Meet the Team

Bonjour, I’m Estelle and I come from Provence in France. I swapped the lavender fields for the cosy pubs in 2014 when I moved to London. But since the pandemic, I have relocated to Cardiff where I enjoy Welsh cakes and discovering the beautiful outdoors that the country offers.

I’ve been working as a teacher, teacher trainer and academic manager since 1998 in different countries and different settings. I recently relocated to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I currently work as a teacher training coordinator for IH, tutoring CELTA, Delta and YL courses. I also spend quite a lot of time working online, tutoring courses for the Distance Delta and IH. My work has always been my hobby so the boundaries between my work and free time are fairly blurred. Apart from the ELT, I love cooking, bowling, Turkish & Scandinavian literature and an occasional movie, run and swim.

Anna Csíky

I am a freelance English teacher and teacher trainer based in Budapest, Hungary, which allows for a diversity of work contexts. From high school to business teaching, and Delta training to video blogging, I love teaming up with people and organisations that share my mission of making language learning and teaching a more efficient and more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Annie Thomson

I’m Annie and I having been working at International House, London since 2006. Before then I was living in Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico and Portugal, teaching a range of courses, including EAP and YL. I am a CELTA and Delta trainer but, like probably all trainers, I love to be back in the classroom teaching whenever I can! I am also a Delta Module 3 examiner.

Brigid Nugent

I’m originally from Ireland, I still have my Irish brogue and am based now in Italy, so pretty much use the same vowel sounds. I do Deltas and CELTAs, on and offline all over the globe and am a JCA. I still love what I do and know that I am incredibly lucky to be able to say that.

Chris Ożóg

I’m Chris, a teacher, teacher trainer and writer, originally from Scotland but very rarely there now. I’ve been involved in English Language Teaching for long enough to have white hairs appearing, usually working for International House, and I’m the current editor of the IH Journal. My work has taken all over the globe, from Costa Rica through Dubai to Thailand and Japan (where I’m currently based), amongst other places. I’m a CELTA and Delta tutor and Assessor and also present occasional webinars, as well as writing articles here and there. My particular interests are in the observation and feedback cycle in teacher training / development, along with context-relevant teacher training.

Claire Potter

I work at Clic, International House, Sevilla as Director of Teacher Training, working on CELTA, Delta and IH YL courses and teaching teens. I originally started teaching in Japan for two years, before moving to Spain in the mid-nineties, where I have worked ever since in Cordoba, Sevilla and Malaga. I am lucky to be able to travel to different countries when doing CELTA and Delta assessments and IH inspections, which I love. In my free time you will often catch me at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, cheering on my football team Sevilla FC.

Damian Williams

I like to keep myself busy and as a freelance teacher trainer have my fingers in lots of pies, both sweet and savoury. I’ve been teacher training for eight years both in the UK and Brazil. I’m an Assessor for CELTA courses, as well as Delta Module 2. I’ve also done writing for UK and Brazilian publishers, do consultancy work for local schools, translating, and of course, teaching. I’ve been based in Rio for the last five years, though my work often takes me all round Brazil and Argentina.

David Palfreyman

Hello. I’ve taught EFL in Italy and Spain, and ESL in the UK, and I’ve been a Delta Tutor and Assessor for many years in Turkey and the Middle East. Most of my work now is at university level. I enjoy working on the Distance Delta as it involves vicarious contact with a lot of different teaching situations around the world. I’m especially interested in lexis, culture and how learners use their own resources (including their L1) in learning.

Fran Barnard

I’ve been working at IH for 10 years as a teacher and teacher trainer. Before that I worked in various countries including Sweden, Turkey and Hungary. My most recent stint abroad was 2 years in New Zealand from 1996-8 which was a fantastic experience. Originally I was state school trained and spent three years teaching in secondary education (English and Religious studies). I still have a strong interest in teaching and training teachers of younger learners at both primary and secondary levels.

