Dr. Yvonne Foley

Biography

Yvonne Foley is a Personal Chair in Literacies and Language Education at the University of Edinburgh, specializing in English as an Additional Language (EAL) education, teacher education, and social justice issues within language education. Her career spans several years, beginning as a classroom teacher and EAL coordinator in Taiwan and the UK before transitioning to academia in 2005. She teaches a variety of postgraduate programs, including PGDE Secondary, MSc Transformative Learning & Teaching, and MSc Language Education, emphasizing critical approaches and social equity in education. Prof. Foley has a keen interest in promoting linguistic, cultural, and social inclusion within her teaching practices. She is involved in various professional organizations, serving as Chair of the National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum (NALDIC) and co-director of the Centre for Education and Racial Equality Scotland (CERES). Her research interests include Language Teacher Education and Literacy Development, focusing on the beliefs and practices of teachers and how these intersect with students' experiences in EAL contexts. Yvonne has received recognition for her contributions to teaching, including the Endsleigh Overall High Performer Teaching Award from the student body in 2011, and she remains committed to exploring innovative approaches to literacy in education.

Research Interests