Hi and welcome! Here you can get to know a bit more about me. If you want to skip the story of my somewhat long and winding road, you can just read my CV.
I am an English-language lecturer and teacher trainer who moved from the US to Austria after I got my BA. It was supposed to be a gap year, but wound up lasting 25 years. Goes to show you can’t plan everything. I’m now moving back to the US, to Rochester, NY. If you haven’t been there, you should visit. It’s a beautiful city, although the cold is somewhat of a shock!
In Austria, I got an MBA and an MA in Finance. I chose these subjects because I didn’t know much about them and wanted to know what I was missing. The business world wasn’t for me though (sitting in an office all day? No thank you!) so I transitioned to English-language teaching in 2008. I first got the Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), followed by the Diploma version, DELTA. I then went on to become a CELTA tutor, where I get to share my passion for teaching with new trainers.
Fast forward a few years and I got an MA in Language Education and when that didn’t stop my curiosity, I started a doctorate at the University of St. Andrews. This is keeping me busy, especially because I am still teaching full time. I expect to finish my doctorate in 2027. Until then, I’m exploring out-of-class learning and learning communities, two areas of learner autonomy that especially interest me. You can read more about my research interests here.
I teach mainly ESP and EAP at the tertiary level and am especially interested in encouraging students to collaborate and take responsibility for their learning. I’ve taught in many different contexts; you can read about my teaching experience here.
In 2019, I became a volunteer for the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language’s Learner Autonomy Special Interest Group. I started as editor of the SIG’s journal, then became coordinator. Working with IATEFL helps me connect with other researchers and practitioners from around the world, which is an incredibly enriching and inspiring community.
Lawrie Moore 