Our People
.png?sfvrsn=319caee_0)
PGDip (Aptitude for teaching of French) Alliance Francaise, French MOE 2005
MS (Science & Technics) University of Havre 1994
BA (Economics) University of Havre 1992
Jean François Ghesquière is a Senior lecturer in the Centre for Modern Languages at NTU, Singapore. He teaches French language courses and is also an official examiner, assessor and instructor for Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) and Diplôme approfondi de langue française (DALF) which are administered by CIEP (Centre international d'études pédagogiques) for France’s Ministry of Education. He has presented at international conferences in Malaysia and Taipei. His research interests include Francophilia in Asia and French in consumer discourse.
Hani Mustafa
Senior Lecturer & Malay Language Coordinator, Deputy Director of CML
Tel: 6513 8123
[email protected]
M.Ed (Malay Lang) Nanyang Technological University 2009
Post-Grad Dip in Edu (Malay Lang & Lit) National Institute of Education 2002
BA (Malay Studies & English Lang) National University of Singapore 1994
Hani Mustafa is a lecturer in Centre for Modern Languages, in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her research interests include areas in language teaching, learning and attitude. In the area of teaching, she studies the different approaches to teaching, the use of technology in teaching and alternative assessment. The impact of bilingualism and multilingualism on learning attitudes, social integration and policy making is another area which interests her as she looks at the pattern in language acquisition and its impact on society. She is also keen on the issue of language identity and is currently studying on what motivates a person to learn language and what are the perceived relationship between language and social, cultural and economic identity, especially in the context multi-cultural Singapore. She teaches Malay language level one, two and three and designs the curriculum for the teaching of Malay for medical students. She also teaches Malay for adult learners and conducts the summer exchange programme. Hani Mustafa has been a journalist with Singapore Press Holdings prior to joining the education industry. She joined NTU in 2014. She has published a book on Teaching and Learning of Basic Malay.
Agnes Ryoo Hye Jin
Senior Lecturer & Korean Language Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
M.A. in Korean studies, specialized in KFL (Korean as a Foreign Language), Korea
M.A. in English Language and Literature, Korea
B.A. in English Language and Literature, KoreaLinguistics, Sociocultural Studies and Technology Enhanced Language Learning (TELL).
Ryoo Hye Jin Agnes is a Senior Lecturer and the Language Coordinator of Korean in the Centre for Modern Languages. She has taught Korean in NTU ever since she joined in 2009, having written textbooks for the Korean language learners.
Chen Liandong
Senior Lecturer & Japanese Language Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
PhD (Jap Ling) Osaka University 2008
MA Saitama University 1989
BA Beijing Foreign Studies University 1982
Research Interests:
Japanese language grammar
Pragmatics focus particles in Japanese language
Syntax
Morphology
Cristina González Ruiz
Senior Lecturer & Spanish Language Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
PhD in Applied Linguistics to Language Teaching (2019 – ongoing)
MA in Applied Linguistics - University of Jaen (2010)
MA in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language - University of Leon (2007)
MA in Leisure & Tourism Management - University of Deusto (1998)
BA (Hons) in Leisure & Tourism Management - University of North London (1997)
Cristina is a Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Modern Languages at NTU, Singapore. She has been teaching and coordinating Spanish language courses since the language was first offered in 2002. She is also an accredited examiner for the DELE (Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language), administered by the Instituto Cervantes and issued by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Spain.
She is a firm believer in integrating enabling technology into the curriculum with the aim of using it in the way that best supports students in achieving the course learning objectives and provides them with the best possible learning experience. Thus, she has developed blended learning courses that integrate technology into the curriculum design and assessment through the adoption of the Flipped Classroom model. She has published in the areas of oral learning strategies, oral presentation skills in language learning and technology enhanced language learning.
Estelle Bech
Senior Lecturer & French Language Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Post-grad (French Teaching) University Lumiere 1998
Master degree (French) University Marc Bloch 1995
Master degree (French Liguistics) University Marc Bloch 1995
Estelle Bech is a French lecturer in the Centre for Modern Languages at NTU, Singapore. She teaches French language courses and is also an examiner, assessor and instructor for Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) and Diplôme approfondi de langue française (DALF) which are administered by CIEP (Centre international d'études pédagogiques) for France’s Ministry of Education. Her research interests include IT / web use in second language acquisition, blended learning (flipped classroom) and pedagogical approach (action/task based approach) in second language acquisition.
.png?sfvrsn=6c642174_0 "XLHE Photo")
- Ph.D. in Linguistics, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2005
- M.A. in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign/Second Language, Jinan University, China, 2001
- B.A. in English Language and Literature, Hunan Normal University, China, 1994
Dr. He Xiaoling is a dedicated and passionate foreign language educator, equipped with a stellar academic background that has shaped her into a highly skilled teacher. She began with a B.A. in English Language and Literature from Hunan Normal University, renowned for its comprehensive and specialized training in education and teaching, including pedagogy, curriculum development, and educational psychology, teaching methodologies.
