Ms Ximena Arias-Manzano

I am an academic at the Open University’s School of Languages and Applied Linguistics in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and an Associate Lecturer in Spanish; Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy; a teacher-trainer in the use of VLEs, as well as a part time Spanish language teacher at Queen’s University in Belfast. At the OU I am involved in the design and production of course materials; co-author of L194 Module books; critical reader for L150 Italian module; Co-autor of L226 Unit 5 and critical reader of the remake module L336 Spanish Studies 3: Language and Culture of the Spanish Speaking World; collaborator in early stages of design of L116 Spanish Studies 1: Language and Culture of the Spanish speaking world.  Critical reader for L106 Beginners Spanish and L108 Beginners Mandarin Chinese. 

My main role entails the line management, recruitment and Staff Development of Associate lecturers as well as student support in the Level 2 and 3 Spanish modules and Level 1 French beginners module; formerly I line managed Associate Lecturers in Mandarin module L197 and Italian Modules L195 and L150.  I have studied at the OU French (Dip), German (L193), Italian (Cert) as well as Mandarin Chinese (L197) and have continued my studies completing HSK1, HSK2, HSK3. I have studied Russian at A1 level and I'm currently studying Arabic language and BSL (British Sign Language) in my spare time. Languages, argentine tango dancing, cinema, reading and travel are my passions!