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Juan Muñoz López

Juan Muñoz López

  • Position: Associate Professor of Spanish Language
  • Areas of expertise: Spanish as a Foreign Language; Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL); Year Abroad.
  • Email: J.Munoz@leeds.ac.uk
  • Phone: +44(0)113 343 3524
  • Location: 242b Michael Sadler Building

Profile

I am an Associate Professor of Spanish at the University of Leeds, recognised for my innovative teaching methods and dedication to enhancing the student experience. I specialise in flipped learning, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), and task-based approaches, integrating authentic materials to foster practical language use. I have developed and led core modules such as Spanish Language Skills B1/B2 and Politics and Society in the Contemporary Spanish-speaking World and played a key role in creating the Spanish Ab Initio programme.

My commitment to student success has earned me multiple nominations for Inspirational Teaching and Personal Tutoring awards. Beyond the classroom, I have represented the University at international conferences, contributed to curriculum development, and led initiatives to support students during Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.

I actively share my pedagogical insights through publications, workshops, and conference presentations, including organising the ELEUK Annual Conference and contributing to the Yorkshire Language Teaching Research & Scholarship Network. I also collaborate with institutions such as the Instituto Cervantes and have established international partnerships to enrich student opportunities abroad.

I also serve as departmental Residence Abroad Tutor and as convenor for the School Year Abroad module, continuing my leadership in student mobility and academic development. My current research focuses on supporting students during their year abroad.

Responsibilities

  • Spanish and Portuguese Year Abroad Tutor
  • MODL9500 LCS Year Abroad Module Leader

Research interests

Conferences and Forums:

  • 2025 – Identifying Strategies and Tools Used by Students to Address the Challenges Faced in their Period Abroad in Spanish-speaking countries: The Language Barrier. Yorkshire Language Teaching Research & Scholarship Network – University of York
  • 2025 – Estrategias y herramientas utilizadas por alumnado británico para abordar los retos enfrentados durante su año en el extranjero en países hispanohablantes. ELEUK Annual Conference, Open University, Milton Keynes.
  • 2024 – Experiences Designing and Teaching Politics and Social Issues in a Spanish Ab Initio Programme. Yorkshire Language Teaching Research & Scholarship Network – University of Sheffield.
  • 2023 – Leeds Language Week: Teacher CPD: Designing CLIL Materials for A1, A2 & B1 CEFR Levels
  • 2023 – British Association for the Teaching Spanish in Higher Education (ELEUK) Annual Conference 2023 Organiser – University of Leeds.
  • 2022 – Diseño de materiales AICLE para los niveles A1 y A2 del MCER. ELEUK Annual Conference, University of Warwick.
  • 2019 – Innovative and/or inclusive assessment workshop – Spanish Beginners – University of Leeds.
  • 2019 – The development of mediation skills during the year abroad placement. The 2019 Year Abroad Conference – University of Leeds.
  • 2019 – Hacia la integración de lengua y contenido a través del aprendizaje digital y la clase invertida. ELEUK Annual Conference 2019 – University of Edinburgh.
  • 2018 – Make it CLIL. Content and Language Integrated Learning at the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies. University of Leeds.
  • 2018 – CELT Ab Initio Forum: ‘Variety in Assessment Format Between Languages in the School’. School of Languages, Cultures and Societes. University of Leeds.
  • 2018 – CELT Ab Initio Forum: The Spanish Ab Initio provision in SPLAS. School of Languages, Cultures and Societes. University of Leeds.
  • 2017 – Authentic Materials and Real Tasks: Enhancing Students’ Employability, Intercultural Awareness and Communicative Competence. The 18th AULC Conference: 'The Multilingual University: Inspiring teachers, transforming learners'. Queen’s University Belfast.
  • 2015 – Integración de los contenidos gramaticales, léxicos y socioculturales en un contexto universitario. VIII Jornadas Didácticas. Instituto Cervantes de Manchester.
  • 2013 – El portafolio electrónico como herramienta para evaluar el año en el extranjero. I Encuentro de profesores universitarios de ELE en Inglaterra - Instituto Cervantes.
  • 2012 – World Wide Web and Language Assessment Tools: The Period Abroad E-Portfolio. Languages in the Globalised World International Conference. School of Languages, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK.
  • 2012 – The e-Portfolio Toolkit. SMLC Language Teaching Forum: Autonomous Language-Learning: Increasing Proficiency through Self-directed Learning. University of Leeds.
  • 2011 – ALPS Showcase: ALPS e-portfolio Mini-projects. Assessment and Learning in Practice Settings – Leeds.
  • 2011 – The Period Abroad E-Portfolio. Innovative teaching and learning at university: enhancing the learning experience of Modern Languages students. Developing Learner Autonomy. Newcastle University.
  • 2010 – Promoting cultural and linguistic engagements during the year abroad. Supporting students' learning outside the classroom: Promoting independence and autonomy in LLAS disciplines. Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies.
  • 2010 – Lead a horse to water.....and see it drink! Improving and assessing cultural and linguistic engagement during the Year Abroad. Assessment of the Year Abroad in Modern Language Degrees, University of Bath.
  • 2010 – Comunicación no verbal y ELE. 3rd Teaching Conference of Spanish as Foreign Language, Instituto Cervantes – Manchester.
  • 2008 – Teaching Spanish as a foreign language and ICT. Instituto Cervantes - Leeds

Publications:

Qualifications

  • MA Applied Linguistics: Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language
  • PGCE Modern Foreign Languages
  • BA Hons Spanish and English Studies
  • Diploma in French Language

Professional memberships

  • UNILANG
  • ELE UK

Student education

During my teaching career at the University of Leeds I have been a tutor and a co-ordinator for modules across all our Spanish language provision.

All these modules have been commended by our External Examiners regarding content, methodology, use of technologies, materials, assessment tasks and strategies, design of the exams, marking, moderation and feedback.

What is more, the progress made in the teaching of Spanish language is a major reason why Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies (SPLAS) has assured Higher Education and Languages, Cultures and Societies trends in undergraduate recruitment over the past few years and my work bringing SPLAS language modules into line with The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has become part of a wider School undertaking.

Research groups and institutes

  • Language pedagogy
  • Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American