The GELS Project Team is as diverse as possible in terms of age, gender identity, biological sex, language-specialism, institutional typology, and career stage. Each researcher, based at a higher education institution (HEI) in the Republic of Ireland, shares a strong interest and works continually to broaden and deepen their expertise in research areas directly relevant to GELS (e.g. L2 attitudes, motivation and ; plurilingualism and identity; language policy in education; and Third Language Acquisition).
Importantly, each team member’s plurilingual repertoire comprises Gaeilge as well as one or more modern foreign languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. The team is also delighted to also collaborate within GELS with Post-Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI), which implements key actions in Languages Connect – Ireland’s Foreign-Languages-in-Education Strategy, and whose remit adds an important perspective on the system, and whose work to support and promote language teaching and learning might benefit from the findings and recommendations of the project.
Tá Foireann Tionscadail GELS chomh héagsúil agus is féidir ó thaobh aoise, féiniúlachta inscne, gnéas bitheolaíoch, speisialtóireacht teanga, chineál institiúide agus céim ghairme de. Tá suim mhór ag gach taighdeoir san fhoireann i réimsí taighde (ilteangachas, polasaí teanga) a bhaineann go sonrach le GELS, le Gaeilge agus le nua-theanga amháin go sonrach.
Tá siad lonnaithe in institiúidí ardoideachais (HEI) i bPoblacht na hÉireann, agus oibríonn siad go leanúnach chun a gcuid saineolais i réimsí taighde (ilteangachas, polasaí teanga) a leathnú agus a dhoimhniú. Tá an-áthas ar an bhfoireann comhoibriú chomh maith le Teangacha Iar-bhunscoile Éireann (PPLI), a chuireann príomhghníomhartha i bhfeidhm in Languages Connect – Straitéis Teangacha Iasachta san Oideachas na hÉireann, chun tacú le teagasc agus foghlaim teanga, agus a bheidh in ann úsáid a bhaint as torthaí an tionscadail seo.
Dr Clive W. Earls
Dr Clive W. Earls is the Principal Investigator of the Gender Equality in Language Studies (GELS) project. He is Associate Professor of German Applied Linguistics within the School of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Maynooth University, NUI. He is an expert in language-in-education policy, language pedagogy and intercultural studies on which he was published widely in monograph, journal article and edited book formats. Most recently, Dr Earls was invited to develop a strategic plan for the roll-out of English-medium higher education by the Ministry of Education in Georgia. His most recent publications focus on the language-in-education policy context (“Languages Connect”) in Ireland, as part of the HELECs (Higher Education Language Educator Competences) project funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
Dr Colin J. Flynn
Dr Colin J. Flynn is Assistant Professor in Applied Linguistics at Trinity College Dublin. He is also a member of the Royal Irish Academy’s Coiste Léann na Gaeilge agus an Léinn Cheiltigh [Irish Language and Celtic Studies Committee]. He has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics since 2011, and was previously Co-Editor of its journal, TEANGA: The Journal of the Irish Association of Applied Linguistics. His research and teaching are focused on second-language learning, minority language revitalisation, bilingualism and multilingualism. His publications include books and articles on second language learning theories, language teaching methods, L2 attitudes, motivation, and identity. He has recently been involved in projects funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and the Department of Education.
Prof Jean Conacher
Prof Jean Conacher is Professor of German Studies within the School of Modern Languages & Applied Linguistics and a member of the Centre for Applied Language Studies at the University of Limerick (UL). Her research and supervision interests include language-in-education policy, pedagogy and practice, and plurilingualism. She was a member of the NCCA Sub-Committee for German for over twenty years. She is Subject Pedagogy Lead for Languages on UL’s Professional Masters in Education and coordinates the promotion of languages in local schools. In 2022, she was PI for a UL EDI-funded project, IMPULS (Increasing Male Participation and Uptake in Language Studies), working with local DEIS schools to encourage greater understanding of the personal, intercultural and professional opportunities afforded by lifelong language learning.
Muiris Ó Laoire PhD
Prof Muiris Ó Laoire is a Professor and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences in the MTU, Munster Technological University. A graduate of the National University of Ireland, he is author of books, textbooks and several articles and chapters on multilingualism, bilingualism language policy and pedagogy. He worked as a researcher in the Linguistics Institute of Ireland and the National Council of Curriculum and Assessment. He is a former recipient of the IRCHSS Post doctorate Fellowship award 2003 and the William Evans Fellowship University of Otago, New Zealand. He is a former president of IRAAL (Irish Association of Applied Linguistics)
This project is funded by Higher Education Authority of Ireland
