Contact IELI

Gabriela Banville holds a Master of Education Degree in Applied Linguistics (TEFL) and has been teaching EFL/ESL for more than 15 years. She likes teaching, spending time with her family, singing, and travelling.

✉ gbanville@worcester.edu

Jay Busse has taught ESL class for over 15 years in the United States and abroad. Jay has extensive experience teaching all levels of written communications and he especially loves to teach grammar. He is adept at providing academic strategies to ensure that students succeed in their transition to university studies. Jay earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology from Northeastern University and his Master’s Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Rhode Island College.

✉ jbusse@worcester.edu

Chris Derr has taught ESL for over 12 years. Chris has a B.A. from Seattle University and has completed graduate coursework in education, business, psychology, and international studies at Notre Dame University and Clark University. At IELI, she has taught Reading/Writing, Speaking/Listening, Pronunciation, Grammar, and iBT TOEFL Preparation.

✉ christine.derr@worcester.edu

Dr. Cory Holland has been teaching at the university level for 10 years. She has taught the full range of ESL skills and levels, Research Writing, introductory Linguistics, graduate level Phonetics and graduate and undergraduate ESL teaching methods courses. She holds Bachelors degrees in Linguistics and Spanish from the University of Arizona, and a Masters and Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis in Linguistics with a focus on TESOL and Second Language Acquisition. Her research focuses on American English dialects and the changing vowel system in the American West. When not working, Cory enjoys hiking, camping, and cross-country motorcycle trips with her husband.

✉ cholland3@worcester.edu

Lois Ingles has taught ESL since 1999. She has taught in China as well as in the United States at the university level. Lois has taught all levels and skills of ESL. In addition she has taught English for freshmen at the University level. Lois enjoys and has organized and led many extracurricular activities. She had conducted a drama club as well as hosting a “weekly library night”. Lois graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Arts in English and Elementary Education from Bridgewater State University and with her Master of Education from Lee University.

✉ lingles@worcester.edu

Sandy Kane has been involved in the field of education for over 25 years. The majority of her teaching was in Kenya and South Africa, but she has also taught in Peru and in the United States. She has taught students from pre-kindergarten through university level as well as professionals. Sandy coordinated and taught academic literacies courses at the University of Johannesburg. She also directed the university Writing Center at the same institution. Sandy earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education – English and her Masters of Arts in Teaching. She also has a degree as a Second Language Specialist and her CELTA Certification.

✉ skane4@worcester.edu

Kathleen Legg has over 20 years of teaching experience with a broad range of ages and skill levels. She is a cum laude graduate of Stonehill College with a degree in psychology. She has done graduate work in speech, language, education, and reading. Kathy is a Massachusetts DESE certified teacher with an additional certification in Orton Gillingham Reading. At IELI, she has taught Listening, Speaking, Grammar, Reading and Writing. Kathy is a folk musician, story teller, and private tutor in reading.

✉ klegg1@worcester.edu

Vannga Tran has over 25 years of experience teaching and tutoring ESL and other subjects in Vietnam and the United States. She has a B.A. in Philology from the University of Hochiminh City, Vietnam, a B.A. in French and English from Worcester State University, and a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Linguistics and Language Education as well as a Graduate Certificate in Teaching ESL from Clark University. Vannga has taught and tutored at Worcester State University, Ascentria Care Alliance (formerly known as Lutheran Social Services of New England), College of the Holy Cross, YWCA Central Massachusetts, and Quinsigamond Community College.

At IELI, Vannga has taught a variety of Integrated Skills classes. She speaks English, Vietnamese, and French. She also possesses some basic knowledge of Spanish, Russian, Italian, and Portuguese. Besides being a teacher/instructor at Ascentria Care Alliance and Worcester State, Vannga is a part time professional pianist who plays various music genres. She is also an amateur painter/drawer, dancer, fashion designer, singer, and jewelry maker.

✉ vtran@worcester.edu

Agnieszka Wlazlak-Portev has a M.A. in Foreign Language Teaching/Applied Linguistics from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland. She has been teaching ESL for 20 years in Poland and the US. She has a K-12 ESL license and has been teaching in Hopedale Public Schools. Additionally, she has been working as a freelance interpreter and translator. She is fluent in Polish, English, and Bulgarian. Agnieszka enjoys spending time with her family, reading, listening to music, and traveling.

✉ awlazlakportev@worcester.edu