Dr Barbara Skinner is a Senior Lecturer in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) in the School of Education at Ulster University. She was the first lecturer in Ulster’s Centre for English Language Teaching (CELT) and moved to the School of Education to take up the role of Course Director of MA TESOL in 2006. She graduated from the University of Bristol with a Doctorate of Education in 2014.

Barbara runs the MA TESOL programme in the School of Education where she teaches on a range of teacher education courses. She is involved with doctoral supervision and examination. In addition to her role as a researcher and teacher educator she is a council member of the British Educational Research Association (BERA); a member of the Editorial Board of the BERA Blog and convenor of BERA’s Language and Literacy SIG.

Recently, her research interests have explored minority language pupils - their educational attainment and home-school partnership between schools and migrant parents. Additionally, teacher talk and second language teacher education has been a focus. Her passion for supporting overseas students to do their best during their studies in UK higher education contexts also plays out in her research interests. 

Dr Skinner’s research findings have been published in key international journals including Language Learning, Educational Review, Irish Educational Studies, English Language Teaching Journal, Journal of Studies in International Education and Journal of Education for Teaching. Since 2014 she has secured, as a principal investigator or key contributor, a total of £66,106 in award income including from external funders such as the British Council, ERASMUS+, UKCISA and SCoTENS. Since 2014, she has gained £73,183 from external overseas clients for tailor made short course programmes and previous to 2014, £56,460 from clients in Spain and Korea for knowledge transfer consultancy work.

Home-school partnership with migrant families: a way forward on the island of Ireland; Skinner, B. & B. O’Toole; Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS): £5,934; Award date: 2022. PI

Repurposing Education through Blended Learning (REBEL); Austin, R.S.P., Skinner, B., Taggart, S. & S. Roulston; Erasmus+: £52,453.00; Award date: 2021. COI

Minority language pupils and the curriculum: bridging the gap; Skinner, B. & B. O’Toole; Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS): £5,000; Award date: 2018. PI

The assessment of trainee English Language teachers' practice: assessors' orientation to the performance; Skinner, B. & H. Hou; The British Council: £2,716.00; Award date: 2014. PI

Embedding cultural diversity through playground games; Skinner, B; Coleraine Borough Council’s Good Relations Scheme: £500 Award date: 2011. PI

Embedding cultural diversity through playground games; Skinner, B; Cultural Development Fund: £1,000; Award date: 2011. PI

EAL training needs of student teachers; Skinner B; Higher Education Innovation Fund: £1,500; award date: 2011. PI

Cultural co-operation: Cross cultural buddies; Pritchard, R. & B. Skinner, B; UK Council for overseas students' affairs (UKCOSA): £1,000; Award date: 2000. COI

Cultural co-operation: Cross cultural buddies; Pritchard, R. & B. Skinner, B; Promoting and Managing Diversity Committee: £1,000 Award date: 2000 COI

Income generating short courses for overseas clients

Professional development for Teachers at Guiyang Secondary school 2019; Hou, H. & B. Skinner; Guiyang Secondary school, China: £33,930; Award date: 2019. COI

Professional development for Teachers at Guiyang Secondary school 2018; Hou, H. & B. Skinner; Guiyang Secondary school, China: £16,380; Award date: 2018. COI

Teacher Training Programme for Teachers at HGU; Hou, H. & B. Skinner; Hebel Geology University, China: £22,873.00; Award date: 2017. COI

Consultancy

Evaluation of online language teaching materials; Skinner, B; Training Express, Spain: £46, 600; Award date: 2011

Teacher training DVD; Skinner, B. Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education (GIFLE), Korea: £9,860; Award date: 2008