Ifthaquar Jamil

My name is Ifthaquar but most people just call me Iffy because it’s a lot easier to pronounce. I’ve been at IH London since 2006, but before that I worked as an English teacher in Japan. I am a CELTA and Delta trainer for the most part, but I also still try to spend as much time as I can in the classroom. I am also an examiner for Cambridge ESOL.

Jane Richbell

Hi, I’m a CELTA tutor and assessor and Delta tutor. I have been teaching for many years and have worked for IH in Sydney and the British Council. I have just returned to England after living overseas for about 15 years in Thailand, Brazil and Australia and am now a freelance trainer. I’m still getting used to the weather here!

Jon Goodliffe

I’ve been a TEFLER since 1987. I’ve worked in Paris, Tokyo, Bahrain, Riyadh and now Oman. On the teaching front I’ve been a trainer since about 1990 and I have a particular fondness for phonology.

Jonathan Stoddart

Hello there. I’m Jonathan, and I’m a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Institute of Education, University College London. I began teaching in 1994, and have been training since 1999. I am an examiner for Module 3 of the Diploma. Prior to working here in London, I worked in the beautiful city of Lisbon for ten years, initially in a secondary school, and then for International House (where I took my Diploma in 1998). Since then, I have taught English for Academic Purposes and Academic Literacy in a number of universities in the UK. I completed my Master’s in ELT in 2006 and have just finished my doctorate at the Faculty of Education, Cambridge. In my free time I row and coach at Furnivall Sculling Club on the Thames.

Kathy King

I have been involved in EFL since the late 1980s and have taught in Turkey, Spain, Italy and the UK. Since 2004, I have been working as an EAP tutor and teacher trainer (CELTA and Delta) at University College London (UCL). I also mark the Cambridge Delta Module 1 exams. I am particularly interested in teaching and learning online and did a module of my Masters in TESOL as a distance learner myself.

Lucy Gubbin

I’ve worked as teacher trainer at LAL Torbay in Paignton, Devon, for 20 years now. We run CELTA and Delta courses on a regular basis and now have a team of 8 trainers. I also work for Cambridge Assessment and my work for them includes writing for and marking Delta Module 1 papers. I’ve been an assessor for CELTA for 15 years.

Marie Morgan

I’m Marie, based in Vancouver but born in Liverpool. Been in ESL since 1988 though was a meditation teacher first then a group facilitator/trainer. Worked in the UK teaching ESL/training teachers then freelance in Australia, US, Canada and Italy. Worked on lots of CELTA courses, am a CELTA/Delta/TKT Assessor, have trained trainers and work with Cambridge ESOL on many projects. With a colleague, introduced DELTA to Canada in 2004. Completed my MA in 2007, and still vividly remember what it’s like to write drafts! I’m an examiner for a number of international ESL exams, and for the last few years have been working with a large international school writing and editing materials for their course books – a real passion of mine.

Mary Grennan

Mike Carter

My name’s Mike Carter. I’m a teacher trainer at IH Seville in Southern Spain. I’ve been training teachers on all Delta Modules for about 15 years now. I’m also an Assessor for both CELTA and Delta. In Seville we run face-to-face, blended, and online training courses. I’ve worked mainly in Spain, but also in the UK, Greece and Thailand. In my free time I love music, cooking, reading, cinema, and travelling (like most of you). I’m looking forward to working with you all.

Neil Anderson

Hi – I’m Neil. I’m the Senior Teacher Trainer at International House Budapest (responsible for teacher mentoring, the CELTA team, and our own extensive DELTA). I also work as a Module 3 examiner and CELTA assessor. On top of these, I recently wrote a book called Ideas In Action: Activities for Task-based Learning. I’m an avid reader, lover of music / the guitar, movies, games and cats.

