9 8 8 ) ▁details ▁an ▁episode ▁in ▁his ▁war ▁experiences ▁when ▁he ▁escaped ▁being ▁captured ▁by ▁German ▁par atro op ers ▁who ▁inv aded ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Cre te ▁where ▁he ▁helped ▁to ▁staff ▁a ▁rad ar ▁station ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁Return ing ▁from ▁over se as , ▁Brit ton ▁worked ▁at ▁John ▁Murray ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁before ▁comple ting ▁his ▁M . A . ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁London . ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 8 – 1 9 5 2 ▁he ▁also ▁taught ▁education ▁at ▁the ▁B irmingham ▁College ▁of ▁Art . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁Brit ton ▁joined ▁the ▁English ▁Education ▁Department ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁London ▁Institute ▁of ▁Education ▁where ▁he ▁spent ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁career , ▁becoming ▁Re ader ▁in ▁Education , ▁head ▁of ▁department , ▁and ▁eventually ▁the ▁G olds m ith s ▁Professor . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁he ▁head ed ▁a ▁major ▁research ▁group ▁( including ▁colle agues ▁Nancy ▁Martin ▁and ▁Harold ▁Rosen ) ▁for ▁the ▁British ▁School s ▁Council , ▁which ▁exam ined ▁the ▁instruction al ▁role ▁of ▁writing ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁School s . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁The ▁Development ▁of ▁Writing ▁Ab ilities , ▁ 1 1 – 1 8 ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁and ▁the ▁ref in ement ▁of ▁his ▁theory ▁of ▁language ▁use , ▁which ▁distinguished ▁between ▁particip ant ▁and ▁spect ator ▁language ▁roles . ▁This ▁work ▁helped ▁teachers ▁to ▁see