Dr Huw Bell
Programme Leader PG Programmes, Reader in Teaching and Learning
My profile
Biography
Academic and professional qualifications
2002 PhD in Applied Linguistics (Using Frequency Lists to Assess L2 Text): University of Wales, Swansea.
1991 RSA Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language: Hilderstone College, Kent.
1988 RSA Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language: Angloschool, London.
1987 BA (Hons) 2:1 in History: University of Kent.
External examiner roles
University of Swansea (UG and PG TESOL) - from 2015.
Nottingham Trent University (PG TESOL) - from 2016.
Expert reviewer for external funding bodies
Language and Education
Prizes and awards
2014 Manchester Met Student Union ‘You’re Brilliant’ award.
2015 Manchester Met Student Union ‘Best Overall Teacher’ award.
Membership of professional associations
BAAL (British Association for Applied Linguistics)
BERA (British Educational Research Association)
Projects
My research has a strong public face and considerable impact in the region. I set up the Primary Grammar Project in 2014. Through this I have developed excellent links with primary and secondary schools in the North-West, and have provided grammar CPD and training to 350+ teachers and 200+ pupils in 40 schools in the last three years, both at MMU and in school.
Teaching
Supervision
I am currently working with PhD students in research areas including:
- vocabulary learning strategies
- use of mother tongue in ELT classes
- lexical error
- supplementary schools in the UK
- teaching observations
Research outputs
My currrent research focuses on teaching and learning L1 grammar in primary and secondary schools in the UK, teachers’ attitudes to and beliefs about grammar and their impact on teaching, and the implementation of the National Curriculum.
I have worked closely with a number of primary and secondary schools across the North West, delivering CPD in language awareness to staff.
I am also interested in the acquisition and development of first and second language lexis.
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Chapters in books
Bell, H., Ainsworth, S. (2019) 'Hard to know or hard to say? Developing Explicit Grammar Knowledge among Primary Student Teachers.' In Wright, C., Harvey, L., Simpson, J. (ed.) Voices and Practices in Applied Linguistics: Diversifying a Discipline. White Rose University Press,
Bell, H.M. (2012) 'Core Vocabulary.' The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics. Oxford UK: Wiley-Blackwell,
Bell, H. (2009) '9. The Messy Little Details: A Longitudinal Case Study of the Emerging Lexicon.' Lexical Processing in Second Language Learners. Multilingual Matters, pp. 111-127.
Bell, H.M. (2009) '‘The messy little details: a longitudinal case study of the emerging lexicon’ in T. Fitzpatrick and A. Barfield (eds.) Lexical Processing in Second Language Learners. Bristol: Multilingual Matters..' In Fitzpatrick, T. (ed.) Lexical Processing in Second Language Learners.. UK: Multilingual Matters,
Bell, H. (2009) 'The Messy Little Details: A Longitudinal Case Study of the Emerging Lexicon.' Lexical Processing in Second Language Learners: Papers and Perspectives in Honour of Paul Meara. pp. 111-127.
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Journal articles
Ainsworth, S., Bell, H. (2020) 'Affective knowledge versus affective pedagogy: the case of native grammar learning.' Cambridge Journal of Education, 50(5) pp. 597-614.
Ainsworth, S., Bell, H. (2024) 'Towards an aesthetics of grammar learning: lifting the veil on language.' Frontiers in Education, 8
Jones, C.S., Bell, H. (2024) 'Under increasing pressure in the wake of COVID-19: a systematic literature review of the factors affecting UK undergraduates with consideration of engagement, belonging, alienation and resilience.' Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, pp. 1-11.
Harrison, M., Davies, C., Fox, S., Bell, H., Goodley, C., Downing, B. (2020) '(Un)teaching the ‘datafied student subject’: perspectives from an education-based masters in an English University.' Teaching in Higher Education, 25(4) pp. 401-417.
Bell, H., Ainsworth, S. (2020) 'Difficulties assessing knowledge of grammatical terminology: implications for teacher education and teaching.' Language Awareness, 30(2) pp. 97-113.
Bell, H., Hardman, W. (2018) '‘More fronted adverbials than ever before’. Writing feedback practices and grammatical metalanguage in an English primary school..' Language and Education, 33(1) pp. 35-50.
Bell, H.M. (2016) 'Teacher knowledge and beliefs about grammar: a case study of an English primary school.' English in Education, 50(2) pp. 148-163.
Wray, A., Bell, H., Jones, K. (2016) 'How native and non-native speakers of English interpret unfamiliar formulaic sequences.' European Journal of English Studies, 20(1) pp. 47-63.
Benozzo, A., Pizzorno, M.C., Bell, H., Koro-Ljungberg, M. (2015) 'Coming out, but into what? Problematizing discursive variations of revealing the gay self in the workplace.' Gender, Work and Organization, 22(3) pp. 292-306.
Bell, H. (2015) 'The Dead Butler revisited: grammatical accuracy and clarity in the English Primary Curriculum 2013–2014.' Language and Education, 29(2) pp. 140-152.
Benozzo, A., Bell, H., Koro-Ljungberg, M. (2013) 'Moving between nuisance, secrets, and splinters as data.' Cultural Studies - Critical Methodologies, 13(4) pp. 309-315.
Bell, H.M., Meara, P.M. (2001) 'PLex: A Simple and Effective Way of Describing the Lexical Characteristics of Short L2 Texts.' Prospect: an Australian journal of TESOL, 16
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Non-peer reviewed articles / reviews
Bell, H., Ainsworth, S. (2017) Grammar’s best kept secrets: what every primary teacher should know.
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Presentations
Ainsworth, S., Bell, H. Affective Knowledge versus affective pedagogy. [Presentation]