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Humanities Faculty

Chair of English Language Education

  1.  University of bamberg
  2. Faculties
  3. Humanities
  4. Institutes
  5. English and American Studies
  6. Chair of English Language Education
  7. Team
  8. Michelle Zirkel

Michelle Zirkel

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Contact

Department of English Language Education / TEFL

Room 03.19, Luitpoldstr. 19, D-96052 Bamberg

E-Mail: michelle.zirkel(at)uni-bamberg.de

Office hours

by appointment via e-mail.

  • since 01/2022: Lecturer and Research Assistant at the Department of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Fachdidaktik Englisch), University of Bamberg
  • 2021: First State Examination (English and Spanish, Gymnasiallehramt); Bachelor of Arts with Distinction (Spanish, English and American Studies)
  • 02/2021–09/2021: Teaching Assistant at Irish Studies Würzburg (ISWÜ) and Academic Tutor, involved in the project of “WueGlobal - Writing, Learning, Digital Connection”, University of Würzburg
  • 04/2020–03/2021: Student Research Assistant at the Department of Teaching English as a Foreign Language, University of Würzburg
  • 2019: Foreign Language Assistant at Glenstal Abbey School, County Limerick (Ireland)
  • 2018–2019: Erasmus+ Term in Spain (Universidad de Zaragoza)
  • 10/2017–01/2022: Academic Tutor at the Department of Teaching English as a Foreign Language, University of Würzburg
  • 2017–2018: Erasmus+ project at Glenstal Abbey School in County Limerick (Ireland) and at Collège du Servois in La Chapelle-en-Serval (France)
  • 2014–2021: Studies in English, Spanish and French for secondary school teaching, University of Würzburg

  • Learning with Digital Media (Focus: Virtual Reality)
  • Inter-, Transcultural and Global Education (Focus: Critical Environmental Literacy)
  • Irish Studies in the EFL Classroom
  • Interdisciplinary Teacher Education
  • Popular Culture in the EFL Classroom
  • Pragmatics in the EFL Classroom

DiSo-SGW 

PhD project (working title): English language education for sustainable development through immersive learning environments: Investigating teachers' beliefs and professional development throughout a research-based training course

  • DGFF (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fremdsprachenforschung)
  • EFACIS (The European Federation of Associations and Centres of Irish Studies)
  • IATEFL (International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language)
  • ISWÜ (Irish Studies Würzburg)
  • Educators in VR
  • Klimabildung e.V.
  • Scientists for Future Bamberg
  • CALICO (Computer-Assisted Language Instruction Consortium)
  • IALLT (International Association for Language Learning Technology)

  • Zirkel, M. (2025). Immersive virtuelle Realität im Fremdsprachenunterricht: Virtuelle Welten, reale Lernerfolge. In E. Thaler (Ed.), Impulsgeber Fremdsprachen: Best Practice und Diskussionen aus der Tagung des Gesamtverbands Moderne Fremdsprachen Bayern. Cornelsen.
  • Schnellbögl, C., Zirkel, M., Bösendorfer, A., & Summer, T. (2025). Foreign language teachers' perspectives on global education, digital media, and extended reality. In T. Summer & R. Gießler (Eds.), Digital textualities and spaces in ELT. Narr Francke Attempto.
  • Summer, T., Zirkel, M., Fischer, P., & Krug, M. (2024). Exploring Poems and Song Lyrics in an Interdisciplinary Seminar with Pre-service English Teachers: Opportunities and Hurdles. In P. Fischer & T. Summer (Eds), Impulses for Teaching Poetry and Song Lyrics: From Shakespeare to Pop Music (pp. 271–294). Universitätsverlag Weimar.
  • Zirkel, M., & Summer, T. (2024). Empowering English Language Teachers to Use Immersive Virtual Reality for Global Citizenship Education. WorldCALL 2023: Official Conference Proceedings, 217–224. https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2759-1182.2023.25
  • Zirkel, M., & Grund, R. (2023). TaskCards im Englischunterricht: Sprachbewusstsein mit Fokus auf Diversität fördern. Englisch 5–10, 63, 38–39.
  • Grund, R., & Zirkel, M. (2022). Leseverstehen mithilfe von song lyrics überprüfen: Grundlegende Überlegungen, Aufgabenformate und ein Beispieltest zum Song Hero of War der Band Rise Against. Englisch 5–10, 58, 30–32.
  • Judaschke, M., & Zirkel, M. (2022). This will get better: Mithilfe des Songs I Beg to Differ von Billy Talent das Thema mental Gesundheit in den Fokus rücken. Englisch 5–10, 58, 10–13.
  • Zirkel, M. (2022). The potential of picturebooks in primary ELE: Fostering language skills and addressing pressing concerns of modern-day society. In T. Summer, & H. Böttger (Eds), English in primary education: Concepts, research, practice (pp. 117–140). University of Bamberg Press. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367334722_English_in_Primary_Education_Concepts_Research_Practice

  • Zirkel, M., Schnellbögl, C., & Summer, T. (2025, September 24–27). Begeisterung für BNE durch Virtual Reality: Einblicke in ein englischdidaktisches Forschungsprojekt [Conference presentation]. 31. DGFF-Kongress, Kassel.
  • Summer, T., Zirkel, M., & Schnellbögl, C. (2025, May 27–31). Implementing Immersive Virtual Reality in Foreign Language Education: Evidence from a Teacher Training Course in the Context of Global and Digital Citizenship Education [Conference presentation]. CALICO 2025, San Diego, U.S.
  • Summer, T., Zirkel, M., & Schnellbögl, C. (2025, March 24–26). Crossing Boundaries in ESD: Critical Perspectives on Virtual Reality Apps [Conference presentation]. Language Education for Sustainable Development, Münster.
  • Schnellbögl, C. & Zirkel, M. (2024, November 14). Virtual Reality & Language Learning: A Focus on Inclusion & Diversity [Invited workshop]. Bamberg.
  • Zirkel, M. (2024, May 29–31). The Potential of Immersive Virtual Reality for Teaching the SDGs in the Context of English Language Education [Conference presentation]. eLearning Africa 17th International Conference & Exhibition on Digital Education, Training & Skills Development, Kigali, Rwanda.
  • Zirkel, M. (2024, January 17). The potential of immersive virtual reality for English language classrooms [Guest lecture]. München.
  • Zirkel, M. (2023, November 9–13). Virtual reality and global learning in English language education: Innovations for English teacher education [Conference presentation]. WorldCALL Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
  • Zirkel, M. (2023, November 3–4). Das Potenzial von Virtual Reality für den Fremdsprachenunterricht und Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung [Presentation]. Arbeitstagung Unterricht auf einem bedrohten Planeten – Perspektiven und Herausforderungen einer Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung im Unterricht sprachlicher Fächer, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
  • Zirkel, M. (2023, October 6–7). Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung und Fremdsprachenlernen in Immersive Virtual Reality [Presentation]. Gesamtverband Moderne Fremdsprachen (GMF)-Tagung, Bamberg.
  • Zirkel, M. (2022, December 15). Northern Irish songs in the EFL classroom [Guest lecture]. Würzburg. Available on YouTube.
  • Summer, T., Grund, R., & Zirkel, M. (2022, September 2–5). Songs in ELT: A survey on university students' beliefs and their experiences in English lessons [Presentatin]. Anglistentag, Mainz.
  • Zirkel, M. (2022, 17–20). Northern Irish songs in the EFL classroom: Theoretical justification and practical suggestions [Conference presentation]. IATFEL 55th International Conference & Exhibition, Belfast, Northern Ireland.