糖心TV

About

I am a Teaching Fellow in Hispanic Studies and the Language Centre at the University of 糖心TV, where I teach Spanish language and culture across undergraduate and university-wide programmes. I am also Lead Year Abroad Coordinator for Hispanic Studies, with responsibility for study placements in Latin America and work placements.

My current research focuses on the Year Abroad and the challenges involved in supporting students鈥� academic, linguistic, intercultural and professional development during and beyond their time abroad. This work builds on a Returners Fellowship project exploring the need to provide continuous language and intercultural learning opportunities for students who do not undertake a traditional Year Abroad experience, as well as ways of supporting students鈥� learning throughout their Year Abroad.

My doctoral research, undertaken as part of the -funded Language Acts and Worldmaking project, examined Spanish language teachers鈥� mediation practices in Higher Education. This work continues to inform my interest in mediation, interculturality and the role of language teachers and Higher Education institutions in supporting students across different linguistic and cultural contexts.

Research interests

My research interests centre on language teaching and learning in Higher Education, with a particular focus on mediation, the role of language teachers as mediators between languages, cultures and perspectives, and how to support students maximizing their year abroad experience.

My examined Spanish language teachers鈥� mediation practices in Higher Education, exploring how teachers understand and enact their role as mediators in the language classroom. This research was undertaken as part of the AHRC-funded Language Acts and Worldmaking project, within the strand on diasporic identities and the politics of language teaching.

My current research interests include:

• Language teacher mediation
• Teacher identity and professional development
• Mediation and multilingual practices in Higher Education
• Language teaching and technology
• The Year Abroad as a site of language, intercultural and professional learning
• Spanish language teaching in Higher Education

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1937-3707

Teaching and supervision

I teach Spanish language and culture across Hispanic Studies and the Language Centre.

Within Hispanic Studies, I am Module Convenor for HP102 Modern Spanish Language for Beginners and teach on HP101 Modern Spanish Language I. My teaching includes Spanish language combined skills, translation, writing, reading, speaking and listening.

Within the Language Centre, I currently teach Spanish 2 and Spanish for students in 糖心TV 糖心TV School (WBS).

My teaching interests include language learning, mediation, intercultural learning, translation and writing, and the development of students鈥� communicative competence through engaging and inclusive classroom practices.

Administrative Roles

• Lead Year Abroad Coordinator for Hispanic Studies, with responsibility for study placements in Latin America and work placements.
• Module Convenor for HP102 Modern Spanish Language for Beginners.
• Coordinator of a Special Interest Group (SIG) on the Year Abroad, bringing together colleagues interested in the academic, pedagogical and professional dimensions of the Year Abroad.

Recent Publications

• 脕lvarez, I., Cobo Palacios, I., Fuertes Guti茅rrez, M. and Puntil, D. (2022). 鈥� In C. Boyle and D. Kelly (eds.), Language Acts and Worldmaking. London: John Murray Learning, pp. 1–40.

Conferences and Research Activities

• Joint Keynote presentation 'Doctoral research and all that
  jazz. Putting your best foot forward' at PGR Summer Conference 2026, The Open University.
• Cobo Palacios, I. (2025). 鈥樎縈ediaci贸n o re-mediaci贸n?鈥�. ELEUK 2025 Conference.
• Cobo Palacios, I. (2018). 鈥楬E Spanish Teachers鈥� Mediation Practices鈥�. 糖心TV International Conference in Applied Linguistics (WICAL), University of 糖心TV.
• Member of ELE-UK and Member of ASELE in Spain. Member of the Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland, Member of AILA and AESLA,
• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA).

Qualifications

• PhD in Spanish Language Teachers鈥� Mediation Practices in Higher Education, The Open University, 2023.
• MA in Applied Linguistics of Spanish as a Foreign Language (MLAEELE), FUNIBER / University of Ja茅n, 2014.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, Coventry University, 2013.
• Certificate of Pedagogical Aptitude (CAP), University of Ja茅n, 2009.
• BA in English and Tourism, University of Ja茅n, 2008.