Following 10 years of experience of English language teaching and completion of Cambridge level 7 Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA) in 2006, I was offered a job as Director of Studies/Country Manager of Instruction at Berlitz London. My initial task was to prepare the school for the British Council (BC) accreditation which I achieved for Berlitz London and Windsor; this enabled both schools to offer tuition for international learners and provide student visas, at that time. I was running the London team of teachers and over-seeing Berlitz franchise centres across the UK, conducting quality assurance audits. I was also closely working with my colleagues in Berlitz centres in Europe and took part in regional Berlitz conferences.
Gaining substantial knowledge about quality of English language teaching (ELT), I decided to move into higher education and joined QA in 2012 as a Course Director at first, then promoted to the Head of English and then Associate Dean of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) provision. Overall, my role is to ensure high quality of EAP department which (once again) includes maintaining Accreditation UK (British Council). I’m currently leading a team of about 40 EAP academics who teach at Northumbria London campus and other QA partners. Working with the other Associate Deans, I seek opportunities for developing and growing the EAP department. At Northumbria London, my team deliver academic skills modules for example, LD7080, LD7174 and LD5000, taught across most of the current programmes.
My other hat is a co-ordinator of Northumbria Professional Recognition Scheme for Northumbria London and QA pathway centres. Being a Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (Advanced HE), I train and support colleagues with their applications for HEA fellowship, which is an external recognition of staff teaching practice in Higher Education. Over the last three years, I have built a wide community of HEA (senior) fellows, mentors and reviewers.
Above all, I lead a module on a pre-sessional English programme and teach an academic skills module on MSc International Project Management. My passion for teaching has only grown over the years as I develop my teaching approach, methods of delivery and adapt my teaching style to the changing student environment.
Looking forward to meeting you in class!
Some of my presentations at EAP events, NUL and QA conferences include:
Current Trends in Higher Education: Creating Blended Learning Opportunities at QAHE in the example of a Sway project, QA Conference, September 2022
Wellbeing and Copying Strategies during the Pandemic:
a personal amateur approach of dealing with the lockdown, EAP CPD Event, January 2021
Sustainable Approach to Teaching and Learning Plans (TLPs): Sway Enhancement, NUL Conference, September 2021