About me...

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My name is Liam Printer and I am a passionate language teacher with 11 years teaching experience. I speak English, Gaelic Irish, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German. I currently work as a Spanish teacher on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program and Middle Years Program at The International School of Lausanne in Switzerland. I am also a qualified French and English teacher and have taught these in the past at different schools. I started off as a secondary school language teacher in Ireland after graduating with a first class honours degree in International Business and Languages from Dublin City University and winning the first place prize in my graduating class. I was then awarded a scholarship for postgraduate studies in education and languages in the University of Limerick where I graduated top of my class of over 140 students with a first class honours Postgraduate Diploma in Education and Languages. As part of this Secondary School Teacher qualification I was awarded an A1 (the highest possible grade) for teaching. In 2014, I was nominated for Teacher of the Year at Leysin American School in Switzerland. I am currently in the process of completing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) program through the University of Bath with my doctoral research focusing on the motivational pull of teaching languages through storytelling.
PicturePresenting at FEILTE 2014
In the past 9 years I have designed, developed and delivered language courses in France, Ireland, Spain, New Zealand, Switzerland and Canada. In 2009 I set up The Learning Curve Institute with my business partner and was both Managing Director and Head of Languages at the Institute from 2009 until 2013. I am also a current member of The Irish Association for Applied Linguistics (IRAAL), The French Teachers Association (FTA) and the Association of Spanish Teachers. I have completed the English Language Teaching Qualification for State Qualified Teachers (equivalent to CELTA) and have been constantly furthering my professional development in order to continuously improve my practice.

Some of the previous consultancy, presentations and workshops I have delivered in the past are:
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  • Mar. 2018: "Fostering motivated learners through Self-Determination Theory"
    • ​The International School of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Oct. 2017: "The motivational pull of teaching languages through storytelling"
    • ​The Alliance for International Education conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  • 2016-2017: "Active Learning Strategies in the language acquisition classroom"​
    • ​​Consultancy work with Lapeenranta municipality language teachers, Finland
  • Mar. 2016: "Feedback loops, student voice and being partners in the learning"​
    • ​​The International School of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • May. 2015: "Tracking Formative Assessment"
    • ​Presentation of my research study at Leysin American School, Leysin, Switzerland.
  • Oct. 2014: "How Student Feedback changed my classroom"
    • ​FEILTE Irish Teaching Council Conference, Dublin, Ireland.

For further information on my research and publications please click here to view my ResearchGate profile.
PictureSnowboarding 2010
I am also a fully certified Snowsports Instructor with the highest level international qualifications (ISIA, NZSIA Level 3). I have taught snowsports through French, Spanish and English over the past four years as an instructor in Switzerland, Canada and New Zealand. In 2010 I also became the Irish National Snowboard Champion after winning 2 gold medals at the Irish National Ski and Snowboard Championships in the French Alps.

To read more about my background please visit my LinkedIn Profile here.