Lily Shaekhova

I am privileged to join GEMS FirstPoint School - The Villa as the Head of English as an Additional Language (EAL). With international teaching experience, I have specialised in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) for both school and university students in the UAE, USA and Russia.

Through my journey of achieving a BA in Linguistics, an MA in Germanic Philology and an MA in TESOL, along with the invaluable research experience I gained as a Fulbright alumna in translanguaging, I have been fortunate to support the aspirations of multilingual language learners and their families. As an ESOL specialist, I firmly believe in the transformative power of creating meaningful connections between the languages individuals speak and their learning and real-life experiences. This approach supports multilingual students in becoming effective communicators and empowers them to discover their passions through the process of learning English.

I am truly passionate about learning new languages, ballet, adventurous hikes and horse riding. These interests allow me to connect with our students in a journey that celebrates the balance between discipline and creativity.

I feel fortunate to have a role that allows me to collaborate closely with the FPS community. Together with our team, we are dedicated to promoting world-class standards of educational achievement through accelerated English language learning that align with the aspirations of FPS families. Guiding young minds and witnessing their growth is a true honor in the field of education.