Mr Ugo Marsili

• Multilingualism and intercomprehension processes
• Inclusive teaching
• Intercultural competence and communication
• Total Physical Response and Suggestopedia teaching methods
• Audio-visual translation applied to language teaching
• Media accessibility for Blind and Deaf people

My main area of interest is multilingualism, intercultural communication and inclusive teaching. In my day-to-day teaching practice I aim to develop students’ speaking skills in a foreign language thanks to the exposure to authentic materials as well as analysing the strong connection between emotions, memory and language retention of vocabulary and grammar structures in students with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

As an audio-visual translator (audio description for the blind and subtitles for the Deaf and hard of hearing), a BSL signer and Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) trainer, I work closely with the Blind and Deaf communities and students with disabilities. My main research is around comparing sign language and spoken language studies. I use audio visual translation applied to language teaching to develop students’ reading, speaking and writing skills. I co-lead international projects funded by the EU to train colleagues across different Universities, HE Institutions and centres of culture to become audio-visual translators and experts in Deaf and Blind Awareness.

 In my role of D&I trainer I led and co-lead various T&L events:

• I co-designed and delivered a British Sign Language and Deaf Awareness summer course for members of the Disability Advisory Service (DAS) and Student Services to help them supporting students with hearing impairments during recruitment events.
• I have contributed to the "Hearing dogs for the Deaf" event,  organised by the Welcome Week team, by delivering, with the BSL team, a language taster and a Deaf awareness workshop for students and staff.
• I recently organised an extracurricular event for our IWLP BSL students to raise awareness about invisible disabilities and their perception in our society. Invisible disability awareness events - University of Reading

Current Research Projects:

• Analysing the benefits of using Sign Language to support students in the classroom and develop their productive skills and learning strategies in a foreign spoken language
• Leading an international collaborative project to increase access to social services for Deaf and Blind people in Tbilisi, Georgia
• Leading a collaborative research project with students as partners, on aligning BSL Assessment and Marking Criteria with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for visual languages, funded by the UoR (Endowment fund)
• Working as D&I trainer for the Erasmus funded project “Audio Description against exclusion” with the Latvian Academy of Culture to create a barrier-free access to culture for the Blind Community in Riga and introducing audio description (AD) for the cinema’s production
• Leading the development of British Sign Language courses for HE professionals and delivering tailored Deaf and Blind Awareness workshops to UoR members of staff and business developers.