My reflections on transcribing and interviewing seem an age away and I suppose they are! I spend many of these posts apologising for gaps (hiati?!) since the previous post. Perhaps I should be less apologetic and more pragmatic about life in that respect. It is what it is.
Since last summer’s flurry of production, which culminated in the successful publication of my British Council report in February, to be found here: http://englishagenda.britishcouncil.org/sites/ec/files/B387%20ELTRP%20Report%20-%20Wardman_v6.pdf and also the online (for now) publication of my MA dissertation (in a truncated form) in the Taylor and Francis journal Education 3-13 in January, I accidentally took a number of months away from research and PhD considerations due to securing a full-time fixed-term position as a lecturer. I found it really hard to get going again amidst all the planning and getting used to being a more active member of the academic team than I was as a VisiLec.
However, I’m back on it!
After presenting my findings at IATEFL Glasgow (http://iatefl.britishcouncil.org/2012/sessions/2012-03-21/eal-provision-england-combining-theory-and-practice-or-not) and at the Research Students Annual Conference at Leeds University, I have started a second round of data collection in the same schools as I visited last year and so I’ve been over to the Dark Side (that means the other side of the Pennines into Lancashire…) twice in the last two weeks, to talk to staff in two primary schools and two specialist advisory service team members. My aim is now to find out what’s gone on in schools in the last year, in terms of resources, staffing, training, attitudes, using the first language, links with families etc.
What this now longitudinal study isn’t anymore is a study in the identity of EAL children. This is rather unfortunate, as it’s the title of this blog and it appears one cannot just change the title of a WordPress blog… hmmm. Migration time or just accept I may Cause Confusion. I like doing that…
Anyway, one of the teachers I spoke to today talked about this BBC programme with Michael Rosen so I’m off to have a listen: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gg7fy.
Contemplations on identity 