University of Bristol
The School of Education at the University of Bristol has a long and proud history of women’s education. This June, our PGCE History student teachers explored the work and achievements of Dr Eliza Walker Dunbar (1845–1925): a pioneering physician, campaigner and founder of the Bristol Private Hospital for Women in Berkeley Square – now home to the School of Education. (more…)
All stories have a beginning, and this one starts with an idea. Our protagonists, Ilyass Amin and Habby Salaben, knew they belonged to a community in need; they saw it and felt it, but they also knew they could do something about it.
Ilyass already had a MSc in Water Treatment Engineering before moving to the UK, but he had dreams of becoming a teacher and educator. The first step was as a science technician, firstly at Bristol Grammar School and then at Cotham School.
Joining Cotham School was the catalyst for change. Here Ilyass met Simon Neville, and they began to have conversations about the Bristol education system, its inequalities and what could be done to improve it. They shared the concern that young people – from marginalised communities from areas such as East Bristol – were being left behind and needed extra support to fulfil their educational potential. Ilyass also became interested in training to be a science teacher via the PGCE programme at the University of Bristol.
Despite passing language exams required to enter UK universities, many international students report experiencing high levels of anxiety when required to speak in English (Chen & Curdt-Christiansen, 2024). Foreign language anxiety is the nervousness people feel when they have to speak in a language that is not their mother tongue (Horwitz et al., 1986). This anxiety may refer to concerns regarding accurate language use or the speaker’s own ability to represent themselves in another language. As the use of English is essential for international students’ academic and daily life, foreign language anxiety can have significant impacts on their experience. (more…)