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Nicola’s teaching on the British Sign Language and Deaf Studies programme ranges from undergraduate through to postgraduate modules, and she is currently involved in introducing students to the discipline of Deaf Studies via a module on the foundation year course at UCLan. Nicola’s research interests are mainly in the field of applied linguistics in the context of language teaching and learning. She has focused on the effects upon BSL users of being taught through their native language, and, more recently, her interest has expanded to incorporate student motivation and the pedagogic issues associated with the learning of advanced level features of British Sign Language.

Nicola has continually developed her academic credentials, gaining certificates in BSL Linguistics and Advanced BSL Teaching from City University, London and the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching & learning in Higher Education at UCLan. She is a qualified Assessor for externally based National Vocational Qualifications in BSL and she has also gained the highest possible academic level of achievement in her own preferred language, BSL. Nicola completed her doctoral research programme, focussing on conflict amongst Deaf and hearing BSL users in the workplace. She was awarded her PhD qualification in 2017 and continues to research in this, and related areas.