Siobhan Mortell

Siobhan Mortell is University Language Teacher for German at University College Cork, Ireland. She has a BA in German & Music and an MA in German Literature from UCC, as well as a Masters in Teaching German as a Foreign from the Herder Institut of the University of Leipzig, Germany.

She has taught German language, linguistics, DaF and cultural studies at UCC since 1997 and she has acted as Co-Director of the BA International Programme. Her research interests include using games in the language class, student motivation and Year Abroad. Her email address is [email protected]. 

Her holistic and integrated approach is evident in her work dealing with Year Abroad students in preparing them and empowering them to recognise, articulate and in turn maximise the benefits of this experience. This same approach is evident in her recognition of and response to students’ needs, as seen in her design of core module GE3807 which takes a holistic approach to learning business German language and challenges students to become involved in their own learning as well as broadening their perspective into social justice in the business world.

Siobhan has held several workshops on professional development for both UCC colleagues and German teachers and presented at conferences internationally. She was involved in organising a conference celebrating 30 years of Erasmus, as well as workshops, such as From Surviving to Thriving (April 2022). She has presented at the GSAI Annual Conference, as well as at annual meetings of BuGI (University Teachers of Business German in Ireland), and UCC research days. She was presented with the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching for 2023.

Language teaching and learning

Curriculum Design

Social Justice

Critical Pedagogy

Year Abroad

Student Engagement

Language for Specific Purposes

Coordinator for GE3101, GE3801, GE3001, GE3005 core Final Year Integrated German Language module.

Coordinator, teacher and course designer for GE3807, Final Year Business Language.

Year Abroad coordinator for International Business and Languages.

I have taught on the following courses and and coordinated most of them: GE3101/GE3801/GE3001/GE3005 Advanced Integrated German Language Course for Final Years; GE3807 Commercial Language: German; LL2108 Crossing Borders; GE3108 Teaching German as a foreign Language; GE2102 Linguistics I; GE3103 Linguistics II; GE2802 Cultural Seminar for Commerce Students Going abroad; GE2101/GE2801/GE2007 Integrated German Language Course for Second Years; GE1101 Integrated German Language Course for First Year non-Beginners; LL6022 The Teaching and Learning of Language, Literature and Culture.