Jane Spiro
cturer: Learning and Teaching Development Co-ordinator – Teacher Education and Professional Development (TEPD) Division- Creative writing and literature in the language classroom
- Test writing and materials writing for teachers
- Teacher development and the role of teacher narratives
- Teacher and Learner Creativity
Contact Details
E-mail:[email protected]
Telephone: +44(0)1865 48 (8613/3883)
Former Experience
Jane was co-ordinator of the English Language Centre at the University of Nottingham, Course manager of Cambridge Diploma in English Language Teaching for Adults (DELTA) in Switzerland, Assistant Director of Studies at the University of Pecs, Hungary, and co-ordinator of teacher development programmes with the British Council in Mexico, Poland and the Netherlands. She has been consultant on projects in materials writing, test writing, curriculum development and creative writing in India, Japan, China, Malaysia, Kenya and Sri Lanka; was UK Co-ordinator for a European Language Testing Consortium until 2002, and was co-editor of the journal Reading in a Foreign Language until 2001. She is the author of Creative Poetry Writing (2004) and Storybuilding (2007) with Oxford Universiyt Press and published plays, stories and poems both in educational, and mainstream settings. She has also been presenter and writer of interfaith programmes for Carlton and West Country TV.
- BA English Language and Literature: UniversityCollegeLondon
- PGCE in TESOL: London Institute of Education
- MPhil Cultural History: Warburg Institute, University of London
- MA Applied Linguistics: University of Reading
- PhD Philosophy of Education: University of Bath
- FHEA: Fellow of the Higher EducationAcademy
Other Professional Responsibilities
- External examiner: University of Ulster in Coleraine MA TESOL
- Editorial Board: English Language Teaching Journal (ELTJ)
Recent Conference Papers
- First Language Writing; Second Language Learning
- Keynote speaker: Tammi Publishers’ Consortium, Helsinki, Finland November 2004
Storybuilding in Language Learning
- Keynote speaker: First International Materials Writing Conference
- Hotel Equatorial, Melaka, Malaysia: sponsored by Pearson Malaysia, May 2005
Learner poetry, learner story
- Keynote speaker: Teachers’ Club, Dublin, Ireland: sponsored by OxfordUniversity Press, March 2006
- Task authenticity in language teaching. Teaching and Learning conference: HETA June 2007. Heart of England Teachers' Association: Birmingham.
Research and consultancy
Jane has recently completed PhD research into the role of creativity in teacher development at the University of Bath.
She has also been involved in an AHRC funded project with the Open University and NottinghamUniversity researching creativity in teaching and learning; and is currently involved in research projects exploring the experience of students educated outside the UK in British schools and universities.
- Spiro, J. (in press ) Assessing creativity in Paran, A. and L. Siercu (eds.) Testing the Untestable. Multilingual Matters. MacMillan
- Spiro, J. (2007) Teaching Poetry: writing poetry - teaching as a writer in English in Education Vol. 41, no. 3 Autumn 2007, NATE (National Association of Teachers if English) pp. 78 - 93
- Spiro, Jane (2007) Storybuilding Oxford: Oxford University Press
- Spiro, Jane (2004) Finding Voices: Making Strange in Anglo files, September 2004 Vol. 133 Journal of English Teaching: Danish Association of Teachers of English pp. 44 – 56
- Spiro, Jane (2004) Creative Writing in the Language Classroom Anglo files, November 2004, Vol. 134, Journal of English Teaching: Danish Association for Teachers of English pp. 44 - 53
- Spiro, Jane (2004) Creative Poetry Writing Oxford: Oxford University Press
- Spiro, Jane (2002) Nothing I Touch Stands Still Crucible Press (novel)