I am a sociolinguist with an academic interest in the juxtaposition of language-in-education policy and practice. My Doctoral research is concerned with the media of instruction in post-colonial contexts, particularly in Africa and data collection took place in The Gambia in West Africa. Findings include interesting data relating to the use of code-switching and multiple language use in the classrooms to progress the teaching and learning process.

I am a member of BAAL and an active member of the Language in Africa Special Interest Group

I am a senior lecturer in the Cass School of Education and Communities, teaching on the English Language Programme, of which I am also Programme Leader. I am course leader for the very exciting, university wide, pre-entry short course; New Beginnings.  I also teach on the language strand of the Education Studies Programme, core skills modules and the MA in Multilingualism. As a lecturer I am very interested in the language skills of the student cohort and in encouraging students to recognise the importance and value of their personal linguistic repertoires.

Programme Leader: English Language
Course Leader: New Beginnings
Module Leader: ED1000, ED1045, ED1901, ED1902, ED1905, ED2904, ED2905, ED3902, ED3903, EDM401
Module Tutor/Supervisor: ED1000, ED2000, ED2001, ED3000, EDM403

I find many areas of language very interesting and am constantly excited by the discoveries students make during their own observations. I am particularly interested in the areas of bi- and multilingualism and the affects on identity and community cohesion. The use of multiple languages and creative ways to use language, especially in the field of education, is also of particular interest.

• English Language Programme
• Education Studies Programme
• MA Multilingualism Programme
• New Beginnings Pre-Entry Short Course

• New Beginnings (Pre-Entry level)
• ED1000 Critical Reading and Writing
• ED1045 The Language of Multilingual Communities
• ED1901 Introduction to Language
• ED1902 Language, Society and Culture
• ED1905 Analysing Language
• ED2000 Research Methods and Design
• ED2001 Professional Development
• ED2904 Analysing Spoken and Written English
• ED2905 Language, Contact, Change and Creoles
• ED3000 Dissertation by Research
• ED3902 Language, Identity and Community
• ED3903 World Englishes
• EDM401 Multilingualism in Urban Contexts (MA level)
• EDM402 Multilingualism in Global Contexts (MA level)
• EDM403 Researching Multilingualism (MA level)

My PhD research looks at the juxtaposition of language-in-education policy and practice in The Gambia, West Africa and other post-colonial contexts.

•  Journal Articles:
  McGlynn C & Martin P (2009) 'No Vernacular': Tensions in Language Choice in a Sexual Health Lesson in The Gambia, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism Vol 12 No 12.
  Juffermans K & McGlynn C (2009) A Sociolinguistic Profile of The Gambia, Sociolinguistic Studies, 3.3: 329-355
• Conference Papers:
  BAAL 2011, Local Responses to National Policies: Practices from The Gambia, West Africa
  BAAL 2008, Continuing Oral Traditions in Contemporary Classrooms, Evidence from The Gambia
• Research Seminars:
  November 2009, University of East London, Ethnography: Data Collection and Fieldwork: Experience in The Gambia
  February 2009, Bristol University, Alternate Language Codes and Traditional Talk in Gambian Classrooms
  March 2008, Roehampton University, Language in Gambian Classrooms, Discourse Analysis Workshop

Member of BAAL and LIA SIG

•  www.baal.org