Achilleas KOSTOULAS

Achilleas Kostoulas is an applied linguist and language teacher educator at the Department of Primary Education, University of Thessaly, where he also serves as LocalLing coordinator. He holds a PhD in Language Education and an MA in TESOL from The University of Manchester, and a BA in English Studies from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. His research focuses on language education, language contact, language policy, and minority and heritage languages.

His recent publications include Doctoral Study and Getting Published (2025, with Richard Fay), The Intentional Dynamics of TESOL (2021, with Juup Stelma), Challenging Boundaries in Language Education (2019), and Ideologies, Language Communication and Education (2021, with Eleni Motsiou, Evgenia Vasilaki and Eleni Gkana).

He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Education and Language Review. He is also involved in international research initiatives, including the ECML project AI in Language Education, where he acts as project coordinator, and the Erasmus+ project Research Literacy of Teachers, in which he leads the University of Thessaly team.

Eleni MOTSIOU

Eleni Motsiou is Assistant Professor of Language Development at the Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Thessaly, Greece. Her research focuses on early language development, multilingual acquisition, language contact, cross-linguistic influences, language policy, and inclusive language education in diverse learning contexts. She is the author of Introduction to Language Development (2023, University Studio Press; in Modern Greek) and has published widely on early language development, multilingualism, and language education in international and Greek peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes.

She has contributed to several national and international research initiatives on multilingualism, language development, and inclusive education. These include the Erasmus+ project ReaLiTea, the PIA 4 ExcellencES project ALaMoDE, the HFRI-funded project GLOSSANAX, UNICEF-supported teacher-training programmes such as Teach for Integration (T4I), and the Greek Children Spoken Language Corpus (GCSL). Her teaching includes undergraduate and postgraduate courses on language development, multilingualism, and language education in early childhood contexts.

Evgenia VASSILAKI

Evgenia Vassilaki is Associate Professor of Linguistics and Language Education (Greek Language and Pedagogy) at the Department of Primary Education, University of Thessaly.

She holds a PhD in Greek Pragmatics and Language Teaching, focusing on directive speech acts, and an MA in Teaching Greek as a Second/Foreign Language in the field of Applied Linguistics.

Her research and teaching interests focus on the teaching and learning of Greek as a second, foreign, and heritage language, with particular emphasis on language teaching approaches and methods, instructional material design, language education for vulnerable groups, and language teacher education. She also explores issues related to multilingualism in primary education and its implications for language teaching.

In addition to her teaching role at the University of Thessaly, she has supervised doctoral research on the language education of young inmates with refugee and migrant backgrounds. She has extensive experience in national and international projects related to refugee and migrant education, teacher training, curriculum development, and the design of instructional materials for multilingual and vulnerable learning communities.

Sotiria KALBENI

Sotiria Kalbeni is a Linguistics Instructor in Sociolinguistics and Educational Linguistics at the Department of Primary Education, University of Thessaly. She holds a PhD in Sociolinguistics and Educational Linguistics and an MA in Language Technology.

Her research focuses on language education, multilingualism in policy and practice, translanguaging, and arts-based approaches to teaching and learning, with particular attention to linguistically diverse and socially vulnerable populations. Her recent publications examine language education and linguistic repertoires among refugee and migrant learners. These include studies on language education for migrant and refugee inmates in Greek prisons and
research on the use of translanguaging and digital tools to support second language learning for adolescent refugees and migrants. Her work has appeared in journals such as Language
and Intercultural Communication and the Journal of Sociolinguistic Studies. Through her research and teaching, Sotiria contributes to ongoing discussions on inclusive language education, multilingual pedagogies, and the development of equitable learning environments in contexts shaped by migration and linguistic diversity.

Roula KITSIOU

Roula Kitsiou is Assistant Professor of Sociolinguistics at the Department of Language and Intercultural Studies, University of Thessaly. Since 2010, she has worked with marginalized social groups, including migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, young Roma, and young detainees, focusing on their sociolinguistic and educational inclusion. She is Principal Investigator of the HFRI-funded project Rhizo-Eduscapes: A Rhizomatic Cartography of Non-Formal Refugee Education (2025–2028), which explores and transforms educational spaces in hosting centers for unaccompanied minors.

Since 2021, she has also coordinated the Volos Linguistic Landscape Research Group (VLLRG), which investigates language use in public spaces and its sociocultural implications. Her research interests encompass linguistic landscape studies, critical discourse analysis, sociolinguistic repertoires, and rhizomatic approaches to literacies. Through her work, she examines the intersections of language, space, and social inclusion, contributing to the development of inclusive linguistic practices and policies for vulnerable and multilingual populations from a sociolinguistic justice perspective.

