Hannah Kirk

Hannah is a Senior Lecturer and teaches on part time work-based and full-time undergraduate courses with a focus on English and Primary Education. In the past she has also led the ‘Supporting Learning 5-11 Years’ route on the Undergraduate Work Based Learning degree. Hannah’s research and teaching build on her 13 years of professional experiences as a qualified primary teacher and English subject leader, in both Primary and early years settings. She was seconded to the university of Brighton in 2014 and became a full-time member of staff in 2016.

Hannah has a particular interest in exploring the scope of children’s literature and the role of stories and children’s literature as a means for young readers to make sense of their world, of relationships and experiences. Her undergraduate research focussed on the links between reading and writing, including an analysis of the implicit and explicit lessons children learn through engaging with literature. More recently she has also become interested in the importance of children’s literature in providing meaningful contexts for contextualised grammar teaching and learning. In 2020 Hannah worked alongside the Primary English Team to undertake research and develop materials in order to publish ‘Brighton University English Subject Knowledge Course Companion: A University, School-Based Training and Independent Study Document’.

Having had over 20 years’ experience working in Primary and Early years education, Hannah’s interests are many and varied and she feels she continues to learn with and alongside the students she teaches, mentors and advises. Her supervisory interests include teaching and learning English in primary schools, and literacy and communication and language in the Early Years.

Across her teaching – which includes mature students, recent school leavers and work-based learners, Hannah employs a variety of inclusive approaches with a strong focus on co-construction and exploratory talk for learning. Her teaching is highly interactive, drawing upon her experience as a teacher and a wide repertoire of resources. She aims to create a stimulating and engaging environment which inspires students and allows them to engage in current thinking and critical debate in order to become informed, creative and reflective practitioners.

Current Responsibilities

Hannah has taught across a number of programmes within the School of Education, including BA Primary Education with QTS, the part time work-based learning degree Working with Children and Young People, and the Early Childhood Education and Care degree. As a route leader for the Supporting Learning 5-11 Years route, she was involved in recruitment, student welfare and academic standards for employment-based students Her current teaching commitments include:

Undergraduate Full-Time BA (Hons)Primary Education with QTS

• EV403 Education Studies: How Children Learn
• EE405 Exploring Learning and Teaching in Language and Literacy (3-7 and 5-11)
• EE511 Teaching English, Principled Practice and Current Policy
• EE517 Stories: How we use Language to Imagine, Entertain and Understand (module leader)
• EE617 Language, Thought and Learning
• Personal Academic Tutor (years 2 and 3)

Undergraduate Part-Time Work-based Courses

• KV420 Children and Young People’s Learning and Development
• KC514 Contemporary Issues for Children and Young People

• Member of the Primary QTS Children’s Literature Book Group
• Member of the Climate Change Education Group: Outdoor Space and Sustainability
• Facilitator of Literacy Subject Leaders Network Meetings (Brighton and Hove) 2015-2017

• Worked alongside Chloe Berrisford to plan and implement a Staff Development day on reading and phonics for Dudley Infants School (January 2015)

• Teacher Judge UKLA Book Awards 2014