Dr. Chelsea Whittaker
Assistant Professor, Education
Email WHITTACH@tcd.ie Phone www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-whittaker-674085184Biography
Chelsea Whittaker is an Assistant Professor in Further Education and Training and Inclusion within the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin. She is a qualified primary school educator originally from Cape Town, South Africa. She holds degrees in the fields of Education and Psychology from the University of Cape Town and University of South Africa, and most recently completed her M.Ed. and PhD at Trinity College Dublin. She holds a deep commitment to social justice and community well-being and has a keen interest in research which examines issues of language, identity, multilingualism, language policy and practice, diversity and inclusion.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
- Chelsea Whittaker, Migrant Children's Experiences of Learning English as an Additional Language in Irish Primary Schools., Trinity College Dublin, 2019Thesis
Research Expertise
Chelsea Whittaker is a sociolinguist and educator whose research is driven by a strong commitment to social justice, inclusion, and community well-being. Her work explores the intersections of language, migration, diversity, and education, with a particular focus on the experiences of migrant learners. Her MEd research, 'Migrant Children's Experiences of Learning English as an Additional Language in Irish Primary Schools', examined how young learners navigate language acquisition in new educational settings. Building on this, her PhD, 'Dynamic Multilingual Identities: A Linguistic Ethnography Exploring Identity, Multilingualism, and Language Policy in Primary School-Aged Migrant Learners and Their Families in Ireland', delved into the complex and evolving linguistic identities of migrant children and their families within the Irish education system. With expertise in Applied Linguistics, Education, and Psychology, Chelsea combines advanced research skills with a commitment to impactful, practice-oriented scholarship. She actively contributes to research aiming to shape policy and practice, fostering collaboration, and advancing research that promotes equity and inclusion in education.
Applied and developmental psychology, Other humanities, Educational psychology, Inclusive education, Technical, further and workplace education, Linguistics, Vocational education and training curriculum and pedagogy, English and literacy curriculum and pedagogy (excl. LOTE, ESL and TESOL), Education, Multicultural education, Education policy, sociology, psychology and philosophy,
Recognition
- TCD Postgraduate Teaching Awards 2023-24- Runner Up 2023-2024