More on our Board members

Margery is a Lecturer in the University of Western Sydney’s School of Education. She lectures in ESL, Drama and Literacy across pre-service and postgraduate programs. Prior to this, Margery was Principal of a primary school and has also taught both ESL and mainstream classes in early childhood, primary and lower secondary settings. Her research interest is in the area of educational drama and literacy. She is interested in how this drama methodology enhances children’s language and literacy development - particularly ESL children in mainstream classes.

Alyson is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Social Work (University of Sydney). She lectures in topics associated with English such as children's literature, children's language development, visual literacy and integrating literacy across the KLA in pre-service and postgraduate teacher education programs. She is an active teacher educator who works in research partnerships with schools. Alyson published her first book with the Primary English Teaching Association on how to encourage children's passion for reading in 2008.

Jon is an experienced teacher, having worked in primary schools, universities and in professional development for teachers. He has been teaching tertiary classes in the areas of primary English and multiliteracies, as well as areas of pedagogy and social justice. As a professional literacy consultant, he has worked alongside teachers in their classrooms, both in Australia and the United States. His research interests include children’s picture books, visual images, using digital media and promoting exemplary classroom literacy practices. He has recently completed his doctorate in the area of visual literacy. He is passionate about engaging an equitable education for all his students.

Robyn has worked for the DET as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, literacy consultant and senior curriculum officer in the Early Learning Unit. She is currently on the committee of the Early Childhood Education Council as well as being on the e:lit board. She works casually with education students at the University of Sydney and continues to work as an independent literacy consultant with teachers across NSW. Robyn will be publishing her first book with e:lit in 2009.

Val is currently working as a Principal Liaison Officer for the NSW Department of Education and Training. Val was Principal of Crown Street Public School in Surry Hills, Sydney, from 2000-2007. She has worked in schools and universities and been a consultant for the NSW Department of Education and Training in multicultural and English as a Second Language education. Val has written, edited and contributed to many publications for the teaching profession. She is very interested in leadership development and school-based action learning.

Kerrie is an experienced teacher, who has worked in catholic primary schools across the Archdiocese of Sydney. Kerrie currently works in the Curriculum Directorate of the Catholic Education Office, Sydney in the area of professional development as Project Officer for a literacy program. This program, ‘Language Features of Text Types for ESL Learners’, requires Kerrie to work with teachers and leadership teams in the development of whole-school structures and processes that focus on assessment, planning and programming for ESL students.

In addition, Kerrie has had considerable experience in the field of early literacy. As an Early Literacy Intervention teacher she has worked with classroom teachers, students and parents to improve student learning outcomes. Kerrie also works part-time with undergraduate students at the Australian Catholic University in the School of Education at Strathfield.