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Helen Niemiec

Helen Niemiec

  • Position: Lecturer in Deaf Education
  • Email: H.Latka@leeds.ac.uk
  • Phone: +44(0)113 343 1761
  • Location: 1.13 Hillary Place

Profile

I am a Lecturer in Deaf Education and the Programme Lead for the MA/PGDip Deaf Education with Qualified Teacher of the Deaf status. 

My undergraduate degree was in Music at the University of York and I trained as a secondary Music teacher at the University of Leeds.  I worked in secondary education for a number of years before taking a career break where I worked for a Local Education Authority in a variety of roles including finance, school places and planning, parental involvement and SEN reorganisation.  I returned to education as a primary school teacher in an inner city primary school and in 2014 started my career in Deaf Education.  I completed my MA in Deaf Education with QToD at the University of Leeds in 2016, followed by a PGDip in Early Years Deafness.  I worked as a peripatetic Qualified Teacher of the Deaf and was the Early Years Lead, working with children and their families and a range of other professionals from first diagnosis, not long after birth.

I initially joined the School of Education at the University of Leeds in 2020 as a Regional Tutor on the programme and then took up post as a part-time Lecturer on the course in January 2021. I took on the role of Programme Lead in September 2023.

Responsibilities

  • Programme Lead for MA/PGDip Deaf Education (QToD)

Research interests

I am currently undertaking an EdD within the School of Education and my research is focused on working with the caregivers and families of young deaf children.

<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Some research projects I'm currently working on, or have worked on, will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

  • PGDip Early Years and Deafness
  • MA Deaf Education (Qualified Teacher of the Deaf)
  • Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
  • BA Hons Music

Student education

I lead the teaching on the Deaf Education programme which leads to the Mandatory Qualification for Teacher of the Deaf (QToD) for England and Wales.