I started teaching English on a UK-government-sponsored scheme in the West Indies, where I also gained a Diploma in Education. After spells back in English secondary schools and also in Spain, I joined the Eurocentre organisation and worked as teacher, trainer and finally, Director of Studies, mainly in Brighton. During that time I gained the UCLES [...] and an MA TEFL from Reading [...] leaving Eurocentres in 2000, I have worked as a freelance trainer, editor and author of materials. My experience in writing and editing is fairly wide-ranging, covering both Business and General English (EFL and ESOL) books and courses, as well as educational materials for the Open University. Additionally, I have an interest in e-learning and the creation of effective online materials, having been involved in the development of several courses for various [...] a trained counsellor, my other professional interest is in the area of counselling skills and their application in the classroom and the workplace, most particularly in terms of how we can better listen to each other. I have run a number of workshops on this topic for teachers and managers.I live on the south coast in a house directly facing the sea, and much of my spare time is spent in a rather hopeless struggle to prevent said house falling to bits in the face of both the best and the worst of weather that we experience here!