Lexical Lab is Hugh Dellar and Andrew Walkley. We first met at University of Westminster, London in 1997 and have worked closely as teachers, trainers and materials writers ever since. At Westminster we designed and managed a number of different language and teacher training programmes including CELTA courses and Academic and Pre-sessional English and since 1999 have written published materials, largely for National Geographic Learning (NGL).

We have written two five-level General English coursebook series: Innovations, which was nominated for ESU award and two ELTons, and Outcomes, which is now in its second edition and has received widespread acclaim. We have also written the Upper-intermediate level of Perspectives, part of a new secondary school course (also with NGL) which features talks from TED.

As trainers and methodologists, we have been strongly influenced by writing about lexical views of language and practice connected with lexical approaches. This has led us to write a methodology book, Teaching Lexically, part of Delta Publishing’s multi-award-winning teacher development series.  You can do a face-to-face course based on this material as part of our London Summer School.

We have written several teachers books and regularly write on teaching and language issues on our blog and for publications such as ETP, IATEFL Voices and New Routes. As speakers and trainers, we have conducted plenary presentations, talks, workshops and short courses in over 40 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South America. Our presentations and training has built a reputation for its excellent balance of theory and practical outcomes delivered in a highly engaging style. If you would like us to write something for you or provide a conference presentation contact andrew@lexicallab.com.

We are also individual people!

Here is a bit more about us:

Andrew: I grew up in Birmingham and went to Nottingham University, where I studied English Studies. After that I went to Spain to teach English ‘for a year’ while I decided what I wanted to do with my life. It turned out I wanted to teach English! After that, I returned to the UK where I worked in various language schools and adult colleges and completed a DipTEFLA and trained to deliver CELTA courses. I then worked at the university for 17 years, with a four-year break when I went back to Valencia with my family. I now live on my own in North London. When I am not working, I play football twice a week, I cycle around the city and enjoy London, I grow vegetables on an allotment, I cook, I collapse in front of the TV.

Hugh: I’m married with two kids and live near Andrew in North London. I grew up on the south coast of England and in South London and graduated in English Literature from Goldsmith’s College, part of the University of London, in 1991. Like many native speakers, I then drifted into language teaching, only really becoming serious about it during a four-year stint in Indonesia in the mid-90s. I returned to London to do my DELTA and then an MA TESOL and moved soon afterwards into coursebook writing. I worked initially with Michael Lewis and Jimmie Hill, the two men behind The Lexical Approach, a book that influenced me enormously. In my (far too limited) free time, I continue to play in a band called The Beatpack. I write for a music magazine and DJ occasionally. I read voraciously, I enjoy cooking, and am a life-long Arsenal supporter.