Rebecca Hales

I’m currently working as the ELT Development Manager for the British Council in Vietnam. Prior to that I was involved in British Council teacher training initiatives in Jordan and Palestine as well as working as a CELTA and DELTA tutor in Cairo. I’ve also taught at university language centres and private language schools in Australia, Japan and Italy.

Rick Ansell

I’m Rick Ansell and I’m a freelance Teacher and Teacher Trainer, though for the last year or more I have worked at IH London, having worked for the organization throughout the ’90s. I began teaching in 1985 and spent time in Spain, Italy, Turkey and Brazil before returning to work in London where I trained to become a Teacher Trainer in 1993. I worked on the original Distance Diploma, marking paper scripts sent in by Candidates before it all went digital which makes me feel I must be pretty old. Outside teaching and training I enjoy long distance fell running, endurance cycling and mountaineering.

Sally Beetham Tilley

Hi. I’m originally from London, but now live in Canada in the foothills of the Rockies. I’ve been teaching ESL/EFL/ESOL for over 30 years, as well as training teachers on CELTA and DELTA courses, in all sorts of contexts. Here in Canada I’m a freelance teacher, CELTA and DELTA trainer/ assessor, as well as a DD tutor, doing some language examining and training on some TESL Canada training courses.

Sally Hirst

I came to Istanbul with a newly acquired CELTA in hand long ago, loved it and have no intention of leaving. I’ve taught language in different contexts here in Turkey, but more business English than anything else. I run the Delta Modules for ITI here in Istanbul and help create other kinds of training and development courses for them too. I also love tutoring for Distance Delta (ELTM is my favourite) and mark Module 3 for Cambridge.

Sam Porter

I have been teaching English since 1997 (in mainland Europe and the UK) and I’ve been a teacher trainer since 2008. I tutor on both CELTA and Delta courses and I am also an exam marker for Delta Module 1.

Sharon Celtek

I’ve been teaching for about 25 years, mostly in Turkey, where I started off as the DOS of IH Istanbul before moving to the British Council and doing freelance training on CELTA and DELTA courses. I’m currently teaching at Sabanci University in Istanbul, where I’m also involved in the School of Languages developmental observation program, their Teacher Education and Teacher Trainer programs as well as doing teacher training with the Turkish Ministry of Education. I can empathize with all of you who are studying online as I did my Masters through distance education with Macquarie University!

Sheena Ando

I’ve been teaching for over 30 years and have been a DELTA tutor for about 20 years! I was a Delta OC Tutor in London, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo and Osaka and was Head of Teacher Training at the British Council, Tokyo for many years. I have run face to face CELTA and DELTA courses but love working on the Distance DELTA. I have also worked in Egypt (IH), South Korea, Belgium and the UK and am now in Frankfurt, Germany.

Steve Oakes

I’ve been working in ELT since 1988, when I left the film business and took on a group of beginners, all wives of consulate workers, at the UN. I later taught in Japan then moved to Hungary where I’ve been teaching and training with International House since 1992. I’ve worked on and run Distance Delta Orientation Courses in London and here in Budapest, and have run a dozen or so face-to-face Deltas. I have a strong preference for the Distance Delta format, in part because its extensive nature (time-wise) allows a candidate to develop more naturally and gradually, to try things out and reflect on them.

Tillat Khalid

I’ve have been teaching EFL for the past 31 years, mainly in the Middle East but have also done stints in the UK, Pakistan and now in Vancouver, Canada. In Kuwait I ran the Delta, CELTA and Young Learner Extension training programmes for the British Council. I did my CELTA, a DTEFLA and then an MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL from the University of Leicester. I am also a CELTA, YL and DELTA assessor and did a fair bit of travelling around many beautiful cities in the Middle East in that capacity. I moved to Vancouver in 2001 and am especially proud to have been involved in setting up the first DELTA centre in Canada. I am currently involved in coordinating and teaching on Delta, CELTA and YL Extension programmes here and do a great deal of work with the Distance Delta and with IELTS.