: English, Professional Studies.
Research Interests
- The Recruitment of Minority Ethnic Students into ITE. 2005 -2006 (An internal 31,000 word report for the School of Education at De Montfort University).
- Life Histories of Five Asian Women
- Education Management in a Period of Change
- The Process of Writing in the Primary School
- A Cross-generational Study of Bilingualism
Current Research Interests
- Student teachers’ perceptions of English as a subject
- Teacher Identity and Needs in Malawi
- Children writing in naturalistic environments and the classroom
Research Projects
- Developing Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE) A Three Year British Council Funded Project: In-service training in English with primary teachers in Malawi. (2010 – current).
External Roles
- External Examiner: University of Sunderland (2007 -2011) ( Primary English and PGCE Course)
- Evaluator for Cambridge University Literature Matters Project (2005)
- External panel member: Foundation Degrees University of East Anglia (2003-2004).
Publications
Books/ e-reports
- Gardner, P. (2011) The Impact of Mind – mapping and Other Strategies on Reluctant Writers. The Bedford Charity (Harpur Trust) Online at www.bedfordcharity.org.uk
- Gardner, P. (2010) Creative English Creative Curriculum. Abingdon: Routledge.
- Gardner, P. (2002) Strategies and Resources for Teaching and Learning in Inclusive Classrooms. London: David Fulton.
- Gardner, P. (2001) Teaching and Learning in Multicultural Classrooms. London: David Fulton.
- Grugeon, E. and Gardner, P. (2000) The Art of Story Telling for Teachers and Pupils: using story telling to develop literacy. London: David Fulton.
Refereed Journals
- Gardner, P. and Rix, C. (in press) The Life Trajectories of English and Malawian Primary Student Teachers. Journal of Social Science.
- Gardner, P. and Watts, Z. (in press) Is Synthetic Phonics Enough? Education 3-13.
- Gardner, P. (pending) Politics, Paradigms and Pedagogy: discourses on the assessment and teaching of writing. English in Education.
- Gardner, P. (in press) Identity and Process: student teachers’ perceptions of the self as a writer and the process of written composition. Research Papers in Education.
Book Chapters
- Gardner, P. (2007) Living and Learning in Multicultural Communities, in Zwozdiak-Myers, P. (ed) Childhood and Youth Studies. Exeter: Learningmatters.
Other Publications
- Story Across the Curriculum: Using a timeless teaching tool. The Primary English Magazine. Vol 7 Number 1 October 2001.
- Literacy, TV and Video: New millennium, new texts, The Primary English Magazine, Vol 5 Number 4 April 2000
- Education and Choice: life histories of Asian women. Research in Education, No. 60 November, 1998.
- Writing: creative observation. The Primary English Magazine, Vol 4 Number 2. Nov/Dec 1998.
- Gardner, P. Mother’s Tales, Upstart. Milton Keynes.*
- Gardner P. My Father’s Hands, Forward Press.
- Section 11: A Double Edged Sword, Times Educational Supplement. March 1995.
* Poetry anthology (this edition also included work by the Australian poet, Les Murray and Caribbean poets: Grace Nicholls, John Agard, David Dabydeen and John Figuroa).
Conference Presentations
- The Teaching and Assessment of Writing: Revisiting D’Arcy’s Contrasting Paradigms. – International Conference of the Untied Kingdom Literacy Association: University of Chester (July 2011).
- Comparative Life and Educational Trajectories of English and Malawian Primary Student Teachers - International Conference on Education: Samos, Greece (July 2011).
- The Impact of Mind – mapping and other strategies on Reluctant Writers. End of Project Key-note Address. The Bedford Charity (Harpur Trust), Shuttleworth College, Bedfordshire. (February 2011).
- Student Teachers as Writers. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Conference Arena, Liverpool (October 2010).
- Teaching Writing. National Primary Strategies: Initial Teacher Education Literacy Co-ordinators Conference. Leeds ( March 2010)
- Reluctant Writers in the Primary School. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Indiana State University, Bloomington, Indiana (October 2009).
- Reader Response and Sensitive Issues in Literature – Warwickshire School Library Association: Leamington Spa ( April 2006)
- Sensitive Issues in Children’s Literature - Institute of Education, University of London( February 2006)
Professional Awards
- 2012 (designate) University of Bedfordshire Teaching Fellow.
- 2006 Curriculum Innovation and Development Award* - developing the writing curriculum with under-graduate students – De Montfort University, England.
- 2005 Curriculum Innovation and Development Award* – developing literacy of the moving image in primary education – De Montfort University, England.
Contact Details
T: +44 (0)1234 793150
E: paul.gardner@beds.ac.uk
