Eirini uses her PhD research to inspire children through storytelling

Eirini Koutelieri is graduating from the University of South Wales this week with a PhD in storytelling, using her experience of teaching English to primary school children in Greece.

Her research, which has contributed to her PhD by Portfolio, explores the use of storytelling to help motivate young learners aged 6 to 12, who learn English as a second language at school.

After completing her Masters degree, Eirini wanted to continue her studies while staying in Greece, where she is a single mum to her two daughters.

She found the George Ewart Evans Centre for Storytelling at USW, and knew that it was the perfect place to start her PhD.

“It was very important for me to be able to study remotely and carry out all of my research from home,” said Eirini. “Since my whole life is based on my island, Naxos, and I also have to work to provide for my family, I didn’t want to leave or pause my teaching job, so to embark on a practice-based degree was ideal.

“I used what I’d worked on at school to inform my thesis, then used the findings from my research to further improve the projects I’d deliver to the children, so it was an invaluable circle of feedback.”

The idea for Eirini’s research came from seeing some of her pupils start to lose interest in learning English through traditional teaching methods.

“In Greece, children start learning English from a very young age, mostly in after school private settings – and that’s one reason why their enthusiasm for the language in the school setting starts to fade,” she said.

“So I started using stories and mythology in my classroom, which led to more formal projects and even the publication of my first book – a textbook for teachers with ideas for lesson plans and examples of how my work has developed children’s oracy and literacy skills.

“Through using a range of activities, I saw a phenomenal shift in my pupils – they were suddenly much more interested in books and mythology, and wanted to read more, act out the stories they were hearing, and even write their own tales.

“By providing varied ways for them to participate, they could learn in ways that worked best for them, and we could move away from the strict environment of the classroom by giving them creative freedom.

“During my PhD I have found that although teachers implement many good practices, they need to be supported to engage in innovative teaching methods and face the challenges of the educational system, so that they can further motivate their students. My thesis also includes recommendations that aim to cultivate a learning environment where students can be more engaged and motivated.”

Two years after embarking on her PhD, Eirini says she feels immense pride in graduating from USW.

“The University have been fantastically supportive and understanding throughout this process – I feel that my supervisors and director of studies were with me every step of the way,” she said.

“They would regularly keep in touch with me, not just from an academic perspective but to check on my wellbeing too. I also had lots of opportunities to present and speak at conferences, which was a huge help in making connections with fellow academics and gaining experience of sharing my research more widely.

“I found it very challenging at times to balance work, study, and being a mum, but this is something I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m so glad I’ve achieved it. My daughters have seen me get through this wonderful journey; they have been my greatest supporters and my source of inspiration. I hope I’ve inspired them to chase their dreams as well!

“I love teaching – it’s my dream job. But as I’ve grown older, I wanted to incorporate more research into my day-to-day work, and I hope that my PhD will open more doors for me to combine teaching and research. It’s so important that researchers are also practitioners in the classroom, because research is a journey that never stops; you can always continue to make a difference.”