A photo of Singleton Campus including Singleton park and a view of the sea

Miss Laura Evans

Senior Lecturer, Education and Childhood Studies

+44 (0) 1792 602941

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Basic Welsh Speaker

Office - 248
Second Floor
Keir Hardie Building
Singleton Campus

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

About

Laura is the MFL subject lecturer in Initial Teacher Education and began her career as an MFL teacher in secondary schools in South Wales. During her teaching career she was a Head of Department, a pastoral Head of Year, and a mentor for PGCE trainees and NQTs.

Since moving from the classroom to teacher education in 2014, and before joining Swansea university in 2021, Laura was Senior lecturer in Secondary Modern Languages Education at UWE Bristol. In addition to subject specific responsibility Laura also co-led the professional development module and was the link tutor for the secondary phase university-school based partnerships.

Whilst secondary education is her primary expertise, Laura also has experience of working on primary undergraduate and PGCE programmes, the MA in Education and the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Professional Practice Programme. Her professional interests lie in language pedagogy and curriculum as well as teacher development including the role of professional learning and evidence-based practice. Laura’s Masters dissertation explored the experiences of MFL teachers and their perceived motivational factors within the early stages of their careers, as part of a wider interest in exploring teacher recruitment and retention.

Areas Of Expertise

Teaching and learning (Pedagogy)
Initial Teacher Education
Reflective practice
Practitioner research

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests

Language learning and pedagogy
Teaching and learning (Pedagogy)
Reflective practice

Taught Modules

ED-M04 Curriculum Design and Realisation

This module is designed to enable students to engage deeply with the concepts and the international research that have informed recent curriculum development in Wales. It will enable students to consider curriculum design and realisation in different contexts, including their own. The module will equip students to evaluate different curriculum design approaches and to critically appraise the various implementation processes that accompany curriculum change within education institutions and systems.
EDPM30F Research Informed Reflective Practice for Modern Foreign Languages

This module develops student teachers as Research-informed reflective practitioners through a range of learning experiences designed to enhance the critical awareness that new entrants to the teaching profession will need to refine their teaching, influence their pupils and ensure they advance in their learning (Welsh Government circular, 001/2018). Student teachers will develop an understanding of, and ability to employ, effective strategies for teaching and learning in their subject area and Area of Learning Experience (AoLE). Taught sessions will focus on the application of subject knowledge to support an understanding of pedagogy and curriculum design to promote the four purposes of Education as outlined in the new curriculum (Donaldson, 2015). Student teachers will address issues relevant to the wider context of the Welsh Government policy on the curriculum and the National Frameworks for Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Competence. The programme will ensure that students gain an understanding of current legislation, including an understanding of the Curriculum Cymreig and Welsh language requirements. They will also develop and consolidate teaching strategies to ensure they are appropriate to their subject area/AloE with a strong focus on lesson and unit planning, taking into account those issues which impact on planning for effective teaching and learning in their subject. Student teachers will develop an awareness and understanding of research skills and research literacy that will help them throughout their professional career and continuously develop their approaches to learning and teaching in order to maximise the impact on learner outcomes. Student teachers will examine research literature and explore their own practice through the implementation of a close to practice research project to systematically develop their professional practice and respond creatively to the needs of all pupils. In doing so they will develop their reflective skills which will ensure that they are engaged with up to date evidence and the skills of research inquiry.
EDPM30FW Ymarfer Myfyriol wedi ei lywio gan Ymchwil: Ieithoedd Tramor Modern

