The volume will be of use to both new and seasoned researchers wishing to enhance their understanding of current and emerging perspectives in the development of literacies. It will also be of interest to language teachers and language policy makers as the papers address current issues in language education.
Dr Melanie Gobert is a member of the General Education faculty at the Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE. She was Editor of Perspectives, the TESOL Arabia peer-reviewed English Language Teaching journal, from 2008–2014, and was a featured speaker at the 2nd World Congress on Extensive Reading held in Seoul, Korea, in 2014. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Composition, a Master’s in Applied Linguistics, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. She was a judge for the Language Learner Literature Awards in 2014 and 2015, and has published and presented widely on reading, writing and vocabulary acquisition.
Helene Demirci is a member of the English Foundations faculty at Abu Dhabi Men’s College. She has taught English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at primary, secondary and tertiary levels for over 20 years in England, Turkey, and the UAE. Her interests lie in engaging students in extensive reading and technology integration. She has been involved in the implementation of an extensive reading program in Abu Dhabi Men’s College, and is currently serving as co-chair of the MENA-ERF. She holds an MA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Liverpool.