Dr Prithvi Shrestha

Professional biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in English Language in the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics. I hold a BEd, MA in English literature (both Tribhuvan University, Nepal), MA TESOL (University of Lancaster) and EdD (The Open University). I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). Prior to coming to work at The Open University in 2006, I worked in Goldsmiths College, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and the School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. I taught as an English language teacher in secondary schools and worked as teacher educator in Nepal over 12 years.

Research interests

I have led or co-led a number of research projects. My research sits broadly within educational and applied linguistics, underpinned by Vygotskian sociocultural theory and systemic functional linguistics. In particular, my work has contributed to the field of academic literacy, language across the curriculum, assessment and educational technology mediated language teacher education in developing countries. In academic literacy and language across the curriculum, my key contributions have been understanding how dynamic assessment (a form of learning-oriented assessment) can support distance learners’ academic literacy development, how academic literacy contributes to learners’ progression in a discipline (e.g., science and early childhood studies) and how academic literacy embedded assessment can be designed to support distance learners effectively. In recent years, I have researched English medium instruction (EMI) in hgiher education in the Global South, especially South Asia, covering issues such as social justice and gender equality.  These aspects are ongoing issues in higher education. Another key focus of my research has been investigating the impact of commercial language tests such as IELTS and TOEFL on different stakeholders in low economy countries (Bangladesh and Nepal) and high income countries (Sweden) where English medium instruction (EMI) in universities is increasing. This work contributes to designing English language tests that are context-sensitive. Finally, my research in technology mediated language teacher education in developing countries has been within large donor-funded international development projects (e.g., English in Action in Bangladesh and Teacher Education through School-based Support India (TESS-India) in India). My key contribution is in the area of English language teacher professional development through mobile technologies in low-resourced contexts by developing research-led locally sensitive teacher professional development resources in Bangladesh.

Doctoral student supervision

Any research student interested in academic literacy, English for specific purposes, language assessment (including language testing), English medium education and technology mediated language teacher education can contact me. Currently, I supervise four doctoral students:

Hilly Davies, EdD (UK): Exploring the Impact of Academic Identity on Academic Integrity. From Oct. 2024 -

Singay Singay, PhD (Bhutan): “Speak English only”: A Case Study of Translanguaging in English Medium Instruction Schools in Bhutan. From Oct 2023 -  

Karim Karmi, PhD (Tunisia): English as a Medium of Instruction in North African Higher Education Institutions. From Oct 2022 - 

Jo Kukuczka, PhD (UK): Investigating the impact of a social justice oriented English for Academic Purposes curriculum on the advancement of social justice. From Oct 2021 – 

Wang Man, EdD (China): Improving the listening proficiency of Chinese learners of Modern Greek as a foreign language: the role of metacognitive awareness. From Oct 2021 - 

Past doctoral students (8)

An Thi Nguyen  Effectiveness and equity in English-medium instruction: A comparative longitudinal study in a Vietnamese university (April 2024)

David Gann: Investigating the efficacy of online text resequencing exercises for facilitating the use of linguistic features of written argumentation (February 2023)

Namrita Batra: Home and school literacy practices of children in rural India (April 2022)

Dana Therova: Linguistic complexity in international foundation students' assesed writing at a UK university (February 2021)

Saraswati Dawadi: Power of the Secondary Education Examination in the Nepalese Context (November 2019)

Valentina Morgana: Mobile English Learning in Italy: a case study (July 2018)

Marianthi Batsila: Linking Vocational business English to the employment market world: a Greek case study (April 2017) 

Tanvir Ahmed: Developing Constructivist Teaching Practices for Secondary Science with Student-teachers in Bangladesh: A Cultural Historical Activity Theory Intervention (Jan 2016)

Current research projects

Cultural adaptation of mental health interventions for Nepali adolescents: piloting qualitative methods (£24,142.88, Open Societal Challenge (OU))

STEAM Education Nepal’: Strengthening Young Nepali Girls Through Access to STEAM Educational Programmes (£34,289.11, Open Societal Challenge (OU)

Access, barriers and gender equality in STEM education at a Bangladeshi University (£24,998.59, British Council)

Student Writing and Tutor Assessment Practices (SWaTaP) (£5,833.50, OU internal funding)

Examining Transitivity, Mood, Theme, Lexical diversity, Metadiscourse markers and keywords in Aptis test-takers’ spoken performance across CEFR levels (£14,645.35, British Council)

Perceptions of IELTS test users and motivations of test takers in Bangladesh and Nepal: A comparative case study (IELTS Research Grant, the British Council)

