TEAM

Claire Gorrara is Professor of French at Cardiff University. She is currently Chair of the University Council of Modern Languages. This is a cross-sector organisation that advocates and lobbies for languages within Higher Education. She is the founder of the MFL Mentoring project and has been working with the project and its team since November 2015. She is a passionate believer in the value of languages and multilingualism for individuals, societies and cultures. She researches and has published on languages, mentoring and education in Wales.

Lucy joined the project at the end of 2017. Lucy is a graduate of Cardiff University undertaking her BA in English Literature and Italian and her Masters in European Studies. Lucy is driven by the positive difference the project makes to Welsh Education and loves working in partnership with schools and universities to promote a different vision for languages. Lucy has spearheaded the development of different activities, including most recently the transformation of the project to a fully digital programme. Lucy developed a sister project, Languages Horizons, in 2018 which received funding from the Department for Education, England. She led the project until its conclusion in 2020, following the Covid-19 pandemic. Lucy has also supported multiple research grants associated with the project and has begun publishing on matters relating to languages education, languages in Wales and mentoring as a tool to increase learner motivation.

Glesni joined the project as a mentor in 2017, whilst completing her BA in History and German and her Masters in Medieval History at Cardiff University. Glesni was an intern with the project over the summer of 2019, and when the opportunity came for her to join the project full time, she jumped at the chance! Since September 2019, Glesni has been working as the Wales Coordinator for the MFL Student Mentoring Project and has helped to create a fully digital and immersive transformation project for year 11-13 pupils during the Coivd-19 pandemic and the closure of schools across the UK. This project was created with the aim to develop a positive experience around digital learning, as well as expand pupil’s knowledge about the opportunities available during higher education in terms of degree choices. Growing up bilingual has made Glesni passionate about bringing together all languages and championing the importance of each one equally within the education sector.

Tallulah joined the project in 2016 as a mentor during her BA in French and her MA in Translation Studies at Cardiff University. After completing her degree she became the first Regional Coordinator for Language Horizons. As the project grew she progressed to the role of Operations Manager for Language Horizons until it closed in 2020. She then rejoined the team on the MFL Student Mentoring Project. Tallulah leads the mentor training and enjoys helping the mentors develop their skillset as they look to their future. Her studies have given her a nuanced understanding of language and its connections with different subjects. She loves creating multilingual resources dispelling the misconceptions around different cultures and languages. Most recently she has supported the project’s research into language education in Wales.

Becky joined the team in January 2020, initially to develop the Language Horizons project in the West Midlands. Becky graduated from Cardiff University with a BA in Spanish and Italian before completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Interpreting and Translating at the University of Bath. Becky went on to complete her PGCE in secondary education at UWIC and has over twelve years of experience teaching Spanish and French at a Welsh medium secondary school. Since joining the team Becky has not only helped boost GCSE language take up in the West Midlands, but also helped deliver the immersive transformation project for year 11-13 pupils during the Covid-19 pandemic in response to the closure of schools across the UK. Becky is thrilled to be taking on the new role of School Support Officer, creating digital resources for teachers that not only promote the ethos of the MFL Mentoring Scheme but will also facilitate schools’ transition to the New Curriculum.

Becca Joined the project as a mentor in 2017 whilst studying French, Italian and German at Bangor University and was inspired by the team’s passion and mission to promote language and cultures in our schools. After graduating in 2018, Becca travelled to Germany to teach English as a British Council language assistant before being offered an internship with the MFL Mentoring team in the summer of 2019. Becca then worked as the Regional Coordinator for South Yorkshire with Language Horizons. As part of this role she managed a team of mentors and facilitated the delivery of the project including the management of a bespoke platform for delivery. She thoroughly enjoyed this role and realised her passion for outreach work. Becca now coordinates the Year 11-13 project with the MFL Student Mentoring Project, and is excited to increase motivation for language learning and university study.