Charmian Kenner PhD
Charmian is a full-time lecturer. She is involved in developing the research profile of the Department, and she also teaches on the MA programme and supervises PhD students. Since completing her doctorate at Southampton University in 1996, she has taught on MA and PhD courses at the Open University, Thames Valley University and Lancaster University. She regularly contributes to in-service training for primary teachers and other early years educators. Charmian also carries out consultancy work on behalf of Goldsmiths, evaluating family learning programmes.
Charmian is deputy director of the Centre for Language, Culture and Learning, and a member of the Research Committee, Postgraduate Committee and MA Committee.
Research interests
Charmian's research is in the field of bilingualism and literacy, focusing particularly on early writing development and on children’s learning in home and community settings. Her PhD study on creating multilingual literacy environments in early years settings is recorded in the book Home Pages: Literacy Links for Bilingual Children (Trentham Books, 2000). Charmian has since been awarded a number of ESRC grants. Her research study 'Signs of Difference: how young children learn to write in different script systems' (2000-02, with Gunther Kress) was one of the first detailed case-studies of this topic, and resulted in the book Becoming Biliterate: Young Children Learning Different Writing Systems (Trentham, 2004). The project 'Intergenerational learning between children and grandparents in East London' (2003-04, with Eve Gregory and John Jessel at Goldsmiths) broke new ground in examining the learning exchange between different generations at home. The ESRC seminar series 'Multilingual Europe' (2003-05, with Eve Gregory) set up a network of researchers in seven European countries. Charmian is co-editor (with Tina Hickey) of a book about the series, Multilingual Europe: Diversity and Learning (Trentham, 2008). Charmian’s current research concerns the contribution of complementary schooling (community-run after-school and weekend language classes) to children’s educational achievement, and the development of links between mainstream and complementary teachers (see research grants below). Charmian has also written a number of other publications for academics, teachers and teacher educators.
Recent research grants
‘Becoming literate through faith: Language and literacy learning in the lives of new Londoners’ ESRC (with Eve Gregory, John Jessel, Mahera Ruby and Vally Lytra, 2009 –2012)
‘Complementary Schooling’ ESRC seminar series (with Jim Anderson at Goldsmiths and Louise Archer at King’s College London, January 2009 – December 2010)
‘Developing bilingual learning through partnership between mainstream and community teachers’ Paul Hamlyn Foundation (with Eve Gregory, 2008 - 2010)
'Developing bilingual learning strategies in mainstream and community contexts' ESRC (with Eve Gregory, 2006 –2007)
Selected publications
Al-Azami, S., Kenner, C., Ruby, M. and Gregory, E. (2010) Transliteration as a bridge to learning for bilingual children. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 13 (2), 683-700
Kenner, C. and Hickey, T. (eds) (2008) Multilingual Europe: Diversity and Learning. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books
Kenner, C., Gregory, E., Ruby, M. and Al-Azami, S. (2008) Bilingual learning for second and third generation children. Language, Culture and Curriculum 21 (2), 120-137
Kenner, C., Al-Azami, S., Gregory, E. and Ruby, M. (2008) Bilingual poetry: expanding the cognitive and cultural dimensions of children’s learning. Literacy 42 (2), 92-100
Kenner, C., Ruby, M., Jessel, J., Gregory, E. and Arju, T. (2008) Intergenerational learning events around the computer: a site for linguistic and cultural exchange. Language and Education 22 (4), 298-319
Kenner, C., Ruby, M., Gregory, E., Jessel, J. and Arju, T. (2007) Intergenerational learning between children and grandparents in East London. Journal of Early Childhood Research 5 (2), 219-243
Kenner, C. (2004) Living in simultaneous worlds: difference and integration in bilingual script-learning. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 7 (1), 43-61
Kenner, C., Kress, G., Al-Khatib, H., Kam, R. and Tsai, K.-C. (2004) Finding the keys to biliteracy: how young children interpret different writing systems. Language and Education 18 (2), 124-144
Kenner, C. (2004) 'Becoming Biliterate: Young Children Learning Different Writing Systems' Stoke-on-Trent, Trentham Books
Kenner, C. (2004) Community school pupils re-interpret their knowledge of Chinese and Arabic for primary school peers. In E. Gregory, S. Long and D. Volk (eds) Many Pathways to Literacy. London: Routledge
Kenner, C. and Kress, G. (2003) 'The multisemiotic resources of biliterate children' Journal of Early Childhood Literacy 3 (2), 179-202
Kenner, C. (2000) Home Pages: Literacy Links for Bilingual Children. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books