Dr Ruth Newman

My research interests focus on the role of talk in the teaching of language and literacy, including the role of dialogic metatalk in the development of metalinguistic understanding and writing. I am a member of the Centre for Research in Language and Literacy and teach primarily on the Secondary English PGCE programme and MA Education (online). Before joining Exeter, I worked as a secondary English teacher.

Metatalk about Writing (ESRC New Investigator)

I am currently leading an ESRC funded study (New Investigator Grant) to investigate the impact of high quality classroom talk on children’s metalinguistic understanding and writing. For more information, please see the Metatalk about Writing project page. 

My PhD research examined the teaching of collaborative talk in the Secondary English classroom, and focused particularly on the role of the teacher in shaping collaborative dialogues, the relationship between emotional engagement and dialogic talk, and the learning potential of metatalk. I have worked on a number of research projects, including Powerful Learning Conversations (Youth Sports Trust), Grammar at GCSE (Pearson) and Choice and Control (EEF).

Qualifications:

PhD awarded June 2014, MSc, PGCE English with Drama; Senior Fellow HEA.