Faculty and Staff
IMTE courses are taught by senior professors from Saint Mary’s University and visiting professors from partner universities abroad. Our faculty are leading experts in their respective fields, focused on student success and the development of new, evidence-based knowledge in language education.
Dr. Esther E. Enns
Dr. Esther E. Enns is a professor in second language education and founding director of the International Master of Teaching English program (IMTE) program at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Canada. She holds a PhD in Education and an M.Ed in Applied Linguistics from the University of Toronto as well as an MA in German Literature from McMaster University in Ontario and a Bachelors degree in Translation. She currently teaches in the IMTE program in the areas of second language acquisition, intercultural issues in language education, and language teacher development.
Her first faculty appointment was at the University of Calgary in the Dept. of Germanic, Slavic and East Asian Studies where she became a Full Professor and established the Language Research Centre for the advancement of language education. This project was funded through a major grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) which was the first such grant for a Social Sciences and Humanities project in the history of CFI. She also led an extensive ten-year project involving the design and implementation of teacher professional development programming for schools in Switzerland. The inquiry involved narrative research methods to explore the effect of reflective practice and peer collaboration on teacher development. The work was supported through Swiss grants from the Directorate for Teacher In-Service Education, the Federal Department of Health, and the University of Bern. Her longstanding commitment to language learning in support of global engagement earned her numerous awards for educational leadership and language teaching, including Canada’s 3M National Teaching Fellow designation.
Since joining Saint Mary’s University in 2002, Dr. Enns has held leadership roles as Dean of Arts, Dean of Education, Interim Vice-President Academic and Research, and Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning. Her scholarly focus has been on advancing English language teacher development through curriculum innovation, including intercultural training for university staff and students, cross-border language education programming in partnership with institutions in Germany and in China, and creation of the IMTE program. She has given workshops and taught courses abroad as an invited Visiting Professor, most recently at the University of Giessen in Germany.
Dr. June Ruivivar
Lecturer, IMTE
IMTE 5000: Professional Language Portfolio (PLP)
IMTE 5641: Principles of Language Acquisition for Education
IMTE 5658: Language Awareness for Teaching and Learning
Dr. June Ruivivar teaches in the areas of second language education, phonology, pedagogical grammar, and language assessment. She holds a PhD in Education and a master’s degree in applied linguistics, both from Concordia University in Montreal. Before joining IMTE, Dr. Ruivivar taught in applied linguistics and teacher training programs at Concordia University, McGill University, Université du Québec à Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, and Simon Fraser University. She has also worked in materials development, most recently collaborating with CBC on the French-English mobile learning app Mauril.
Dr. Ruivivar's research on teaching French and English as a second language, second language speaking, and sociolinguistic aspects of language acquisition has been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et culture. She has published in leading applied linguistics journals and reference works, and her doctoral work won the 2019 Larry Vandergrift Best Graduate Paper prize awarded by the Canadian Modern Language Review.
Currently, Dr. Ruivivar is exploring the development of plurilingual and pluricultural identity among international teacher candidates. An active contributor to the international language teaching community, she has presented workshops for TESL Nova Scotia, Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle, and the International Black Sea University.
Julian L'Enfant, M.Ed. (Plurilingual Education), Dip.RSA
Educational Developer - Teaching Support, Educational Development & Technologies; Adjunct Professor
Julian has over 25 years of expertise in educational management and teacher education and training in many parts of the world in the public and private sectors. Currently engaged in a PhD in E-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning at the University of Lancaster, he explores the transformative potential of generative AI in higher education and teacher education settings.
Julian's career path illustrates his adaptability and dedication to elevating teaching practices. At Saint Mary's, he leads initiatives aimed at enriching faculty development through the integration of advanced technologies and innovative instructional techniques. His approach highlights a deep understanding of the teaching and learning landscape, prioritising collaborative learning, student well-being, and developing digital and AI literacy. Julian's commitment to promoting excellence in teaching is further demonstrated in his role as an adjunct professor, and a Cambridge Teacher Trainer/Assessor, where he shares his extensive knowledge, experience, and teaching methods with aspiring student-teachers.
International Partnerships and Visiting Scholars
Through our partnership with Justus Liebig University (Giessen), Giessen, Germany, a number of Professors have taught courses within the IMTE program and contributed to the overall program development and delivery.
Dr. Leonhard Krombach
Dr Krombach teaches several TEFL courses at JLU, covering the spectrum of the didactics of literature and culture as well as the didactics of language and media. The concept of his courses links theoretical knowledge of teaching strategies to material analysis and evaluation with practical micro-teaching units in which prospective teachers can act out their ideas in a safe environment. Focus thus lies on critical analysis relying on competency-based frameworks of didactics and education policy.
His current research interest reflects the broad field of TEFL. His work includes funded projects focusing on the exploration of virtual reality for teaching, developing teaching scenarios and assisting colleagues in e-mentoring and e-teaching.
Dr. Leo Will
Adjunct Professor, Education & Linguistics
IMTE 5650 International Issues in English Language Education
Leo teaches TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) at the English Department of JLU. He has recently published the monograph “Authenticity in English language teaching” (2018) as his PhD thesis. Leo is closely connected with a number of researchers and teachers in Germany and Finland as he is engaged in the comparative study of education systems. Beside his primary projects, Mr. Will is currently working as a materials writer designing a book for English teachers in year 5 where they usually deal with highly heterogeneous groups of learners (German context).
Expertise:
- Foreign Language Teacher Education
- Authenticity
- Vocabulary Learning
- EFL Textbooks
- Transculturality
- Critical Discourse Analysis
- Narrative Inquiry
Dr. Michael K. Legutke
Professor Emeritus, Department of English, University of Giessen, Germany
More information
If you have any questions about the IMTE program, please Email us: IMTE @smu.ca