Dr Barbara Skinner is a Professor in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and Education in the School of Education at Ulster University. Barbara teaches on a range of teacher education courses, especially in the field of TESOL and multilingual education. She is involved with doctoral supervision and examination. Recently, her research has focused on minority language pupils in Northern Ireland - their educational attainment; home-school partnership between schools and migrant parents and the socio-emotional well-being of refugee pupils. 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. In addition to her role as researcher and teacher educator she is a Northern Ireland representative for the British Educational Research Association (BERA); an Editor of the BERA Blog, and a member of BERA Publications Committee. She is Director of Development and Partnerships for the School of Education and a member of the School’s Senior Management Team.

MA TESOL dual award Kazakhstan and and Northern Ireland: Skinner, B. & Y. Kandalina: British Council, Going Global: TNE Exploratory grant 2024: £25,000; Award date: 2025 PI 

Inclusion in Initial English Language Teacher Education: embedding practices in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan: Skinner, B; Kandlina, Y., and R. Abidova: British Council, Going Global: Accelerating English Language Learning in Central Asia: £30, 818; Award date: 2024 PI

Kazakhstan and Northern Ireland TNE MA TESOL dual award: Skinner, B. British Council, Going Global Interlinks: £10,000; Award date: 2023 PI

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