About

About this blog

This blog is currently being used as the main medium to journal ongoing progress of my Action Research Project, which is a vital assessment component of my DTLLS (Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector) course at the City of Bristol College, UK.

After completing the DTLLS course and gaining QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills) status I hope to gain further experience by teaching EFL abroad next year to both adults and children, as well as securing a permanent teaching position here in the UK and undertaking further study.

About me

I am a Postgraduate and alumna of the University of the West of England, Department of Economics, graduating with a BA(Hons) Economics in 2007, and a PGD Economics in 2010.  I passed a course in Management and Entrepreneurship (MG102) with the London School of Economics & Political Science at the China Centre for Economic Research, Peking University, in 2005.

More recently I have studied at the University of Sheffield, English Language Teaching Centre, attaining two initial teaching qualifications: the Cambridge CELTA (Sept. 2011) and the Cambridge PTLLS award (Apr. 2012), as well as completing Effective Online Tutoring, a course with the University of Oxford, Department of Continuing Education (Dec. 2012).

As part of my DTLLS course I have undertaken voluntary teaching in a Volunteer Language Tutor role, part-time, with the Learning Communities Team, Bristol, teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages as part of the Language for Rights project with Bristol City Council.  This role is the in-service component of the DTLLS course. So far I have taught 7 courses at two venues (Shirehampton Public Hall and Easton Community Centre, Bristol).

I have also taught English Language (EFL/ESOL) on a freelance basis and undertake supply work through two education recruitment agencies.  At the moment I’m working on the action research project – planning the next course for my learners (a blended learning course using Edmodo), as well as being a participant on the Blogger 101 course at WordPress.com.

You can find out more information about me via my academia.edu profile page and by accessing the LinkedIn widget at the top of each page.  I’m also on twitter (@DianeEFolan).

– Diane E. Folan 

[Page last updated: 08-Sept-2015, DEF.]