Karen is a passionate linguist and experienced secondary Modern Languages teacher.
Following her graduation from Heriot Watt University with an MA (Hons) in Interpreting and Translating (French and Spanish) she gained her PGDE from Aberdeen University and started her career teaching in Angus, and then spent 5 years teaching languages in Midlothian, before returning to Angus again where she has worked for the past 9 years, teaching French and Spanish at all levels from S1-S6.
Over the years Karen has been involved in a number of professional learning opportunities and helped promote and develop languages in the school and at local and national level. She has been an SQA exam marker and then team leader for National 5 Spanish over a number of years and took on the role of PT Modern Languages before becoming Angus Confucius Hub Coordinator.
She was involved in helping set up and launch the Confucius hub in her school back in 2016 and has supported the Confucius hub in many ways including mentoring several student teachers and Chinese Exchange teachers. In 2014 Karen took part in the CISS Scottish Teacher’s Immersion Course in Beijing and further increased her enthusiasm for Chinese language and culture.
She joined the 2017 cohort for the SCILT and Education Scotland Language Leaders Programme and gained GTCS Professional Recognition in 2018 with her research project on challenges of developing a Confucius hub.
As part of her professional learning Karen has been learning Mandarin through Dundee Unversity’s Languages for All Programme and is keen to continue learning more in her role as PDO.
Contact:
The Ramshorn
98 Ingram Street
Merchant City
University of Strathclyde
Glasgow, G1 1EX
karen.liddle@strath.ac.uk