Dr Patricia Ashby

National Teaching Fellow 2010 Patricia has worked at the University of Westminster since 1975. She has an international reputation as a practising phonetician, teacher of phonetics, and researcher in phonetic pedagogy - a field she has played a major part in reviving as an independent area of pedagogical practice and research. Her enthusiasm for her subject and commitment to teaching are captured in these recent student comments: [your] "passion for your subject [...] is perfectly integrated into your teaching, making your lessons enjoyable and fun" and "I will never forget from the moment we met the guidance and experience you gave me [...] you are my perfect role model, you have helped to give me a wonderful start in my career." [Linguistics students, 2009] Patricia has taught phonetics to students at all levels and in many countries. Her skilful use of new technologies (including real-time analysis of speech in the classroom), enlivens what students often find dull, and demystifies what they perceive as difficult. Her approach has impacted on and benefited colleagues in her department, the University and beyond. Patricia's early experience in art and design gives her insight into the difficulties that scientific study can raise for arts students and underpins her ability to create attractive and informative materials. Her development of student-centred, enquiry-based learning-through-assessment strategies has demonstrably enhanced success. Her fieldwork-based techniques have spread beyond her own courses to other disciplines and countries - from foreign languages to English literature, and speech science. Patricia receives frequent invitations to demonstrate her ideas and approaches to colleagues abroad, from Spain to Japan, participates in conferences and workshops, and runs national and international events on phonetic pedagogy for the Language, Linguistics and Area Studies Subject Centre and as co-organiser of the Phonetics Teaching and Learning Conference. She is author of a number of textbooks on phonetics. Her widely acclaimed recent volume, Speech Sounds ("delivered with that Ashby clarity" [student 2008]) is used internationally on beginner's courses in phonetics. Alongside writing, her attention is turning now to pre-vodcasting and the 'homework lecture', facilitating more hands-on experience in class time.