Staff in the 'English as an Additional Language Department'

Kathryn Pounsberry - Head of EAL, International Tutor Coordinator, Asst. Head Key Stage 4

Kathryn joined Trinity in 1993. She started her working life as a bi-lingual secretary, specialising in Spanish and French, but soon realised that an office environment was not for her. After spending six years at home caring for her two young children, she was then given the opportunity to teach English to overseas students on a seasonal basis. Jumping at the opportunity, she then had numerous students to stay and teach in her home, which gave not only her but her family great insight into a variety of cultures. When her children reached secondary school age an opening at Trinity became available, and she has been here ever since. In latter years, Kathryn has taken advantage of the long school holidays and has spent time teaching abroad.

Dave Cole - Teacher of EAL

A graduate in Modern Languages and Linguistics, Dave enjoys learning and speaking other languages, as well as meeting people from different countries. He has had various jobs teaching English as an additional language: 1994-5 in a day and boarding school in south-west France ; 1996 in Inlingua School of Languages in Porto , Portugal ; 1998-2001 in Lympstone, near Exmouth and 2001-2003 at Britannia Royal Naval College , Dartmouth . Before joining Trinity, his last job was a brief spell at Her Majesty's Prison Channings Wood in Devon , where he was a drug rehabilitation worker on a therapeutic community programme to challenge and change offenders’ behavioural patterns and attitudes. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors: walking (especially around the south west’s beautiful coastline), cycling and attempting to surf in North Devon or Cornwall ! He also loves music and has been known to dabble in the acoustic guitar. Travelling is another love, and recent trips have taken him to Germany , Italy and Norway . Having a Black Country boy, he follows West Bromwich Albion on some Saturdays, or local side Exeter City if he’s really stuck for entertainment! A boarding tutor on Thursday evenings, he is getting to know all our boarding pupils.

Brenda Schellenberger - Teacher of EAL

It was in the land of snowy peaks and alphorns that I was first approached to help some of the local people with their English (mainly Business English). Not long after I started working as an English teacher in a well-known chain of language schools throughout Switzerland. There I taught mostly Swiss citizens, along with a few other nationalities. The levels ranged from beginners to proficiency. On top of this I held private English tuition in my own home.

Since my return to England in 2002 I have also enjoyed the various experiences working in many of the EFL language schools in the South West - teaching children of all age groups and all levels. In September 2004 I joined the EAL team at Trinity. Each group of students I am involved with bring their own rewards and challenges. This certainly gives me plenty of food for thought when trying to tailor lessons to please. Education is about enabling - and that applies just as much to teachers as to students.

Outside of teaching, my main interests lie with the animals that inhabit the world with me. Over the last 15 years I have been extremely fortunate to be able to travel to many an exotic land. While trekking in the rainforests of different countries, my main objectives were to study and learn more about the indigenous wildlife species in their natural habitat (mainly reptiles). Sometimes I was even allowed to assist with injured animals - my previous veterinary (rusty) skills and working knowledge of wildlife were tested now and again. This was with organisations trying to rehabilitate animals, and whenever possible return them to the wild.

Back on the home front, one truly absorbing hobby is vegetarian/vegan cooking. Vegetables play a vital role and a meal is quite commonly composed of several smaller courses, giving wider scope for imaginative use of ingredients. With the availability of crisp, rainbow-coloured vegetables, fresh fruit, pasta, rice, nuts and herbs to name but a few, many a delicious recipe can be concocted to tempt the most discerning of palates.