TEASIG Committee

Maria Davou – TEASIG Joint Coordinator

I was born and raised in Athens, Greece. I am a school owner, teacher, teacher trainer, researcher, author, and storyteller. I have a BA in Philosophy, Cambridge DELTA, an MA in TESOL, St Michael’s College, Vermont, and have studied for a PhD in Applied Linguistics at Lancaster University, UK, completing my Doctorate degree in Athens. I also held an ESRC research award. I have more than thirty years of experience in teaching, teacher training, and syllabus design in Greece, the UK, and the US. As a language school owner in Athens, I’ve been promoting alternative and experiential models of teaching. I am an international trainer and academic consultant for publishing companies, private schools, and Ministries of Education around the world.  I also teach as an adjunct professor for the Hellenic American University (HAEC), where I teach TESOL Management, and for the MA in Creative Writing at the University of West Macedonia. I am the co-founder of QUALIFY, teaching Trinity CertTESOL and DipTESOL. Finally, I am the founder of the publishing house Glossobooks. My research interests are SLA, Critical Pedagogy, Classroom-based Assessment, and Inquiry-based learning. I’ve been an active member of IATEFL, with talks, articles, and webinars for TEASIG in particular.

Joanna Wrzesinska – TEASIG Joint Coordinator

I was born in Warsaw, Poland and I currently divide my time between Poland and Greece, where my husband is from.

I started teaching EFL when I was 21, in my third year of the English teacher training college, and most of my students were twice my age at that time. I felt a bit intimidated, but I quickly discovered classroom is my place to be. Time passed and I gained experience teaching learners of various ages and proficiency levels, including running international exams preparation courses. I completed my MA degree in TEFL and was promoted to academic manager at the language centre where I worked. In 2011 I started working full time for the TOEFL® brand. The last few years I’m responsible for teacher training and outreach to ELT organizations in the EMEA region.

Attending and presenting at the IATEFL conference was my professional dream ever since I first heard about it at college. My first conference was in 2016, in Birmingham and it was a fantastic experience. Becoming a TEASIG member was also a natural choice for me. I’m looking forward to speaking to you about how you can benefit from becoming a TEASIG member and contribute to what we do if you would like to.

Anna Soltyska – TEASIG Webinar Coordinator

I was born in Warsaw (Poland) and am currently based in Germany where I lecture English for General and Specific Academic Purposes at the Ruhr-University in Bochum. I have been active in the language teaching and testing industry for over 20 years and worked in various contexts (secondary and higher education, in-company and private one-to-one settings). My research interests include task-based learning, teaching and assessment, assessment-related malpractice, teaching foreign languages in plurilingual classrooms, validating assessment of writing skills, and integrating mediation activities in language learning and testing.

I joined TEASIG shortly before the IATEFL conference in Glasgow in 2017 where I was the winner of the Trinity College London Language Examination Scholarship. Since April 2020 I am glad to actively support the TEASIG Committee in my role as the Webinar Coordinator.

Natassa Manitsa – TEASIG Webmaster & Social Media Coordinator 

I hold a BA in Education, a Diploma in Translation and British Studies, a Diploma in Marketing & Communications, a Diploma in Digital and Social Media Marketing, an MSc in School Psychology, and an MA in Philosophy and the Arts.  I have been a keen blogger, a radio producer, a site chief editor, a teacher trainer, an author, and a translator for more than 25 years. I have travelled extensively, delivering seminars and workshops all over Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. My connection with IATEFL started in 2012, mainly as a speaker and presenter of many workshops and seminars.

From 2007 up to 2022, I was the Media & Communications Manager of Express Publishing, a Senior Teacher Trainer, and the Chief Editor of the Teacher’s Corner site of Express Publishing. I was also the creator, producer, and former co-presenter of the educational podcast Teacher’s Coffee. In June 2022, I founded EduMarketing Agency, which is involved in Communication, Content creation, and Marketing of Education-related companies, schools, and organizations. I am also the co-founder of EdSkills Academy, a training centre for university students and adults in Athens and a registered exam centre for Trinity College London and TOEFL iBT, and a freelance speaker and trainer.

My decision to become a member and later, a committee member of TEASIG is something I am enthusiastic about, as I am a great supporter of alternative assessment methods, which have a more positive psychological impact on students. I hope that through my personal involvement, I will be able to do more research, promote the SIG’s values, and, of course, have the chance to meet more like-minded people.

