About
As director of Languages for All I have overall responsibility for the team’s activities and the University's Institute Wide Language Programme (IWLP). In addition, I teach German language at all levels and offer modules on German politics. I have also taken on the chair of the departmental language teaching sub-committee.
Qualifications
1.Staatsexamen für die Sekundarstufe II in Sozialwissenschaften, Englisch und Pädagogik
Biography
I was a founder member of Birmingham’s language centre when I joined in 1991 as Lecturer in German. My initial role was to act as Head of German and to co-ordinate all acvtivities related to German. Prior to Birmingham I had worked at Manchester Polytechnic, The University of Manchester, The University of Sheffield and the Goethe Institut in Manchester delivering courses in German language and politics. I became Deputy Director of the Centre for Modern Languages with overall responsibility for all undergraduate modules in 1997 whilst my role as Head of German continued. In 2009 I was appointed Director of the language centre which has changed its name to Languages for All.
Teaching
I teach a wide range of German language modules and supervise the German – English Tandem courses. I act as the course convenor for the ab initio German language courses in language and 'with language' degrees. I also offer a 2nd year option on German Political Parties and a final year course on the Governance and Political Culture of Germany.
Other activities
News and Notes Editor of Deutsch: Lehren und Lernen from 2001 to 2007
External Examiner
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The University of York
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City University London
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University of Wolverhampton (current)
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University of Warwick
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University of Westminster (current)
External Adviser
Co-Organiser AMGS conference in Birmingham, Sport in German Culture’ 2006
Leader of Mini Project for Birmingham / Nuffield Foundation ELP Project led by The University of Southampton in 2003-04.
Publications
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A Themepack on Eastern Europe, The Politics Association ResourcesBank, 1991
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'Parteienstaat in der Krise?', German Teaching, 1995
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Permanente Krise – Eine Bilanz der neuen Bundesregierung, Deutsch Lehren und Lernen, 2000
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‘Third Way’ und Neue Mitte – zwei Seiten einer Medaille? Kontraste zwischen (New) Labour und SPD, Deutsch: Lehren und Lernen, 2001
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Knapp, knapper, am knappsten – Eine Bilanz der Bundestagswahl von 2002, Deutsch: Lehren und Lernen, 2003
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Welche Koalition hätten Sie denn gerne, Frau Bundeskanzlerin? – Beobachtungen zur Bundestagswahl 2005, Deutsch: Lehren und Lernen, 2006
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Good-bye Volkspartei? Die Bundestagswahl 2009 und ihre Folgen, Deutsch: Lehren und Lernen, 2010
- Several reviews for German Teaching / Deutsch: Lehren und Lernen
Conference papers
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ALL Language World 1997, University of Keele, 'Helmut Kohl und kein Ende?'
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ALL Language World 1998, The Brighton Centre, Brighton,'Towards 2000 - Modell Deutschland'
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ALL Language World 1999, University of York, 'Germany's political culture: the mystery unveiled
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ALL Language World 2001, UMIST, Manchester, 'Schöne neue Welt: Die Parteien in der Berliner Republik
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ALL German Day, Goethe Institut London, June 2001, Workshop: Deutschlands Parteien im 21. Jahrhundert
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ALL Language World 2002, University of York, Die Bundestagswahl 2002
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ALL Language World 2002, University of York, Oral assessment in small and medium sized group