Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant

Solika Akter is a passionate individual who is persistent and enthusiastic in her journey of learning. Her interest in the complex interrelationship among languages, cultures and humans made her pursue a Masters in Applied Linguistics and English Language Teaching from University of Dhaka. Before that, she completed her Bachelors in English from the same institution. While being a student, Solika was engaged in various social and cultural activities as well. Her leadership in the management of departmental-cultural events is as praised as her voluntary participation in the activities of Young Feminist Network. Due to her dedication, she received the opportunity to work as an Associate Trainer in Global Platform Bangladesh, the training wing of ActionAid, for two years. With her experience of working with diversified people, Solika attempts her best to create a safe, inclusive and encouraging space for learning and growing together. Her passion for music adds a creative dimension to her teaching practices inside and outside of the classroom.

Moreover, language teaching is not her only academic interest as she is eager to learn and research on cognition theories, second language acquisition, material designing and adaptation as well as gender and cultural studies. As an FLTA, Solika actively looks for opportunities and experiences that would both challenge and polish her theoretical and practical knowledge along with skills. She also believes that the vibrant and supportive atmosphere of MSU will make her contribute to the best of her abilities while enjoying every moment of it.

Baneen Asghar is serving as a lecturer at Punjab Higher Education Department, Pakistan. She earned her BS and MPhil degree from University of Sargodha, Pakistan. She has keen interest in Applied linguistics and loves to experiment with language teaching methodologies. She believes in holistic growth of her students and strives to make them prepared for this globalized world. Her teaching philosophy focuses on academic, social and emotional needs of students and she tailors her teaching methods to address those needs. Baneen loves to attend conferences, seminars and webinars to connect with global ELT community. She has presented more than five research papers in national or International conferences. She also aims at keeping herself updated with evolving teaching dynamics by participating in teacher training programs. Baneen is also a henna artist and loves to do embroidery in her free time. She also advocates for gender equality. She is looking forward to teaching, learning and growing at MSU.

Emmanuel dos Santos Machado is an English teacher in Brazil. He has a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature in English Language from the Federal University of Espirito Santo. He taught English as a Second Language for different groups and ages, from little kids to elderly. During his graduation, he was part of PIBID (which in Portuguese means, Institutional Teacher Initiation Program). This program incentivized him to research English Language Education methods and techniques in order to reflect and apply new methodologies in his classes. Most recently, he was working at a State Language Center teaching teenagers from public High Schools. He is enthusiastic in studying Literature and other cultures. As an FLTA, he aims to contribute at Michigan State University sharing Brazilian Culture and Literature.

Ms. Aysegul Ersil graduated with high honors from Hacettepe University, majoring in English Language and Literature. As a CELTA-qualified EFL teacher, she has worked with both young learners and adults in online and in-person classrooms, as well as in national and international settings. A committed vegan, she has been volunteering in communities to promote animal rights and welfare. She is fond of hiking, spending time in nature, and doing pottery. Holding a certificate in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language, she is eager to enrich her Turkish classes with her interests and fully dedicate herself to the program.

Yara Hassan is an English language educator and emerging researcher from Port Said, Egypt, with an academic background and professional focus on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Education in English Language Teaching, followed by both a Professional Diploma and a Special Diploma in Curriculum and Methods of Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

Seoyoung Hyun is a passionate bilingual educator with experience teaching Korean and English both in South Korea and the U.S. She earned a B.A. in elementary and music education from Gongju National University of Education in 2025. She also participated in an exchange program at Angelo State University in 2022–2023 and volunteered to teach Korean at a local church in Texas. She has enthusiastically taught English at Beolmal Elementary School in South Korea. By integrating music and language learning, she brings creativity, adaptability, and cross-cultural insight to every classroom.

Ananya Mishra is a PhD scholar in English at Banaras Hindu University, India, working in the areas of life writing, gender, and class. She has taught English language and literature at postgraduate, undergraduate, and middle school levels, and currently teaches a diploma course in translation. Fluent in Hindi and English, with a beginner-level proficiency in French, she brings a multilingual and multicultural approach to her teaching. She also enjoys engaging with music, cinema, theatre, and art, and loves playing the guitar. She is deeply passionate about exploring local and global cultures and aims to explore cross-cultural dialogues between India and the US. As a Fulbright FLTA, she aspires to not only represent and communicate the rich and pluralistic culture of India but also immerse herself in the diverse traditions, histories, and lived experiences of American society. She believes that the medium of teaching and learning in and beyond classrooms can be an effective approach to building such cultural bridges.

