Why Brunel Language Centre?

Neil graduated from The University of Kent with a B.A. (Hons) Degree in English and American Literature in 1982. He completed his Cambridge DELTA English Language teaching qualification while working as Director of Studies in London in 1991. He has also worked in Spain, Venezuela, Hungary, Colombia and Costa Rica in teaching, training and management positions. Neil is a qualified and experienced trainer for both the Cambridge CELTA and DELTA teacher training awards and has been working in the fields of teaching English to speakers of other languages and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) for over 30 years. He has been at Brunel for 10 years and has been in his current role of Programme Leader for English@Brunel for over 7 years.

Neil says: “I have been working on the English@Brunel Pre-sessional programme since the beginning, in 2005, and I have seen it grow and go from strength to strength. I am proud to be part of such a strong team in Brunel Language Centre and heartened to have seen great professional and personal development among our teachers. The greatest satisfaction that I personally gain from my job is to see our international students graduate from our courses and progress onto their degree programmes in the University.” 

David has a Business Studies degree as well as certificate, diploma and Master’s degree level qualifications in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. He has been working on English as a foreign language programmes for over 25 years. Past employers include the British Council, NCUK, and The University of Reading. Since 2001, David has worked on English for Academic Purposes programmes that prepare students for study at universities in England.

Besides being an EFL teacher, David has held management positions (Branch Manager, Academic Director, and Centre Principal),and taught Business Studies on university foundation programmes. Areas of particular interest are course design, assessment, and ways of displaying critical thinking in academic writing.

David says, “ One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is seeing students make the most of their time at Brunel so that they achieve their academic , professional, and social goals.”

Alison graduated from Warwick University with a B.A. (Hons) Degree in Drama and English (with Qualified Teacher Status) in 1989. She taught EFL and ESP for six years in Greece from 1990 to 1996, returning to the UK in 1995 to complete the RSA/Cambridge CTEFLA English Language teaching qualification at Hull University. After moving back to the UK, Alison worked in the fields of EAP, EFL, ESOL and business skills training for seven and a half years before joining Brunel University in 2004 as an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) tutor. She obtained her Cambridge DELTA English Language teaching qualification in 2010.

Alison says "Teaching at Brunel for more than eleven and a half years has enabled me to work with a wide range of students. My particular focus has been centred on the delivery of in-sessional Academic Writing courses, which are directed towards the assignment writing requirements of specific postgraduate courses. I believe that by familiarising myself with students' writing requirements and tailoring lesson activities around them, I can ensure learners receive the necessary guidance and skills support to respond to their assignments effectively."

Andrew graduated from University College London (UCL) with a B.A. Degree in Russian Studies in 2006. He subsequently completed his initial teaching training and taught at a number of institutions in Saudi Arabia, including King Saud University (KSU) and the Institute of Public Administration (IPA). After returning to the UK, he completed his Cambridge DELTA English Language teaching qualification and he has been teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at Brunel University since 2013.

Andrew says “Having studied a foreign language abroad as part of my degree, I understand the challenges that students face and I take great satisfaction in seeing the progress they make on our courses. One of my main areas of interest is integrating technology into language learning as I believe this can be used to enable independent study and develop critical thinking skills, which are very important for success.” 

Mandy graduated from Middlesex University with a B.A. Degree in Humanities (English Literature and Art History) in 1983 and completed her Teaching English as a Foreign Language Diploma while working in Japan in 1993. After returning to the UK, she graduated from the Institute of Education, University of London in 1996 with an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Mandy started teaching English to speakers of other languages in 1986 and has worked in many countries including Sudan, Spain and Thailand. She started teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) while in Japan, and then in the UK at Royal Holloway, University of London, and at Brunel since 2007. She also has a background in Marketing and passed the CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) Professional Diploma in Marketing in 2004.

Mandy says " I enjoy working with students to help them find their strengths in language learning and develop the skills they need to succeed. I am particularly interested in academic listening and speaking skills, helping students to develop their own strategies to cope and do well in seminars and presentations. Working with students to develop their academic strategies, such as effective note-taking, and linguistic tools, such as pronunciation, I believe can provide them with greater confidence as well as language skills to do well in their academic work."

Oliver graduated from Birmingham University in 2001 with a B.A. Degree in History, and has been teaching English as a second language since 2003 when he completed his first Cambridge teaching qualification. He completed his Cambridge DELTA through University College London (UCL) in 2010, and is currently taking an M.A in English Language Teaching and Educational Technology by distance learning with the University of Manchester. Oliver has been teaching at Brunel University London since 2012.

Oliver says “It’s a fantastic experience to be a part of the English programmes at Brunel and have the opportunity to work with the international students here. I am particularly interested in academic theory relating to educational technology and its practical applications in the classroom. It’s really motivating as a teacher to see students come here and make such great progress towards their goals.”

Christine graduated from St. Andrew’s University in 1981 with an MA in English Literature and Language. After several jobs in training and management, she retrained as an English teacher in 2004 after living abroad and having to learn a new language as a complete beginner. This challenging experience convinced her of the importance of good language teaching. Christine taught for nine years in a college where she specialised in academic writing and formal presentations, and has taught EAP at Brunel since 2013. She completed her DELTA qualification in 2015.

Christine is particularly interested in developing confidence in students, and encouraging them to improve their skills through analysing and understanding mistakes. She also enjoys finding creative ways to aid understanding and to facilitate learners.