My Refreshing Copy Portfolio
One of my other passions is running and, after a great deal of planning and training, I completed my first ultra marathon at the end of July 2021 (the Round Reading Ultra, 50K, completed in 6 hours 39 minutes) and recently achieved my first sub-2 hour half marathon at Oxford. Running and starting your own business have certain parallels, although these may not be immediately obvious. In both cases, you need a good amount of determination and the willingness to keep going to cross that finish line. Planning and preparation are just as important and not only help you get started but also keep you focused on the goals and able to keep moving forward. And this is also true of many of the educational projects I've worked on over the years.
Here's a sample of the work I have done to date:
Here's a sample of the work I have done to date:
Content Development - Digital & Print
Macmillan Education - I worked on two international secondary courses being published between 2020 and 2022. These are Gateway to the World and Influence. I have also worked on the following Macmillan courses: Language Hub, Speak Your Mind, Skillful, In Company 3.0, and the Macmillan English Campus.
I am currently working on authoring content for one of Macmillan's primary courses as well as authoring the digital content for one of Gateway's workbooks.
My experience at Macmillan builds on the publishing experience I gained with EF Education First in China as Development Editor and Content Development Manager, responsible for both print and digital content for primary, secondary and adult learners including the Trailblazers and Frontrunner courses for teenagers and the Small Stars course for early learners.
In November 2021, I completed a project for LearnJam on behalf of the British Council, updating their digital content for a secondary level course.
I am currently working on authoring content for one of Macmillan's primary courses as well as authoring the digital content for one of Gateway's workbooks.
My experience at Macmillan builds on the publishing experience I gained with EF Education First in China as Development Editor and Content Development Manager, responsible for both print and digital content for primary, secondary and adult learners including the Trailblazers and Frontrunner courses for teenagers and the Small Stars course for early learners.
In November 2021, I completed a project for LearnJam on behalf of the British Council, updating their digital content for a secondary level course.
Website Development & Copywriting
Since November 2020, I have been involved with Maidenhead's Big Read festival, run by a group of educators and reading enthusiasts whose purpose is to encourage local school children from all backgrounds to read more, own books and visit their local library. I initially joined the festival organisers to help reorganise their website and update the content on it. The original website had many pages and it wasn't easy to navigate. By simplifying the site map, I simplified the navigation and made the website more user friendly. The festival's audience also changed from general members of the public to school children (where the organisers felt they would have more of an impact) so I also updated the content to fit this new audience profile. As the Maidenhead's Big Read festival happens once a year around World Book Day in March, I write a monthly newsletter to help boost interest throughout the year.
I have also been helping a non-profit organisation called the Japanese Community Volunteers Association (also known as Tonari Gumi) based in Vancouver, Canada. I have been writing updated content for their new website and advising on site layout and SEO.
I have also been helping a non-profit organisation called the Japanese Community Volunteers Association (also known as Tonari Gumi) based in Vancouver, Canada. I have been writing updated content for their new website and advising on site layout and SEO.
Editing & Copywriting
Recently, I have been working with The Adult Learning Hub, an exciting and fast-growing network of learning and development educators created by Jane Berwick. I have provided editorial and copywriting advice on marketing materials but also acted as a critical friend for Jane, providing feedback on launch events and masterclasses.
UX Writing & Editing
I was commissioned in October 2021 by Oneclick Diseño y Software, an EdTech company based in Madrid, Spain, to review and edit the UX text for a new educational platform they have been developing, as well as review the templates they use for digital content authoring.
ELT Research
I have, over the past few years, written a number of academic papers on ELT topics which you are welcome to explore on my ELT Research site. I also created lesson materials about homelessness, designed around critical pedagogy and the possibility of challenging the status quo. These lesson materials form part of a paper I published about developing critical materials for a mainstream EFL textbook.
Social media marketing
And I like to write about running. I've done Facebook and Instagram posts for Maidenhead Athletic Club, helping boost the number of followers to over 400, as well as run reports for the Maidenhead Parkrun
