Paul Davis

Paul Davis had a very keen interest in the way in which language permeates human existence and lies at the root of important social issues. His ideas, which permeated  his teacher training courses, international workshops and publications, drew on applied linguistics, but equally on his experience of practical experimentation.

The books he wrote, and the content of Paul’s training sessions, made ripples across the ELT community, inspiring many responses and further development of his ideas.  Paul was a natural rebel who constantly provoked teachers into re-thinking their routines and justifying their choices. He was a unique, unconventional trainer, inviting teachers to think for themselves and trust their own sense of direction. He will surely be remembered by one non-conformist feature: distributing handouts by throwing them in the air. ‘Catch them if you can…’ (no matter how many eyebrows this raised).

On a Personal Note

Paul was an incorrigible nonconformist who was passionate about issues he considered important like social inequality or…cycling. He was involved in teachers’ trade unions and protecting those who needed help. There was a strong left-wing voice within him which was heard on many occasions. Trained as a historian, he could become vociferous when discussing politics or the news.

At the same time, he was a faithful friend, a very generous person, a caring colleague and a thoughtful and sensitive Director of Studies. He was also a wonderful cook, who ‘cooked with wine and sometimes he even added it to the food ‘.