Past research projects

Exploration of oral assessment in a distance English for business communication module (£2,447)

Researching Academic Reading in two contrasting EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) university contexts (Nepal & Sweden), and implications for the design of TOEFL iBT ($97,000; ETS)

Researching lexical thresholds and lexical profiles across the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) levels assessed in the Aptis test (£13,000; British Council)

Academic literacy and communicating assessment to students on Level 1 Science Modules (funded by eSTEeM (£600))

Integrated study skills: effects on students’ academic writing for assessment in E229 (second year early childhood studies course (£2,107))

Integrated study skills: effects on students’ academic writing for assessment in E109 (Early Years study, funded by Faculty (£2,500))

Teaching English Language at Secondary Schools: Effective Integration of ICT to Enhance Teaching and Learning in Bangladesh (funded by the British Council (£60,000))

Formative tutor feedback and student learning: Is there evidence of learning?
(funded by Higher Education Academy UK)

Communication skills in FELS undergraduate modules (£5,000)

The IOA project: An authentic pilot of interactive audio e-assessment using Learnosity (internal funding)

Alignment between assessment and English language curriculum (funded by English in Action/ DfID, Bangladesh (£20,000))

Teaching interests

Informed by my ongoing programme of research, I design and develop innovative English for academic and specific purposes (EAP/ ESP) courses and materials for open and distance learners. I was the academic lead on the production of an award-winning business communication module called Communication skills for business and management which have distinct features such as learning-oriented assessment, reflective learning and workplace communication focus. I have extensively worked on language across the curriculum with various faculties in The Open University (i.e. embedding academic language and literacy practices in different disciplines such as Science and Early Years studies). This led to the adoption of academic language and literacy descriptors in the OU curriculum for the first time (2016). This means courses embedding academic literacy focused activities in their materials, thus supporting students who otherwise might be at risk of failure. I have the expertise of developing technology-mediated (e.g., mobile devices) teacher professional development materials for English language teachers who teach English as a second or foreign language (ESL/ EFL). This work is based on my research in two large international projects mentioned above. I continue to supervise doctoral candidates by providing them personalised dialogic support.

Impact and engagement

My research has been internationally recognised. Based on my work, I have been invited as a keynote speaker to international conferences and the debate on national policy on assessment. Additionally, I have served as a Joint Coordinator of International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language, English for Specific Purposes, Special Interest Group (IATEFL ESP SIG). I was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of NELTA, an open access ELT journal published by Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association (NELTA) and a co-editor of Profesional and Academic English, the journal of the IATEFL ESP SIG. I was a founding Editor of Journal of Language and Education published by National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia. I am the series editor for Routledge Applied English Language Introductions (Routledge) and an Associate Editor: Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning (De Gruyter; ChinaCALL).

Awards and medals

ELTons Award 2019 Finalist - Excellence in Course Innovation (team award) by the British Council for LB170 Communication skills for business and management of which I am the academic lead. 

Faculty Teaching Excellence Award 2018 (evaluated by students, team award) for LB170 Communication skills for business and management of which I am the academic lead. 

Gold Medal for best practice paper 2014 (with Christopher Walsh, Clare Woodward & Mike Solly) by Asian Association of Open Universities for The potential of mobile phones to transform teacher professional development.

ELTons 2013 Award (team award) by the British Council for Local Innovation (English in Action team)

Nominee (with Mark Krzanowski & William McCurry), ELTons 2007 Award by the British Council for innovative use of video conferencing technology (‘English language teaching for primary sector teacher training pack’ for Palestine teachers) - 2007

External collaborations

My innovative research in various disciplines  has led to fruitful collaborations with external institutions and researchers. Two recent examples are:

Dr Prithvi Shrestha (PI), Dr Claire Kotecki (Co-I), Professor Kristina Hultgren (Co-I), Professor Rubaiyat Jahan (Co-I, Rajshahi University), & Professor Halida Homyara (Co-I)): Access, barriers and gender equality in STEM education at a Bangladeshi University. Funded by the British Council: £24,998.59. 

Dr Prithvi Shrestha (PI), Dr Sharif Haider (OU, Co-I) & Dr Laura McGrath (OU, Co-I); Dr Kapil Dahal (Co-I) & Dr Suraj Shakya (Co-I) (both Tribhuvan University, Nepal): Cultural adaptation of mental health interventions for Nepali adolescents: piloting qualitative methods. Project funded by Open Societal Challenge (OU): £24,142.88. 

International links

As a result of my international experience of working in Bangladesh, India, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Nepal and the UK, I have maintained strong links with international professional bodies and scholars within my field of research.