ProfessorAlessandro Benati

Alessandro has been provided strong academic leadership in the development and the delivery of the curricula at both undergraduate (BA International Studies, BA Language Education and BA English Language Teaching, PGCE programme at the University of Greenwich, University of London, Portsmouth, Sharjah and the University of Hong Kong) and postgraduate level (MA Applied Linguistics, MA TESOL, MA in Language Learning and Japanese Language Teaching, MA in Language Education). Alessandro has taught several courses such as research methods in second language research, introduction to second language acquisition, contemporary language teaching, the role and nature of language and communication, and instructed second language learning. He has developed online and blended learning programmes and courses and he regularly teaches in the online MA TESOL and MA Applied Linguistics at the University of Anaheim (USA) and Hong Kong University where he is honorary professor. He has received several teaching awards over the years.  He is an internationally recognised scholar and educator in second language acquisition. I have extensive teaching experience across undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and professional development programmes at UCD and internationally. My teaching focuses on connecting research and theory with practical, engaging learning experiences, particularly in second language development, language pedagogy, and experimental research. My distinctive contribution is his commitment to evidence-informed, innovative and inclusive teaching, using research to enhance student learning and develop independent, critical thinkers and future language educators.