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Michael Astbury


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Academic Tutor

I have been an English language teacher and academic tutor for over ten years, working in the UK, Czech Republic, Spain, and Poland. I began my teaching career by volunteering in Myanmar, learning on the job before completing a CELTA on my return to England.

I have extensive experience teaching students of all ages and abilities, with additional qualifications in advanced methodology, teaching business English, and teaching younger learners. I have presented at various conferences and led training sessions both online and in person.

An interest of mine is game design, and the use of tabletop game mechanics in the classroom. As a materials designer, with a successful and popular website, games and lesson plans I've written have been used by language teachers all over the world. I have also written articles for Cambridge University Press and the British Council.

I joined University of Sunderland in 2021 as an Academic Tutor for pre-sessional and in-sessional EAP, as well as EBS.

I have a BA in History from Lancaster University.



  • Academic English
  • Teaching IELTS and Cambridge exams
  • Materials writing/design

Teaching materials that I have published online can be found on my website www.teachinggamesefl.com. The site has received awards from the British Council and averages 150,000 views per year.

Last updated 28 February 2024