Dr Karen Smith

Karen’s teaching includes research methods, and she has significant responsibility for supervising dissertations at undergraduate and postgraduate level. She also prepares and assesses students for the Trinity College Certificate (or Diploma) TESOL qualifications that are embedded within our TESOL programmes. In addition, she is Module Lead for the final year Theories and Practice in TESOL and the postgraduate Language Analysis modules.

Karen joined us in 2008. She spent the previous twelve years teaching English and delivering teacher training in Portugal, New Zealand, and UK summer schools. She has taught learners of varying ages and first language backgrounds, with differing needs for English. She also has experience teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English literacy in UK Further Education.

Karen’s role was initially split between the TESOL BA & MA programmes and co-ordinating student academic support across the University (2008-2018). As part of this, she gained expertise in developing students’ academic literacy and critical-thinking skills. This was in tandem with providing guidance and support for academics to embed these elements within their modules. Since 2011, she has mentored colleagues wishing to become a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, leading to becoming a Senior Fellow herself in 2016.

Now focussed fully within TESOL, she continues to develop her expertise in teacher training and research methods. Her research focuses on uneven language competency and learners' self-efficacy beliefs, with a view to improving teaching practice within the field of English for Specific and Academic Purposes. She continues to mentor colleagues seeking professional recognition.