Chiara Cirillo

• Interculturality 
• Second language education 
• Teacher identity and teacher development 
• Holistic and progressive higher education pedagogies 
• Embodied learning
• Visual and creative methodologies 

My broader areas of interests are interculturality, education, and language, interwoven and developing as pedagogic and research practices. I focus on issues of representation, culture, and identity. Interculturality and criticality play an important part in all my teaching. My emancipatory concerns underpin my interests in equitable and inclusive education and in teacher development in higher education.

Research and practice interests

In exploring alternatives to more mainstream performative forms of learning, I have been working on/with contemplative pedagogy, both in my teaching and research activity, applying qualitative methods such as life narratives, creative methods and autoethnography. I collaborate with other educators in developing more holistic and transformative teaching practices through the Contemplative Pedagogy Network (CPN), of which I am a Steering Group member.

Examples of my contributions to a more inclusive and socially-just education include an intercultural learning project with teachers and Six-Formers in a local secondary school, and the creation of the Network of Italian Teachers in the UK (NILI).

I value contributing to communities of practice where educators can thrive. I design and facilitate staff workshops on intercultural communication and on reflective practice. I also serve on the Board of Assessors of FLAIR the University of Reading’s internal accreditation process to gain Fellowship of Advanced HE.

Research and practice projects

I am currently involved in two Teaching and Learning projects:

• the development and delivery of an intercultural learning project with teachers and Six-Formers in a local secondary school
• the development of a tailored British Sign Language course for HE professionals