About Heléna Stakounis
​I have over 20 years experience in the education sector, both private and public. Having established my own business at age 27, I am also entrepreneurial and experienced in the world of business. My drive in doing this was largely through a lack of satisfaction with the support and teaching being given to students coming to the UK and wanting to make them feel more at home, providing better quality for their money, and more integration into the local community. Both my Master's research and my PhD have investigated this matter also regarding international visitors' integration into UK society and environments and the role language plays in this.
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As a teacher of languages I have been very fortunate to have spent most of my life surrounded by brilliant people from all over the globe, with different cultures, religions, clothes, cuisine and more, and from them I have learnt so much about humanity and this planet. In my writing, I reflect on all the characters I've met in my life so far and all they have taught me. I have also been fortunate to have travelled so I can paint pictures in my writing of wonderful places from many parts of our planet.
Education
MSc EDTECH, CO-CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED LEARNING
Université Côte d'Azur, 2023-2025
PHD APPLIED LINGUISTICS (Thesis and Coursework)
Lancaster University, 2016-2024
MA APPLIED LINGUISTICS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING (Distinction)
Salford University, 2008-2010
BA FRENCH AND GERMAN (2:1)
Leeds University, 2001-2005
ONLINE TEACHING: CREATING COURSES FOR ADULT LEARNERS
Open University, 2021
Qualifications
SENIOR FELLOWSHIP OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACADEMY
UK Higher Education Academy, 2022
CMI LEVEL 6 AWARD LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Brighton School of Business and Management, 2020
DELTA (Merit, Pass, Merit)
International House, London, 2014
TEFL
Via Lingua, Crete, 2006
My Latest Projects
LANCASTER UNIVERSITY EAP ONLINE
In the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, our university department made the decision to put the English for Academic Purposes courses online. So, I have been learning very quickly about software and various applications in order to write an online course syllabus, materials and tutor training program to make this move to help prepare Undergraduate and Postgraduate students from all over the world for their university courses.
BALEAP RESEARCH REPORT
In October 2020, BALEAP (British Association for Lecturers of English for Academic Purposes) put out a call for research proposals to investigate the impact of Covid-19 on the UK EAP sector. Dr Emma Bruce and I responded to the call and won the funding to conduct the study. We used a mixed methods approach, including an online questionnaire and interviews to better understand the challenges and opportunities that the pandemic brought to EAP managers, administrators, coordinators, curriculum writers and teachers.
Read the report here.
MA TESOL & APPLIED LINGUISTICS ONLINE PROGRAMME & MODULES
During the pandemic, Durham University employed me to work online teaching Master's degree modules, marking assignments, supervising dissertations and developing new modules. As the university makes a move towards the digital, I have been tasked with writing fully online modules, such as Technology-enhanced Language Education, Sociolinguistics and Intercultural Communication and Education. I have also been appointed MA Online Coordinator to help develop Durham's first fully online Master's programme in the field of Applied Linguistics and Global Language Education.
MICR0LEARNING MODULE: CLIMATE ACTION
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As part of the MSc EdTech at Université Côte d'Azur, we were tasked with developing a microlearning module about one of the United Nations sustainable development goals. I used EdApp to create mine, incorporating vocabulary learning with awareness of sustainable development goal number 13: climate action. You can try the module here.
INTERNATIONAL WEEK
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Some of the children in our village have never been beyond our region. They certainly had never had the opportunity to meet people from the other side of the globe. In summer, I invited some of our MA TESOL and Applied Linguistics students from Durham University to join me in facilitating an international week at the local holiday club. We did Harry Potter quizzes and welly-wanging on a British-inspired day and made fans and lanterns with the children's names written in Mandarin on them on a Chinese-inspired day, as our students were all from China. Through an approach I call togethering, the children had to communicate with our Chinese students in English in order to complete their tasks. It was a magical week where our Durham students had the chance to experience the beauty of rural France and our local children had the world walk into their little village.
THE FRIDAYS
The Fridays is my latest novel. Set some time in the future, the Fridays is a group of young people who through marching in the streets for their future have come together over the internet to make a plan. When Chaos comes, they will make their way to Telos, an island that thought ahead, that planned for the climate crisis and the breakdown of global systems. Zale, Anda, Ravi, Katoka and company on embark on a journey to a new but old reality where people of all different backgrounds, beliefs and abilities work together to survive on a small slice of the planet.
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Find out more here.
PEARSON EXAMS, COURSE BOOKS & DIGITAL MATERIALS
I have been writing exam items for PTE Academic for a while now but more recently, I have been asked to write material for Pearson Europe and online lessons for Pearson Ltd. This involves writing course book material, full exam papers and model answers predominantly for Polish state high schools as well as online videos, lessons and exercises for the PTE Academic exam.
OLASHORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ENGLISH FOR 21ST CENTURY SKILLS
I am passionate about reimagining education to make it more fit for purpose for our young people. The skills they will need for the future are constantly evolving and it's up to us as educators to make sure they are developing the skills they need. Some of these include awareness and action on climate change, digital literacy, critical thinking and intercultural communication skills. I have developed fully online lessons to teach all age groups at this Nigerian international school to help pupils and teachers develop their critical thinking when using internet sources and be aware of netiquette in online communication.
LANGUAGE LEARNING IN VIRTUAL REALITY
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Students on my Technology-enhanced language education module at Durham University were offered the opportunity to try out Mondly by Pearson's virtual reality language learning app on the Oculus headset. Most students really enjoyed the experience and I am currently analysing the research results to see whether students judged it to be an effective tool or not.
MULTICULTURAL MEETINGS
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Despite being far from the city and some would say, 'in the middle of nowhere', our little Gascon village is actually very multicultural. The mayor joined programmes to welcome refugees and there are many different Europeans here who have benefitted from freedom of movement to come and enjoy this little community and more peaceful way of life. When I lived in Manchester, over 5 years I held a weekly 'international meeting', which was open to all to come and join us in the local café and then later in my language school, Language Café. I began the meetings as a result of my master's research with international students who were disappointed they had no chance to improve their English or meet British people. I believe that the best way to learn a language is to talk and especially in an informal setting. After becoming friends with the Syrian family here in our village, I thought perhaps it was time to start the same kind of initiative here in our little village, to practise French, learn about other cultures and better integrate into the community. And, so far so good...
My Passions
My Family
I have two children, Stefanie and Joe. They keep me moving, challenge me every day and allow me to share in the excitement of life's journey. I learn from them every day and I'm in awe of their lust for life, engaging in music, language learning, dance and sports.
TESTIMONIALS
LANCASTER COLLEAGUES
You are truly my inspiration and you are the reason I got introduced to this subject which ultimately led me to investigate a topic that I am so passionate about. If it wasn't for your guidance throughout the module, I would have never found my passion. Thank you for teaching us every class so enthusiastically and helping us every step of the way while we conducted our first empirical research project. After I complete my PHD, I hope to become a teacher like you.
Student (MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL)
Beyond her role as a module leader, Helena goes above and beyond to support her students. She dedicates considerable time and effort to assisting us with our dissertations, providing valuable insights and guidance that greatly enhance the quality of our research. Additionally, Helena's initiative in creating a Language Cafe has had a profound impact on student life. This welcoming space not only fosters friendships but also encourages the exchange of cultural perspectives and language skills. Through the Language Cafe, Helena has created a supportive community where students can share cultural differences, improve their English proficiency, and feel a sense of belonging within the academic environment. Her holistic approach to education, which extends far beyond the confines of the classroom, is a testament to her unwavering dedication to student success and well-being.
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Students at Durham University
