Julia SutherlandView profile
Professor
Julia Sutherland is a Professor of Education, Literacy and Language at the School of Education and Social Work, University of Sussex. With a background in English teaching across secondary, tertiary, and higher education, she has pioneered widening participation initiatives and curriculum development. Her research focuses on literacy, reading comprehension, dialogic classroom discourse, and teacher education, particularly in disadvantaged contexts. University: University of Sussex School: School of Education and Social Work Email: J.C.Sutherland@sussex.ac.uk Sutherland's research employs sociocultural and critical theoretical approaches, emphasizing participatory methodologies like action research and ethnography. She collaborates with Psychology colleagues on interdisciplinary projects to enhance reading comprehension and teacher development. Her work has been funded by the Sussex Research Development Fund and Paul Hamlyn Foundation, with sustained impact on national training materials and school policies. Recent publications highlight immersive reading techniques, dialogic talk, and student voice. Her studies often involve adolescent struggling readers and participatory research with teachers. Awards include multiple Student-led Teaching Awards (2004-2018) and the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for curriculum innovation. 2017-2018: Outstanding Support for the Learning Experience of Students – Team award for ITE 2014-15: Outstanding Support for the Learning Experience of Students 2013-14: Outstanding or Innovative Postgraduate Teaching 2006: Excellence in Teaching 2004: Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Curriculum Innovation She convenes the PhD in Education and International Education and Development programs, supervises doctoral students, and leads the MA in Education (MAE) with pathways like SEND, Research Leaders, and International Education. Sutherland also established the annual Teacher Researcher conference in 2012 to bridge academic research and classroom practice.









