Victoria is Professor of Applied Linguistics at the Department of Education, University of Oxford, carrying out research in the area of L2 learning of primary school children. She has a particular research interest in the area of language and literacy development of children with EAL and the nature of cross linguistic transfer/influence in emergent bilingual children.
Victoria convenes a research group (R.E.A.L:www.education.ox.ac.uk/real/) which brings together DPhil and MSc students, as well as other colleagues, all of whom carry out research which it is hoped will ultimately lead to identifying ways to best support the language and literacy development in children with EAL.
It is hoped that their research will contribute to a solid evidence base from which to consider the best ways to support practitioners who work with EAL pupils.
Victoria has published widely in applied linguistics journals and books on the area of L2 learning in primary or pre-primary children, and a number of publications particularly focussed on the literacy skills of children with EAL.
Victoria would like to support NALDIC’s work through enhancing the evidence base of what constitutes best practice in the areas of EAL teaching and learning and assessment.