Professional Development - our Speakers
MERC runs many professional training courses for educationalists during each academic year. These are organized by our Educational Consultant who works closely with the University of Cambridge (UK) and UAE schools to co-ordinate relevant subject matters with recognised experts in these areas.
David Heathfield
He is a career ELT person with experience in teaching,
management, teacher education, materials design, drama, storytelling
and writing articles. He is the author of Spontaneous Speaking; Drama
activities for Confidence and Fluency DELTA Publishing 2005(in the Professional
Perspectives series of teacher resource books). He was the DOS of the
ISCA School of English, Exeter from 1996 to 2003. Since then he has combined
being a part time teaching fellow at Exeter University with working as
a freelance teacher trainer, communication skills trainer, actor, storyteller
and writer.
Nick Warburton
Nick Warburton has written many scripts for stage, television and radio.
Seven of his novels for children have been published, as have his short
stories and several stage plays. He has also written works for schools
radio stories, dramas, non-fiction features and songs.
He has run creative writing courses throughout the UK, a member of the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain, was on the judging panel for their children’s book award in 1994 and chaired the same panel in 1995. He is a Visiting Fellow at University College Chichester.
Among his radio plays are Conversations from the Engine Room (joint winner of the BBC/Radio Times Drama Award in 1985) an adaptation of Tolstoy’s Resurrection, A Grove of Straight Trees (short-listed for the BBC/Radio times Drama Award in 1993) an adaptation of Moonfleet ( published as a BBC cassette) and A Soldier’s Debt which was the BBC entry for the 1999 Prix Italia. Among his Children’s books are The Thirteenth Owl, To Trust a Soldier, Ackford’s Monster and Lost in Africa.
Jennie Dunn
Jennie Dunn works as a Consultant with the Faculty of Education of Cambridge University and has developed resources for use in school particularly in the area of social studies (multi disciplinary approaches). She has a particular interest in the teaching of art, poetry and drama.
David Vale
David is the author of Teaching Children English (CUP), The Cambridge
Picture Dictionary, Storyworld (Macmillan/Heinemann), The Language Tree
(Macmillan). He is an experienced teacher trainer and teacher of EFL
at YL/VYL level and has presented at conferences worldwide. Similarly,
he has taught at universities and innovative TT institutes such as NILE
and Pilgrims.
Lyndon Baker
Lyndon Baker is an Ex Educational adviser for Mathematics with a background
experience across all the Key Stages. He is now a free lance consultant
working both in the primary and secondary schools in UK and in other
countries. Interleaved with these activities are commitments:
a) To the Faculty of Cambridge University for:
- Post graduate training both in Mathematics and Mathematical Education.
- Graduate teaching practice co-coordinator and subject tutor.
b) The centre of Mathematics Studies at Cambridge University.
- Generating Curriculum Materials for both the internet and direct classroom use.