Martin Lamb | School of Education Staff

Dr Martin Lamb

Senior Lecturer

Tel: +44 (0)113 3434620
Fax: +44 (0)113 3434541

Room: HP 2.12

Motivation and identity in language learning; situated learning theory; TESOL in its social context; Language assessment.

Member of Centre for Language Education Research.

Interests

Background

I've been at Leeds since 1999 having previously spent 16 years working abroad, as a VSO English teacher in Sulawesi, Indonesia, and then as a teacher and teacher trainer on various British Council-managed ELT projects in Indonesia and Bulgaria. I have also taught EFL in Sweden and Saudi Arabia.

Teaching and administration

I am Coordinator of the MA TESOL Studies and teach a number of different Masters modules, specifically on L2 speaking, assessing language learning, and developing practical teaching skills. I also teach an undergraduate elective module on 'the politics and psychology of language education' and am a personal and academic tutor to international MA students.

I am involved in two Oman-based programmes: as Coordinator of the MA TESOL run in conjunction with Majan College, Muscat; and as Director of the BA Educational Studies (TESOL), part of a long-term project which has trained over 900 Omani teachers to degree level.

Research

I am interested in all aspects of language learner motivation, but especially how it relates to identity, social relations and autonomous learning behaviour. I'm currently working on a research project on language learner motivation and 'future selves' among teenagers in Indonesia, funded by a small grant from the journal Language Learning. I supervise a number of PhD students and would be glad to hear from home or international students considering doctoral research in the area of language learner (or teacher) motivation.

A lecture which I gave on the topic of 'motivation and identity' at the University of Leicester in April 2009, is available at http://languagetesting.info/features/motivation/mil.html

Selected Publications

PAPERS

Lamb, M. & Coleman, H. (2008). "Literacy in English and the transformation of self and society in post-Suharto Indonesia.". International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 11(2), 189-205.

Lamb, M. (2007). "The impact of school on EFL learning motivation: An Indonesian case-study.". TESOL Quarterly, 41(4), 757-780.

Lamb, M. (2004). "”It depends on the students themselves”: Independent language learning at an Indonesian state school.". Language, Culture and Curriculum, 17 (3), 229-245.

Lamb, M. (2004). "Integrative motivation in a globalizing world.". System, 32 (1), 3-19.

Lamb, M. (2002). "Explaining successful language learning in difficult circumstances.". Prospect: An Australian Journal of TESOL, 17 (2), 35-52.

Lamb, M. (1997). "True Friends, False Friends and Fickle Friends". Modern English Teacher, 6(2), 29-31.

CHAPTERS

Lamb, M. (2009). "Situating the L2 Self: Two Indonesian school learners of English" in: Z. Dornyei & E. Ushioda (Ed.) Motivation, Language Identity and the L2 Self. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Sataporn, S. and Lamb, M. (2005). "Accommodation Zone: Two learners' struggle to complete a distance English course." in: Benson, P. & Nunan, D. (Ed.) Learners' Stories: Difference and Diversity in Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lamb, M. and Syahrial (2000). "The socializing of a new university language centre in Indonesia" in: Shaw, Lubelska and Noulett (Ed.) Partnership and Interaction: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Language and Development. Bangkok: Asian Institute of Technology.

Lamb, M. (1996). "The consequences of INSET" in: Hedge, T. and Whitney, N. (Ed.) Pedagogy, Power and Practice. Oxford: OUP.

Extended list of publications.