Dr Miriam Walker

Biography

Prior to joining the University of Winchester, my career was as a teacher in primary schools as well as working for a time in a secondary special school. For several years I was the co-ordinator for Gifted and Talented Education as well as a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo).  Here began my particular interest in children with autism who sometimes had feet in both camps. I was interested in the phrase often linked with autism 'work is play and play is work' and used this to research the management of playtimes in mainstream education for my Masters.  My doctorate in education has continued to consider autism in mainstream primary schools focusing particularly on autistic pupils' perceptions of how well they are understood.  I have worked on developing a model that I hope will assist both teachers and pupils gain a greater understanding and awareness of the need for direct and respectful communication in order to form strong working relationships.

As a senior lecturer, I enjoy providing opportunities to challenge students in their learning and encourage them to look beyond the limits of their current understanding. I wish to be regarded as a facilitator in this role and aim to provide stimulating sessions that students will enjoy and feel both supported and respected in as part of a joint community in learning.

I have been involved in three trips with students to The Gambia as well as one trip to South Africa during the last few years. I am particularly interested in the short-term and long-term impact such visits provide in a challenge to personal outlook. I feel strongly that opportunities to experience a completely different culture should be encouraged as a way of developing a broader perspective than second-hand recounts alone can provide.

Areas of expertise

• Autism
• Inclusion
• international student opportunities

Supervision

• Research Students
• MA dissertation students

Publications

Conferences

TEAN 2016

BERA 2016

BERA 2017