Message from the Manager
Harvey Duncan
Program Manager
TESOL, AMBA, ELPWelcome to the Washington Academy of Languages (WAL) at City University of Seattle and thank you for choosing our TESOL Certificate program! We understand the time and effort it takes to complete this program and we are committed to helping you succeed. As your Course Manager, I have an appreciation for your dedication, having completed a similar program. Our faculty are experienced in teacher training as well as English language instruction and are ready to help you succeed. Please get to know our instructors by reading their biographies below and meeting them in class online or on-campus!
Ewa Barbara Krawczyk, PhD in Bilingual Education/TESOL
Ewa joined WAL at CityU in summer of 2019. Originally from Poland, she moved to the US twenty years ago and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics, both from the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Her interests include multiculturalism, diversity, and social justice issues. She has focused on immigration issues and policies, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and second language acquisition. Ewa has worked in a variety of locations where most recently she taught developmental English at the College of the Marshall Islands in Majuro, the capital of the Republic of Marshall Islands, South Pacific and English to immigrants and refugees at Literacy Source in Seattle. She earned her PhD from New Mexico State University.
Gudrun Scheffler, MA in Education, TESOL Diploma
A native of Germany, Gudrun earned her MA in Education from the Free University in Berlin and started her career by teaching immigrants in Germany. Since her move to the United States in 2002 Gudrun has been a teacher and tutor of ESL and German for learners of all ages. In 2005 she received her Connecticut Educator Certificate after taking courses at Southern CT State University. In 2009 she received her CELTA from International House in NYC and she earned her TESOL Diploma in 2013 from Vancouver Community College in Vancouver, BC. Gudrun is very happy to teach ESL, TESOL, and German at City University as well as Workplace-ESL for Literacy Source. In her free time she enjoys movies, books, singing, and exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Richard West, MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL
Richard West went to Grinnell College to get a Bachelor’s in Cognitive Science with a focus on Linguistics. He taught English in an elementary school in Thailand for a while, then he moved to Ohio to teach in Intensive English programs in Cleveland, Columbus, and Athens focusing on preparing international students to succeed in American universities. He finished his Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and TESOL in 2015 at Ohio University, where he focused on pronunciation training, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). In addition to a wide range of English language courses, he has also taught English composition and Linguistics at the university level. He moved to the Seattle area in 2017 and has taught multiple courses in the TESOL program at CityU, where he has found diverse, dynamic students ready to engage with the challenges and rewards of teaching language in a diverse, dynamic world.
Christine Knorr, MA TESOL & French
Christine Knorr has over 25 years of language teaching experience in various settings including US high school, community college level ESL and community English classes for immigrants and refugees. She began her career as a French teacher in the public schools and later taught English for business managers in Paris, France. She transitioned to teacher-training in 2003, when she facilitated courses for post graduates seeking certification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. In addition to teaching, Christine has been an administrator of several language schools and departments. Currently, Christine directs the Washington Academy of Languages at City University of Seattle where she oversees TESOL Certification, the Intensive English Language Program, and World Languages Program. Most recently, she has been involved in developing curriculum for the design of online courses in English and world language courses. Christine holds a Master of Arts in Teaching ESL and French from the School for International Training (SIT) in Brattleboro, VT.
Kalie Adams, MA TESOL
A long-time PNW resident, Kalie Adams holds a BA in Linguistics and a TESOL certificate from Western Washington University, and an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the University of Washington. She has worked in language education for eight years, with experience ranging from absolute beginners to TOEFL courses to English for medical professionals. She lives in Seattle with her fiancé, a cat, a pet snail, and one very big dog. Her ultimate dream is to own a cow that lives in her backyard.
Christopher Ardagna, MA TESOL
Christopher grew up near Detroit, Michigan where he studied Elementary Education and English at Wayne State University. After graduation, he became a member of the United States Peace Corps and was stationed in the country of Samoa. In the Peace Corps, he developed skills as a teacher of English as a second language, and since his service in that country, he has lived and worked in several others including China, Turkey, and Argentina. He completed his MA in TESOL at Arkansas Tech University and is now happily employed at the City University of Seattle. He has an extraordinary passion for language as well as a profound love for the art of scuba diving. In 2020 he became a father, and his world has felt complete ever since. he is proficient in several languages, and has a sincere interest to continue learning about other cultures.