Our mission statement
Across Cultures partners with educators and learners to deliver exciting and innovative blended learning programmes and resources that support language learning and literacy within the demands of a rapidly changing world.
Across Cultures has an experienced team of experts, including EAL, ESOL, and SEND specialists. We share a commitment to:
- Quality
- Communication
- Customer service
- Innovation
- Integrity
- Teamwork
- Continuous learning
Through these values, we work together with individuals and groups to deliver the best possible outcomes for education providers and enable their learners to reach their full potential. To date, we have supported almost 30,000 EAL learners worldwide and work with over 1,500 education providers.
How we got started
Caroline Scott, author and Director at Across Cultures, originally began writing an induction to English, funded by the Local Authority of Tower Hamlets in 2002.
This funding was awarded to accommodate for the distinct need for additional support for English language learners and their families in schools. After writing her first draft, Caroline went on to develop this further, eventually providing training for many schools in Tower Hamlets and beyond. After some years, Caroline left Tower Hamlets to start an international school overseas. There, she was able to develop ideas further. Following significant additional research, she wrote her first book, 'Teaching Children as an Additional Language: A Programme for 7-11 year olds.' She later went on to write her second book, 'Teaching English as an Additional Language 5-11, A Whole School Resource', which encompassed many more facets of language learning, including language learning strategies, additional assessment, a structured approach to literacy and differentiating further for all levels of language across all curriculum subjects.
The Learning Village, an online English language learning programme for learners in schools (www.learningvillage.net), was a natural evolution of her work. It allowed increased flexibility for learners and teachers, as well as providing a structured approach to literacy and significantly more content and assessment opportunities. Her third book 'An English as an Additional Language (EAL) Programme: Learning through images for 7-14 year olds encompasses this approach.
Caroline also delivers training and consultancy for senior teachers/leaders on supporting language learning across the curriculum (the EAL Framework Process), as well as delivering whole-school insets and other courses on how to achieve effective language teaching through blended learning.
More recently, with the support of the Across Cultures team, Caroline has developed the Community Village, which supports a structured approach to literacy for adults. This is a blended learning programme that has been specifically tailored for new-to-English, SEND, and low-level literacy adult learners, using image as the language of instruction.
Finally, Across Cultures also provides AssessEP, a tool designed to assess English proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Who we are

Caroline Scott
Director, Author & Trainer

Breda Matthews
EAL Specialist

Iva Miteva
EAL Specialist

Martha Giannakaki
EAL Specialist

Miranda Howell
EAL Specialist

Rose Baty
EAL Specialist

Jessica Gosling
EAL Specialist for Early Years

Mary Langford
EAL Specialist (Mother tongue & International Education)
Mary has over 40 years' experience in international school life, including as a teacher, Principal and Director. She served as Deputy Executive Director of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS), instructing in and addressing language issues, mobility and transition. Across the sector, she has worked in governance, admissions, alumni relations, examinations, and public relations and communications.
Mary was involved in the founding of the new Halcyon London International School in 2012 - the first not-for-profit international IB World School (MYP and DP) in central London - and managed its mother tongue language programme for the next two years as an independent consultant. She has worked as a consultant advising international families seeking school placements and as a Visiting Lecturer at University College Zealand, Denmark, advising on international teaching practice and placements. Mary has served on 17 multi-agency international school accreditation visiting teams and her work has taken her to over 90 international schools worldwide. With colleagues, she developed the International Language and Literature Teachers' Cooperative, providing mother tongue language support to IB students.
Her articles, authored works and peer book review have been published globally. She has spoken extensively before school staff, leaders and boards, parent associations, international schools associations and private-sector interests, and has been interviewed for numerous blogs, podcasts, articles and programmes.
Mary has a BA in Spanish/Portuguese and Latin American Humanities and an MA in International Education; she is currently undertaking doctoral studies in International Education at the University of Bath.

Louise Kearns
EAL Specialist

Simon Lobo-Morell
Developer, CDU Digital

Beverley Roby
Memberships

Vicky Henderson
Memberships & Wellbeing Specialist
Vicky Henderson, BA Hons, PGCE (EYFS/KS1), CELTA, has over 10 years of experience in education, teaching in UK schools and extensively in Australia, Thailand, and France. She has specialised in teaching English and supporting bilingual children in becoming literate. While living in France in her late 20s, Vicky applied her expertise to become fluent in French and cherishes time spent reconnecting with friends and immersing herself in French culture.
A multi-award-winning coach, mentor, trainer, and speaker, Vicky is passionate about mental health and emotional development, working with both young people and adults. She specialises in emotional intelligence and resilience, helping clients overcome stress, anxiety, and low confidence. Vicky also has extensive training in trauma and its effects, emphasising mindful, trauma-informed practice and creating psychologically safe environments.
Find out more here: Young People, Adults

Leesh Mulligan
Administrator (New Zealand)

Heidi Brunner
Content Development Lead

Karen Wilson
SEND Specialist

Alan Best
Strategic development

Sara Marchetto
Illustrator (Learning Village)
Sara does an incredible job of bringing the Learning Village to life! Sara lives in a beautiful village in the Italian Alps and loves hiking and practicing yoga. She started her illustration career by creating colourful comic strips about her primary school classmates' imaginary adventures. She has published professionally since 2009, working on textbooks, fiction books, games, and educational projects for a wide age range. She collaborates with publishers, institutions, and companies in Italy and worldwide.