Jenny Nogales is an experienced language teacher with over twenty years of dedication to education. She has taught English, Spanish, and Quechua at various levels, and her passion for language teaching continues to grow. She earned a degree in Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching and later a Master’s in Language Teaching from San Simón University in Cochabamba, Bolivia.At the start of her career, she worked in preschool education, which gave her a strong foundation and valuable experience in teaching young learners. Over time, she expanded her teaching to include primary and secondary education, language institutes, and currently, university-level instruction. Her career has equipped her with a deep understanding of teaching across different age groups and educational settings. For her, teaching languages has not only been a profession but a source of meaningful and unforgettable experiences.
In her free time, Jenny enjoys reading on a variety of topics and is always eager to learn new skills. One of her favorite hobbies is hiking. Cochabamba, surrounded by mountains and home to diverse ecological zones—ranging from cold mountainous areas to warm valleys and hot lowlands—offers breathtaking natural beauty. Her connection to rural life, thanks to her grandparents, makes her feel at home in nature. She loves exploring the countryside, meeting local people, and appreciating the unique charm of every place she visits.
Jenny is also active in volunteer work. She participates in three organizations focused on helping children and vulnerable communities. With Servas International, she engages in discussions about social issues such as climate change, education, poverty, and supports initiatives for orphans and new mothers. She also volunteers with Dibujando Sonrisas, a group that donates school supplies, clothing, and toys to children in need across Bolivia. Additionally, she is involved with Partners of America, an organization with similar goals.

Ms. Aizhan Rakhtayeva is an educator from Kazakhstan with a background in intercultural communication, where she became interested in language teaching through the lens of culture and meaning. She has experience in teaching English to young learners, inclusive education, standardized test preparation, and educational research. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and is interested in how education can better include and support all learners.

Molly Yiw Ching Sii is an avid learning Chinese language teacher whose pedagogic philosophy emphasizes multiculturalism and inclusiveness. She’s a Chinese language-loving individual who grew up in Malaysia and Singapore, two continents filled with multi-racial cultures. Fluent in Mandarin and Malay, she is also conversational in different Chinese languages like Foochow, Guangzhou, and Hokkien, enabling her to relate with her students of different backgrounds.
Molly holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Chinese Teaching. She has taught different tracks in Singapore’s education system including Higher Chinese (HCL), Express, Normal Academic (NA) and Normal Technical (NT)Chinese syllabus B throughout her career. This experience allowed her to acquire intimate knowledge of different learners’ profiles and the teaching methodologies used to teach different learners’ needs.
She is a strong advocate of Differentiated Instruction (DI), metacognition, and 21st-century competencies, as her teaching philosophy. Recently, she has been using artificial intelligence technologies in her classroom based on Singapore’s school-wide Education direction. She has made a continual effort to explore new opportunities in exploring a new way to improve her teaching methodologies. She is also regular participant for various professional development workshops that allow her to stay on top of the emerging education trends and technologies.
Her skills in conveying language language concepts clearly and consisely are widely praised. Her favorite quotation about teaching is ‘It is teaching people how to live together now!’ For Molly, teaching is not just about delivering information – it is also to breed a sense of belonging, to challenge students to take risks, and to create a lifelong passion for learning.
Besides her classroom experience, Molly is a core member of her department’s cultural programming where she takes the responsibility of planning many school wide events such as Chinese New Year celebrations and Mother Tongue Fortnight. She works closely with all the external vendors as well as colleagues in order to build meaningful and memorable experiences that help to foster a sense of cultural appreciation between the students. Besides her local teaching experience, Molly also had the privilege to teach students from various nationalities including the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan. The cross-cultural interaction has enriched her teaching practice as it has reinforced her belief in the power of education to help promote global understanding and respect.
Molly Yiw Ching Sii is a teacher with over 15 years of teaching experience, a solid background in educational theory and practice and is committed to her continuous professional development and improvement. The work is she embodied as a representative of people teaching in the 21st century.

Ms. Giang holds a Master of Science in Asia Pacific Studies from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan. Since 2022, she has been a university lecturer, teaching both Asia Pacific–focused courses and English language classes. Her strong passion for intercultural exchange and language education is rooted in her upbringing in Vietnam, where she developed a deep commitment to supporting peers from diverse backgrounds. This dedication has grown through her various teaching experiences. Through FLTA program, Ms. Giang seeks to deepen her understanding of American culture while sharing the richness of Vietnamese language and culture. She aims to foster a supportive learning environment, encourage meaningful cross-cultural connections, and promote mutual understanding—contributing to stronger bilateral relations when she returns to Vietnam.