Who we are

Dr Mattia Zingaretti is an Impact Evaluation Analyst at Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Previously, he was a Lecturer in Applied Linguistics and TESOL at York St John University, where he also served as Research and Knowledge Exchange Lead for the Community Language School. Mattia continues to collaborate with the Community Language School as an external research collaborator, contributing to research and knowledge exchange initiatives in the fields of applied linguistics, language education and assessment.

I am a York-based professional translator working with Japanese, English and German. My passion for languages and cultures developed during my childhood and adolescence in Japan. In my twenties I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the multilingual environment of a university on the German-Polish border, where I earned a Master's degree in European Studies. As a committed lifelong language learner, I aspire to be a supportive guide for fellow young learners, helping them find enjoyment and motivation.

I am currently studying a BA in Japanese, TESOL and Linguistics at York St John University. Although I have lived in England for over 25 years, my hometown is a beautiful place in the south of Spain called El Puerto de Santa Maria where my community volunteering with children first started. On moving to England, I worked for 3 years as a Teaching Assistant and Spanish Teacher at my children's then primary school, Clifton Green. The fantastic feedback from this experience greatly influenced my interest in linguistics, how the language works and especially how language learning happens. As a volunteer in CLS I am looking forward to continuing to develop this passion to the fullest and learn through interactive engagement, promoting both the acquisition of language as well as an understanding of Spanish culture.

I am a current student on the BA Honours in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics at York St John University. Having studied Spanish from scratch at A/ Levels, I went on to work at a Spanish camp teaching English to Spanish children and enjoyed immersing myself into the Spanish culture. As a volunteer at the community language school, I will get the opportunity to show my passion for languages and my willingness to learn and grow with the team.

I am currently doing a BA in English Language and Linguistics at York St John University. I am from Argentina and before moving to England I worked as an English Teacher Assistant in both a kindergarten and a primary school. Working with children has been most enriching and I am looking forward to passing on my passion for languages and language learning. Additionally, as a Spanish language volunteer I am excited to introduce the students to other dialects and accents of the Spanish language.

I’m from Yokohama in Kanagawa, Japan, and I now live in Newcastle, where I’m studying BA Tourism and Events Management at Northumbria University. I lived in Switzerland for high school and attended TASIS (the American School in Switzerland), where I learned English. Before moving to the UK, I worked at Haneda Airport in Tokyo doing security screening and interpreting for customers. Since starting my studies in the UK, I have done Japanese–English translation and interpreting for a research project with Newcastle University and Wakayama University.

I am currently studying a Master’s in TESOL at York St John University. I have a BA in Languages, Literatures and Cultural Communication from the University of Padua in Italy, where I developed a strong interest in language learning and second language acquisition. During my studies, I had the opportunity to teach Italian to international learners, which further strengthened my passion for language teaching. As a volunteer at the CLS Language, I am looking forward to sharing my passion for the Italian language and culture while creating a welcoming and supportive environment where students feel comfortable participating and improving their language skills. I am also looking forward to learning from the team, gaining new teaching strategies and improving my teaching skills.

I am currently a PhD student at York St John University researching the impact of community language schooling on language learning and teaching. I completed my Master’s degree in TESOL with Korean at York St John before going on to teach English internationally, both in Seoul and Tokyo. I have since returned to York St John to undertake my doctoral research, funded by the Institute for Social Justice. Originally from a small village in County Durham, my interest in languages first developed through studying German, thanks to an inspiring teacher at my secondary school, and later on Spanish for my A levels. I went on to study BA Modern Languages at Newcastle University, where I studied German, Spanish and Japanese, as well as Italian and Dutch. Alongside my research, I work as a Spanish and Japanese tutor for Surrey County Council and as a GCSE and A-Level German tutor for a widening participation tutoring programme. I also teach some Applied Linguistics and TESOL modules at York St John University. Through both my research and teaching, I am passionate about supporting language learning and helping make language education more accessible to all.