Gillian Saunders

I’m a new ATWP instructor, but I’ve been working at UVic as an English as an Additional Language Specialist in the Centre for Academic Communication since 2014, where I’ve helped hundreds of students in first-year academic writing and literature courses to become more skilled and confident writers. I have also taught English for academic purposes, English literature, business English, and TESOL in various contexts in Canada and abroad for many years.

I’m currently a PhD candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at UVic, and my research focuses on the experiences of undergraduate students accessing and using different forms of academic writing support. Related interests include issues surrounding internationalization and English language learning, decolonization of academic writing instruction and writing centre work, and good old-fashioned grammar. My published work explores dissertation genres in faculties of education in Canada. As an instructor of academic writing, my aim is to empower students from all academic and personal backgrounds and all skill levels by demystifying the writing process and giving students the tools and critical thinking skills to be able to make informed choices about their writing.