Panagiota Vampoula – TEASIG Co-editor

EFL, ESL Teacher, Examiner, Teacher Trainer/Tutor & Mentor

I was born and raised in Athens, Greece, and started teaching English in my hometown in 1992. I hold a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and TESOL, Diploma for Overseas Teachers of English University of Cambridge ( DOTE RSA ), Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages University of Cambridge ( CELTA ) , Train The Trainer (Certificate of Completion, Cambridge English Teaching, Cambridge Assessment English ). I have also completed the e-learning courses  Special Education Needs: Interdisciplinary Integration Approaches and Teaching a Foreign Language to Learners with Dyslexia ( University of Athens, Greece). I am an English Teacher at Glossomatheia Language Schools and Mentor, mentoring English Language & Literature graduate students in their teaching practice ( Hellenic University of Athens, Greece, English Language &Literature Department ) and Trinity Cert Tesol, Course Tutor ( QUALIFY, Greece ). I am also a certified Speaking Examiner and a Senior Online Speaking & Writing Examiner since 2020. I became an IATEFL and TEASIG member in 2023 and my current research interests are Artificial Intelligence and Testing.

Being selected as a TEASIG committee member brings me great enthusiasm as it allows me to participate actively in TEASIG’s activities, connect with a wider community of educators, exchange ideas, and collaborate on projects that advance our collective understanding and practice in the field.

Myleni Ishida – TEASIG Events Coordinator

I was born and raised in Brazil and am currently based in France. My background is quite diverse—I hold a bachelor’s degree in Economics, have a CELTA certificate, and even spent three years working for the Court of Justice in Brazil. I started teaching English in 2013 and quickly fell in love with it. Currently I work as both a freelance teacher and at language schools and my main interest lies in exam preparation lessons.  I teach students from different levels and ages and my main objective is to help students see life beyond the tests by enjoying the process of learning.

I joined IATEFL and TEASIG in 2023 and was selected as a member of the TEASIG committee in 2024, after the IATEFL conference in Brighton, where I was the winner of the TEASIG scholarship. Winning the TEASIG scholarship and speaking at the conference was a dream come true for me. Now, being part of such an incredible team of professionals inspires me even more to contribute to the association. I’m excited to share ideas, connect with the community, and make meaningful contributions to the SIG.

Burcu Kayarkaya – Marketing & Communications Coordinator

I was born and raised in İstanbul, Türkiye, where I work as the Academic Coordinator in the department of Modern Languages at a state university. In this role, I design curriculum and assessment frameworks for undergraduate students across various departments.

I hold an MA and a PhD in ELT, and my research focuses on translanguaging, EFL writing instruction, and assessment design, with particular emphasis on the experiences of emergent bilingual writers. I have presented my work at leading international conferences, including IATEFL 2024, where I was awarded the TOEFL Scholarship and became a member of IATEFL. I also contribute to internationally funded projects that aim to enhance foreign language education in Türkiye. My forthcoming monograph explores translanguaging-informed approaches to writing instruction and assessment, while my broader academic interests include the cognitive and sociolinguistic dimensions of multilingualism and foreign language assessment.

Selda Gumus – Face-to-Face Events Coordinator

I am from Türkiye, Istanbul, and began my journey in English Language Teaching after completing my BA in English Language and Literature in 2005. Following my MA in Media and Film Studies, I moved to Granada, Spain, to complete a TEFL course and learn Spanish in 2011. Then I returned to Istanbul to continue with the DELTA. I have been teaching English for almost 18 years, the last 12 of which have been at university level in Ozyegin University, Istanbul. For the past 8 years, I have also been a member of the Curriculum and Assessment group.

My current professional interests focus on the role of AI tools in English language learning, particularly in fostering learner autonomy, enhancing writing skills, and redefining the instructor’s role in this evolving process. I have presented two talks at IATEFL, in Brighton (2024) and Edinburgh (2025), sharing my work on integrating AI into language teaching and assessment.

I greatly value being part of such a vibrant professional community where ideas and experiences are constantly exchanged with numerous like-minded people and I love learning about new methodologies in testing and assessment.  I very recently joined TEASIG in the Summer of 2025, supporting in the capacity of Face-to-Face Events Coordinator and I am so excited to contribute to TEASIG.

William Pearson – Online Events Coordinator

I am from the UK, although after starting out in TESOL back in 2006, I consider myself very fortunate to have worked with a wide range of English language teachers and learners and teachers in a variety of contexts, including in the Russian Federation, Singapore, Republic of Korea, Japan, and the UAE.

Since 2022, I have been a Lecturer in Language Education at the University of Exeter, working primarily on the MEd TESOL programme. I teach on a range of modules including in language testing and assessment. My main research activities address candidates preparing for high-stakes second language writing assessments (notably, the International English Language Testing System). I particularly have an interest in the role written feedback may play in supporting test-takers in meeting their test goals and the powerful mediating effects of candidate writers’ beliefs on test preparation.

 I currently have the pleasure of regularly attending IATEFL in partnership with the AS Hornby Educational Trust, where I support the Hornby Scholars in the development of their group presentation, a staple of IATEFL for many years.

 I very recently joined TEASIG in the Summer of 2025, supporting in the capacity of Online Events Coordinator.