Our staff

Dr Orieb Masadeh-Tate is the Director of the University Language Centre’s LEAP programmes which involves the organisation and delivery of the courses in 14 different languages – ranging from Arabic to Urdu. Orieb is a recipient of the University Exceptional Performance Award in recognition of her contribution, work and commitment to the University.

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Wayne has been teaching BSL since 2008 and loves teaching this beautiful, expressive language, which, as of September 2025, is now part of the school curriculum in England. 

Besides enjoying BSL, he enjoys keeping fit, loves travelling and wants to visit as many places as possible. He also loves live music and comedy.

BSL is not just for communicating with deaf and hard of hearing people, but for people who have degenerative diseases, Autism and selective mutism.

It has become more popular since Rose Ayling-Ellis, a deaf actress, won Strictly come dancing. Mor and more deaf people appear on TV programmes these days.

The same language family as BSL is used in other countries, such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

1 in 5 people in the UK are hard of hearing or deaf, so BSL can be an important language to learn as part of a career or for personal reasons.

• Email: wayne.mcconnell@manchester.ac.uk

Learning Chinese is a fascinating journey - the tones flow like music, and the characters unfold like beautiful pictures. In our classes, you’ll not only gain language skills but also discover the richness of Chinese culture, which offers a fresh and exciting contrast to British traditions.

I warmly welcome you to join our Chinese courses and take part in our vibrant cultural activities - come learn, explore, and enjoy the beauty of the Chinese language and culture together!

• Email: Minjie.Xing@manchester.ac.uk

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With studies in Languages, Literature and Foreign Civilisations (Master’s Degree), Elizabeth started teaching for the University of Manchester in 2001 and was nominated in the 2013 Manchester Teaching Award organised by the Students’ Union for Best Humanities Lecturer.

She is a Language Tutor in French and has taught and developed French Business Courses, French Medical Courses and French General Courses.

She is a certified examiner for the CCI Paris Ile-de-France oral exam and holds a PGCert in Higher Education from the University of Manchester.

• Email: e.lopez@manchester.ac.uk

Originally from Nantes, Gaëlle holds a Licence (B.A.) in English from the University of Poitiers, a Master's in teaching French as a Foreign Language from the University of Grenoble, and gained her Qualified Teacher Status from the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research in London.

Gaëlle also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education with The University of Manchester.

She has experience in the Secondary and Further Education sectors in Canada, Hungary and England. Gaëlle was nominated for the Outstanding Teaching Award in 2020-21.

Her interests lie in teaching specialised French (business, tourism and medical) and enhancing the employability of French-speaking students.

She is also interested in translation, having worked on various projects funded by the European Union, including the translation of a book for a visual arts organisation Fabrica, based in Brighton.

In her spare time, she enjoys running, swimming, hiking and cooking.

• Email: gaelle.flower@manchester.ac.uk

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Dorit has been teaching German on the institution-wide course programme since 2009 and on the degree programme since 2020.

She is the Goethe Exam Officer and director of the Goethe Exam Centre Manchester.

She has a Master's degree in German, English and Scandinavian philology from the University of Vienna and used to teach at schools both in Austria and England.

She has a particular interest in communicative teaching, including games to enhance learning.

Outside work her interests include dogs and dog-sledding, music, motorbikes, and keeping fit.

• Email: Dorit.Fellner@manchester.ac.uk

Birgit Winnington is a native German speaker born in Bielefeld, Germany. She is a fully qualified Goethe examiner and work as a German language trainer for LEAP.

Her professional experience spans many years, with teaching experience at the European Commission, in business and at university.

Her motto is that learning a language should be fun. An understanding of language and culture is a real advantage in creating career opportunities.

• Email: birgit.winnington@manchester.ac.uk

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Sandra has an interdisciplinary background in German and English as a foreign language teaching.

She has a master’s degree from the University of Freiburg, Germany, and holds a Doctorate in Education from Newcastle University.

She completed her teacher training in Germany and has taught in the secondary school and FE sector, on international HE foundation programmes, and at under-and postgraduate levels at different universities in the UK.

She has a particular interest in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and has been involved in research projects on digital materials creation and Global Citizenship Education.

• Email: sandra.strigel@manchester.ac.uk

I support students in developing their confidence and skills in using Spanish through interactive and culturally rich learning experiences. With a background in linguistics and language education, I enjoy designing lessons that connect language to real-world contexts and cultural understanding.

Outside of work, I’m interested in the arts, travel, cinema and tennis.

Spanish is more than just a language - it’s a gateway to over 20 countries, diverse cultures, and millions of voices. Whether you're curious about Latin American music, Spanish literature, or exploring new opportunities through multilingualism, learning Spanish can be a rewarding and enriching experience.

Spanish is the official language in Spain and much of Latin America - including Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Peru - and is widely spoken in the United States and parts of Africa such as Equatorial Guinea.

• Research profile
• Email: sandra.torres@manchester.ac.uk

Chikako teaches on the University's institution-wide language courses in Japanese.

She holds a degree in Education and her specialised subject is Japanese.

She has a wide range of experience in teaching: from primary school pupils to adults.

She is creative in adapting the delivery method in her courses to suit the individuals studying that course.

• Email: chikako.haworth@manchester.ac.uk

Motoi has both his undergraduate and master's degree's from the University of Niigata, Japan and a PGCE from the University of Central Lancashire.

He prides himself in using as little English as possible in his lessons and always being rated well on his teaching in the end of year students' questionnaire!