Mae¿r modiwl hwn yn datblygu athrawon dan hyfforddiant fel ymarferwyr myfyriol wedi eu llywio gan ymchwil trwy ystod o brofiadau dysgu sydd wedi¿u cynllunio i wella¿r ymwybyddiaeth feirniadol y bydd newydd-ddyfodiaid i¿r proffesiwn addysgu eu hangen i fireinio eu haddysgu, dylanwadu ar eu dysgwyr a hybu dysgu (cylchlythyr Llywodraeth Cymru, 001/2018). Bydd athrawon dan hyfforddiant yn datblygu¿r ddealltwriaeth a¿r gallu i ddefnyddio strategaethau effeithiol ar gyfer addysgu a dysgu yn eu maes pwnc a Maes Dysgu a Phrofiad (MDaPh). Bydd sesiynau a addysgir yn canolbwyntio ar gymhwyso gwybodaeth bynciol i gefnogi dealltwriaeth o addysgeg a chynllunio cwricwlwm i hyrwyddo pedwar diben Addysg fel yr amlinellir yn y cwricwlwm newydd (Donaldson, 2015). Bydd athrawon dan hyfforddiant yn mynd i¿r afael â materion sy¿n berthnasol i gyd-destun ehangach polisi Llywodraeth Cymru ar y cwricwlwm a¿r Fframweithiau Cenedlaethol ar gyfer Llythrennedd, Rhifedd a Chymhwysedd Digidol. Bydd y rhaglen yn sicrhau bod myfyrwyr yn dod i ddeall y ddeddfwriaeth gyfredol, gan gynnwys dealltwriaeth o'r Cwricwlwm Cymreig a gofynion y Gymraeg. Byddant hefyd yn datblygu ac yn cyfnerthu strategaethau addysgu i sicrhau eu bod yn briodol i'w maes pwnc/MDaPh gyda ffocws cryf ar gynllunio gwersi ac unedau, gan ystyried y materion hynny sy'n effeithio ar gynllunio ar gyfer addysgu a dysgu effeithiol yn eu pwnc. Bydd athrawon dan hyfforddiant yn datblygu ymwybyddiaeth a dealltwriaeth o sgiliau ymchwil a llythrennedd ymchwil a fydd yn eu helpu trwy gydol eu gyrfa broffesiynol gan ddatblygu eu dulliau dysgu ac addysgu yn barhaus er mwyn mwyhau¿r effaith ar ddeilliannau dysgwyr. Bydd athrawon dan hyfforddiant yn archwilio llenyddiaeth ymchwil ac yn archwilio eu harfer eu hunain trwy weithredu prosiect ymchwil agos-at-ymarfer i ddatblygu eu harfer proffesiynol yn systematig ac ymateb yn greadigol i anghenion pob disgybl. Wrth wneud hynny, byddant yn datblygu eu sgiliau myfyrio a fydd yn sicrhau eu bod wedi ymgysylltu â¿r dystiolaeth ddiweddaraf a¿r sgiliau ar gyfer ymholiad ymchwil.
EDPM31 Exploring Pedagogy, Curriculum and Assessment in the Primary School

This module develops student teacher¿s understanding of and ability to employ effective strategies for teaching, learning and assessment across the primary age phase. The module will explore how children and adolescents learn, and what factors support and hinder effective learning. Student teachers will also explore the evidence-base around the characteristics of `good¿ teaching and the importance of establishing supportive learning environments. Taught sessions will focus on the application of subject and phase-related knowledge to support an understanding of pedagogy. Student teachers will develop an understanding of the importance of providing a broad and balanced curriculum suitable for meeting the diverse needs of the pupils they teach. Student teachers will examine issues relevant to the wider context of Welsh Government policy on the curriculum and the national frameworks for Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Competence. The module will ensure that students gain an understanding of current legislation, including an understanding of the underpinning four purposes of the curriculum, and Curriculum Cymreig, ESDGC, religious education, Children¿s Rights and the Welsh language. Students will learn about the importance of critical reflection and reflective practice for professional development and school improvement by considering, applying and critiquing reflective models such as Schön and Brookfield. They will apply this critical reflection to their own professional practice, reflecting on their teaching and assessment strategies to ensure they are appropriate in supporting effective learning.

Miss Laura Evans

Telephone number

Email address

Welsh language proficiency

LinkedIn Account

About

Areas Of Expertise

Career Highlights

Taught Modules

ED-M04 Curriculum Design and Realisation

EDPM30F Research Informed Reflective Practice for Modern Foreign Languages

EDPM30FW Ymarfer Myfyriol wedi ei lywio gan Ymchwil: Ieithoedd Tramor Modern

EDPM31 Exploring Pedagogy, Curriculum and Assessment in the Primary School