John Lapwood

During my twenty five years of experience with the Centre for English as a Foreign Language (CEFL) I have contributed teaching to a variety of units at three levels of study. However, the one constant throughout this period is my teaching and leadership of level 3 International Foundation Courses.

I began my teaching career at a private language college in North East China, spending three years honing teaching skills. The latter two years I served as Director of Studies, thus enabling me to begin developing leadership skills.

As Course Leader for level 3 IFC provision since 2004, I have a wealth of experience and have a sharp knowledge of trends and issues within this aspect of HE provision across the sector in the UK. I believe that foundation year provision for international students is most effective when it takes into account the student's place in the community and sense of belonging. There is a danger that a class-based system for the initial year of the student's experience can seal them off from the wider community, thus delivering a student who has successfully achieved the grades required in terms of language and study skills, but who has a limited understanding of what is required of them on a day to day basis at level 4. Therefore, in recent years I have attempted to align level 3 provision in terms of the experiential transition the student will undertake once they leave the level 3 course and set out on their UG studies.

I am a dynamic practitioner in the classroom, and believe that foundation provision should take place in classrooms which are fun places to work in, where the student voice is heard considerably more often than the teacher's. I am also aware that the bond between teacher and student is of extreme importance at this level, where students will naturally feel apprehensive in many cases during the early weeks of their experience in a new country. Pastoral care is an important aspect of courses under my leadership. I have ensured that all groups have a class tutor during their first year of study, with whom one-to-one tutorials take place on a fortnightly basis, as timetabled events.

I believe my knowledge of the issues around IFC provision and my experience dealing with the changes and innovations over many years leaves me well placed to maintain standards at Kings College, drive change where appropriate and ensure a vibrant, positive community of staff and students.

I enjoy my work, and enjoy being involved in the process of course design, delivery and change at level 3. I am also aware of the need to work in collaboration with colleagues who deliver education at level 4, understanding the changing nature of the curriculums and challenges level 3 students will face when they make that transition.

• In my spare time, as well as being an active father of two teenage children, I enjoy:
• actively supporting St. Albans city FC and Sussex CCC and England's cricket team
• Travel - I have been lucky to travel extensively in Europe, Asia and Latin America
• The arts - in particular reading novels, both contemporary and from the Victoria era. I have long been interested in music, especially punk, post punk and alternative rock music
• writing. I have written two full length novels and many short stories
• Cooking - I believe I am a high quality amateur cook, my wife would suggest my cookery skills are 'adequate'