Between February and May, teachers from Department of Social Sciences and Languages and Armed Forces Academy cadets had the unique opportunity to improve their English through one-on-one online conversation sessions with native speaker tutor Natalie Bicknell. Lessons were delivered in the Microsoft Teams platform and the length of the sessions was tailored to the needs of the participants - from short 20-minute sessions to 90-minute teaching blocks.

During the lessons, STANAG 6001 topics (e.g., Sports, Hobbies, Education, Travel, Crime...) and current world events were discussed. Each participant received targeted feedback on vocabulary, grammar and fluency, which contributed to a visible improvement in communication skills.

In addition to the conversation sessions, Natalie has also prepared recorded responses to selected STANAG topics at SLP 2 and SLP 3 levels (Science and Technology, Leadership, Jobs...). These materials will be used to enrich English language instruction and to prepare students to pass the STANAG 6001 language exam.

Natalie Bicknell is originally from Chicago and received her MEd. TESOL degree from the University of South Florida. She has extensive experience teaching academic writing and English as a Foreign Language (ESL) at several higher education institutions. She currently lives in Portugal with her husband and son.

Thank you to Natalie for her time, professional insight and patient, individual approach to each student. She has contributed significantly to raising the language level of our teachers and cadets with her expertise and enthusiasm.