Outside of work he loves trees, wildlife and skiing.

• Email: motoi.kitamura@manchester.ac.uk

Mikiko is a Language Tutor in Japanese.

• Email: mikiko.inoue@manchester.ac.uk

Narae is a Language Tutor in Korean who has been teaching at the University level since 2018. She has a particular interest in corpus-based language teaching, AI-assisted language learning, and discourse analysis.

Narae completed her MA in Korean Education as a Foreign Language at Yonsei University and holds an MSc in Applied Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Korean Studies.

Ready to explore the world of Tolstoy, Tchaikovsky?

Looking for a career boost or a personal challenge? Want to unlock a powerful new skill and connect with a global community of over 250 million speakers?

Then let Elena, a native Russian speaker and university tutor, graduate of the prestigious Moscow Pushkin Russian Language Institute, guide you on your journey!

Learning Russian can open doors to incredible travel to many post-Soviet countries where Russian is spoken as a second language, often due to historical reasons.

While it’s the official language in four countries (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan), it’s also widely spoken in former republics of the USSR, including Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Learning Russian not only creates opportunities for exciting careers but also provides a deeper understanding and appreciation of a rich and fascinating culture.

So, let’s dive in and see what awaits!

• Email: elena.simms@manchester.ac.uk

Justyna has been with the Language Centre since 2006 where she is a Language Tutor in Polish.

She holds a degree in Polish Language and Literature (Poznań) and a PhD in Polish and Drama Studies (Manchester).

Outside teaching, she has recently worked on some theatre-related translations. In her spare time she loves walking and cooking plant-based food.

• Email: justyna.drobnik-rogers@manchester.ac.uk

A Ms. in Creative Writing, being a published Literature author, an award-winning poetry translator, and very interested in fostering intercultural communicative proficiency in the second language classroom (the theme of my PH D Dissertation). My aim is to foster student's confidence and to promote wellbeing by facilitating opportunities to connect with other people, better if coming from different backgrounds.

Language learning is like travelling, time travelling, and living abroad all at the same time. It also will make you smarter and will help you see beyond cultural stereotypes. By the way, almost nobody takes a "siesta" in Spain (we are busy working until 8pm or later).

Spanish is spoken in three continents, and Spain is just a small piece of the whole equation. A very rich one, full of subtleties. I invite you to solve it!

• Email: silvia.vilar-gonzalez@manchester.ac.uk

Ana is a Senior Lecturer in Spanish, specialising in general language instruction, Spanish for Healthcare, and translation. Her teaching blends linguistic expertise with real-world application, preparing students for diverse professional contexts.

Her research focuses on technology-enhanced language learning and the innovative integration of educational tools, contributing to the development of new pedagogical practices. Ana regularly publishes in these fields, sharing insights that bridge theory and classroom experience.

In recognition of her dedication and impact, Ana was nominated for various awards, including Most Inspiring Lecturer at the STAR Manchester Student Union Teaching Awards.

Some reasons to learn Spanish: Spoken by over 500 million people across more than 20 countries, Spanish connects you to vibrant cultures and dynamic economies across Latin America, Europe, and the U.S. Beyond travel and culture, Spanish is also a career catalyst. In today’s global job market, employers value graduates who can communicate across borders. Whether you're collaborating on international research, launching a startup, analysing global markets, or working in diplomacy, Spanish gives you a competitive edge.

• Email: ana.m.nino@manchester.ac.uk

Mayte teaches on the University's institution-wide language courses in Spanish and she has taught in the Centre since 2001.

Her work and studies over the years have concentrated on developing her love for teaching Spanish, in the classroom and online or computer aided language learning.

The dissertation she wrote for her M.Ed., titled “Exploring the integration of virtual and face to face learning in Higher education“, helped me to introduce it in her classes, and since then she has been in close collaboration with other tutors and course managers to improve the courses in an effect to help a more diverse group of students.

Through her work, studies and research she wrote ”On Course Spanish”(with Sandra Truscott and John Morley as editors).

She enjoys the challenge of creating accessible material for the different needs related vocabulary, such as Spanish for specific purposes or Spanish for the different students´ needs (British Airways, Engineering, Business and Medical students, among others).

She has worked in many institutions including:

• Salford University (International Training Centre, preparing students for Spanish for specific purposes and DELE diploma);
• Central College in Manchester (preparing students for GCSE and A´level);
• ”Agrupación de Lengua y cultura Españolas” (Teaching children and adults to prepare them for the DELE exams);
• The University of Manchester (Teaching Spanish at all levels for the LEAP department and teaching on the European Studies Course for the Medical school.)

Email: mayte.alvarez@manchester.ac.uk

Mercè teaches on the University’s institution-wide language courses in Spanish.

Originally from Barcelona, Mercè holds a degree in Politics and Contemporary History, a Masters degree in International Business and another Masters in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language.

She has a particular interest in languages and cultures and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

Email: merce.enjuanes@manchester.ac.uk

Tuğgen teaches on the University’s institution-wide language courses in Turkish.

Originally from Turkey, Tuğgen holds a joint degree in English Language and Literature and English Language Teaching.

She has a particular interest in translation and interpreting studies and is an avid linguist who enjoys lengthy discussions around grammar rules in a variety of languages immensely.

Outside work, her interests include travelling, walking, folk dancing and jigsaw puzzles.

Email: tuggen.collard@manchester.ac.uk

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We have a dedicated administration team for the University Language Centre's LEAP Programme who can be reached on leap@manchester.ac.uk.