To further enhance her expertise, she pursued a M.A. degree in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language at Jinan University, a leading institution in the field in China. This program exposed her to a wide array of language teaching techniques, language acquisition theories, and intercultural communication, thereby enriching her ability to design engaging and effective language lessons.
Driven by an insatiable curiosity for language itself, she delved into the intricacies of language structure, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics through a Ph.D. in Chinese Linguistics. This rigorous doctoral program equipped her with a profound understanding of language fundamentals, enhancing her capacity to explain language concepts with clarity and precision.
With a fusion of these diverse training backgrounds, Dr. He stands as a uniquely qualified foreign language teacher, blending essential teaching expertise with a deep comprehension of language. This powerful combination empowers her to create a stimulating and nurturing learning environment, dedicated to inspiring genuine appreciation for foreign languages and cultures among her students.
Since 1994, Dr. He has embarked on an enriching teaching career across China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Her extensive experience has allowed her to teach students from various cultural backgrounds, honing her approach to cater to individual learning needs while fostering cross-cultural understanding.
Following the completion of her Ph.D. degree, Dr. He assumed a pivotal role as the Co-Program Leader and main instructor for a prestigious MA program in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In this leadership position, she showcased her proficiency in language pedagogy, ensuring the success of the program and mentoring aspiring language educators.
Since 2010, Dr. He has been serving as a Chinese language coordinator and a main instructor at Nanyang Technological University. Her dedicated contributions encompass designing Chinese language curricula and meticulously crafting teaching content for courses ranging from beginners to advanced levels and Chinese courses for specific purposes, such as Business Chinese, Chinese for Medical students, Chinese course for heritage students. Her adeptness in teaching students across all proficiency levels has earned her acclaim from students and colleagues alike.
Courses taught
- Chinese Language Level 1
- Chinese language level 1 Reading & Writing
- Chinese Language Level 2
- Chinese Language Level 3
- Chinese Language Level 4
- Advanced Practical Chinese
- Business Chinese
Sureenate Jaratjarungkiat
Senior Lecturer & Thai Language Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
PhD (Thai) Chulalongkorn University 2013
MA (Thai) Chulalongkorn University 2009
BA (Hons) (Thai) Thammasat University 2006
Sureenate Jaratjarungkiat has an undergraduate degree from Thammasat University and a doctorate from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. Following a work at Google as part of Google Voice (Thai) team, she has been a lecturer and Thai programme coordinator of Centre for Modern Languages, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, NTU.
With a commitment to make more accessible contents for all learners, she divides her time evenly between developing new teaching techniques and teaching others how to do things right and get the most out of technological advancements. Sureenate grew up in Thailand and made Singapore her home in 2014.
Narae Jung
Senior Lecturer & Korean Language Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
M.A. in Korean studies, specialized in KFL(Korean as a Foreign Language), Korea
M.A. in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), USA
B.Ed. in Korea National University of Education, Korea
Narae Jung is a lecturer and the language coordinator of Korean in the Centre for Modern Languages. She teaches Korean Language Level 1, 2, and 3. Narae Jung's research interests are Motivation and Demotivation in Learning Korean, Second Language Acquisition and Korean for Specific Purposes.
Mariyam Bee Abu Bakar
Lecturer & Arabic Language Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
MA in Teaching Arabic Khartoum lntl lnst. for Arabic Language 2008
BEd in Arabic Language International University of Africa 2006
Mariyam is a lecturer in Centre for Modern Languages, in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. She obtained her first degree from the International University of Africa-Sudan in teaching Arabic language and her master's degree in teaching Arabic for non-native speakers from Khartoum international institute for the Arabic Language- Sudan. She has been teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers of all ages and has designed curriculums/ syllabus for learning and teaching the Arabic language.
Christiane is Lecturer and Coordinator for German in the Centre for Modern Languages at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. She studied in Germany and Canada and graduated with a double Master Degree in German and English Literature from the from the University of Mannheim, Germany, and a Masters of Arts in German from the University of Waterloo, Canada. She then continued her education by doing a post-graduate DaF (Deutsch als Fremdsprache) certification for Teaching German as a Foreign Language.
Since then Christiane has taught in various countries and has a total of 19 years of teaching experience in German as a Foreign Language (DaF) and English.
Prior to her appointment she has been working at the Goethe-Institute, Singapore, a cultural institution and language school conducting internationally recognised CEFR exams.
When not teaching, Christiane enjoys hiking, photography and travelling – ideally a combination of all three. She is also actively involved in animal welfare and in fostering and re-homing cats.
Christiane is a firm believer that good teaching has to be informed by research in order to remain up-to-date with modern teaching pedagogy. As such, her key interest in research focuses on teaching pedagogy in foreign language acquisition. She is keen to explore the benefits of collaborative learning in the process of foreign language learning.
Other research interests are
- Learners as Partners
- Student Empowerment
- Blended Learning: including Flipped Classroom
- Cross-disciplinary content in foreign language learning
- Assessment Strategies
Sophie is a Lecturer and Coordinator for German at the Centre for Modern Languages at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. She attained her master’s degree in Intercultural German Studies / German as Foreign Language at the Georg-August-University Göttingen and is a certified intercultural trainer.