Georgia ANDREOU

Georgia Andreou is a Professor in Linguistics (Educational and Neuropsychological Approaches to First and Second/Foreign Languages) and Director of the Laboratory of Bilingual Education at the Department of Special Education, University of Thessaly.
She holds a BA in English Language and Literature from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, an MSc from the University of Sheffield, and a PhD from the University of Thessaly. She has held several senior leadership roles at the University of Thessaly, including Department Chair, Director of the University Press of Thessaly and elected member of the Board of Directors of the University. Since 2025, she has served as an elected member of the Scientific Council of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) and since January 2026 has been the Director of the Scientific Council
of H.F.R.I.

She has published 25 chapters in books, more than 200 articles in scientific journals and international proceedings and she has more than 2490 citations (h-index 29, i-10 index 59). She gave invited talks at Universities in USA and Australia and presented her work in more than 250 greek and international conferences.
Her work lies at the intersection of linguistics, psycholinguistics, and special/inclusive education, with a particular focus on bilingual and multilingual language development. Her
research interests include neurolinguistics, language development in typical population and in
children with neurodevelopmental disorders, bilingualism and multilingualism, and the assessment of cognitive and linguistic functions with the use of eye-tracking technology.

Sofiá TSIOLI

Sofiá Tsioli holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics and Research Methodology, with a focus on multilingual and intercultural education. Her work centres on minoritized groups of children—including migrants, refugees, Roma children, unaccompanied minors, and girls—as well as detained migrant and refugee adults. Much of her research engages directly with marginalized communities, examining how education systems can more effectively recognise and safeguard linguistic and educational rights, as well as how bottom-up initiatives assert their place towards a more equitable education. She opts for creative and decolonial wordviews in education and research.

While her research employs inclusive and participatory methodologies, she explicitly acknowledges her positionality, recognising that she writes from a position of privilege in which her fundamental rights are ensured. Her recent publications address themes such as children’s linguistic rights, multilingual education policies, and linguistic and social justice, including work in Applied Linguistics Review and contributions to edited volumes. Her research interests include linguistic rights, children’s rights, critical discourse analysis, multilingual education policy, and decolonial approaches to research in multilingual contexts.

Evangelia THEODOROPOULOU

Evangelia Theodoropoulou is the administrative lead for the LocalLing project operations at the University of Thessaly. She holds a BA in History and Archaeology, an MA in Special Education, and an MA in Intercultural Education, and is currently completing a BA in Primary Education at the University of Thessaly. She also teaches Greek language to secondary school students.

She has published work on the integration of young people with immigrant backgrounds in education, including a comparative study of educational realities in the Volos region (ICERI 2024). In recognition of her creative work, she received the 1st Honourable Mention for Short Story at the 5th Panhellenic School Competition (2013), organized by the Cultural Association of Petroupoli under the auspices of UNESCO. Her combined expertise in education, intercultural pedagogy, and digital literacies informs her contributions to research and project development in inclusive learning contexts.

Dimitra GIANNOUKA

Dimitra Giannouka serves as administrative lead for finances and public relations for the LocalLing project at the University of Thessaly. She is an educator and creative practitioner with expertise in digital media and multimodal communication. She holds a degree in Finance from the University of Macedonia and an MA in Management Information Systems, with a specialization in corporate identity and brand image. She is currently completing her studies at the Department of Primary Education, University of Thessaly, and pursuing a Master’s degree in Lesson Planning and Development of Teaching Material in Contemporary Learning Environments.

Dimitra has professional experience in visual storytelling and digital content production, including photography, video, website design, and social media. Her research interests center on creativity, digital literacies, and the design of inclusive, multimodal learning experiences, integrating her professional practice with educational innovation in contemporary learning contexts.

Georgia Areti KARATZIOLI

Georgia-Areti Karatzioli is an undergraduate student in the Department of Primary Education at the University of Thessaly and currently serves as a Project Assistant for the LocalLing project. She has professional experience in the hospitality sector, with a focus on customer service, and demonstrates strong foreign language proficiency alongside solid digital skills. Known for her responsibility, consistency, and ability to collaborate effectively, she adapts quickly to new environments. Her career goals include gaining practical experience and developing professionally in the field of education, combining her academic studies with hands-on project involvement to contribute meaningfully to educational initiatives.