When she is not teaching language herself, Sophie is a keen language learner. She enjoys linguistics, cozy video games and creative hobbies such as drawing, crocheting and writing. She also holds a green belt in Krav Maga but is terribly out of practice.
In terms of research, Sophie is particularly interested in exploring collaborative learning approaches, such as Team-Based Learning (TBL), the role of the teacher as facilitator and the acquisition of German pronunciation. Further research interests of hers are:
- Teaching German related to specific professional fields
- How to use AI effectively for language learning
- Language politics and policy making
Kuriko is a Lecturer and Language Coordinator of Japanese in the Centre for Modern Languages, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.
She joined NTU in 2025, and before coming to NTU, she has taught Japanese language, Japanese culture and Business Japanese and manner in University of Strasbourg(France), and FPT University (Vietnam) as a Japanese lecturer.
Research interests
Informal Japanese language learning
Effects of J-POP Culture in Japanese language learning
Effects of study abroad and interaction with local people for Japanese language acquisition.
Education
PhD in Linguistic, University of Strasbourg (France)
MA in FLE ( French as a Foreign Language) and Foreign Language Teaching, University of Strasbourg (France)
MA in Japanese, University of Strasbourg (France)
MA in Management of Language Learning, Greenwich University (U.K)
BA in Psychology University of Exeter (U.K)
Itsuko Tanaka is a newly appointed lecturer in Japanese language at the Center for Modern Languages. Her specialty is Applied Japanese Linguistics, especially sociolinguistic area, such as the use of code-switching in Japanese language teaching. Her academic interests include the relationship between students' motivations and language learning, the frequency of output and language improvement, cultural competence and language learning. She is also interested in Japanese folklores and monsterology (yokai studies). She taught Japanese culture and society at the Department of Japanese Studies, NUS, the past 20 years, and prior to NUS, she taught Japanese language and culture for the Japan Foundation's projects at UTM, Malaysia and National University of Sakhalin, Russia.
Lecturer and Spanish Language Coordinator
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
· MA in Neuropsychology and Education. International University of La Rioja (2023)
· Postgraduate Specialist Diploma in Perception, Brain and Learning in Educational Context. International University of La Rioja (2022)
· Qualified Teacher Status for Spanish and English. Department of Education and Employment. UK (1998)
· BA and master’s degree in English Language and Literature. University of Valencia (1997)
Carolina Sanz was appointed a full-time lecturer and language coordinator at the Centre for Modern Languages, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), in 2025, after contributing as a dedicated part-time lecturer since 2013. With more than 20 years of teaching experience, she brings ample expertise in Spanish language instruction, including Spanish Language B, Ab Initio, and Language and Literature. She is also a certified examiner for the International Baccalaureate Organization.
Her academic interests focus on the application of neuropsychological principles in education, particularly how these can enhance attention, memory, and overall learning outcomes. Passionate about making language learning engaging and relevant, she integrates interactive methods and real-world contexts to inspire curiosity and foster lasting connections with the Spanish language and culture.
Lecturer & Malay Language Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Nuraini has served in the Ministry of Education (MOE) for 33 years as an avid educator and respected middle manager. Over the course of her career, she has contributed meaningfully to national education through curriculum and assessment development. An expert in teaching Malay Language to non-native speakers and adult learners, she has designed and developed targeted language modules to support learners’ needs and facilitated overseas learning trips to ASEAN countries, fostering regional awareness and cultural exchange.
She obtained her PhD from the National University of Singapore (NUS), with scholarly work focused on the Malay language, literature, and the sociocultural dynamics of the Malay community. Her research frequently uses theatre as a platform to explore and express cultural identity, language use, and social issues. With a background in literature, performance studies, cultural analysis, and Southeast Asian sociolinguistics, she has established herself as a passionate advocate for language preservation, intercultural understanding, and the arts as a medium for social dialogue. Her teaching philosophy centres on developing critical thinking, cultural appreciation, and mastery of the Malay language. She encourages learners to explore the broader social and cultural contexts that shape language and identity in the Malay world. Her academic interests bridge language, culture, and sociology—focusing on identity formation within Malay communities, the sociocultural impact of globalisation, and the comparative linguistic dynamics between Malay and Bahasa Indonesia
Hyun Joo (Julie) Kang
Lecturer & Korean Language Coordinator
Hyun Joo (Julie) Kang is a Lecturer and Coordinator for Korean in the Centre for Modern Languages at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. She holds Master’s degrees in Korea Studies and Japan Studies from the University of Washington in Seattle, USA. Before joining NTU, she taught Korean language and culture at UWCSEA and Korean International School Singapore, and worked at the University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Denver and Ritsumeikan University.
Her academic interests include Korean language and culture pedagogy, intercultural competence and the ways in which language and culture learning can shape and transform personal identity. As the instructor for Korean Culture and Society modules, she is passionate about designing curriculum that encourages students to reflect on their own cultural backgrounds and identities alongside their academic learning.
Outside of work, she enjoys watching Korean dramas and films, good coffee and books and meaningful conversations with family and friends.
