Jiří Šalamoun is the Head of the Department and a scholar of contemporary Anglophone literature. His primary research examines the intersections of technology, satire, and race with a specific focus on the postmodern narratives of Thomas Pynchon. He is especially fond of Old English literature and the pivotal role of community within it. In the classroom, he teaches courses on both foundational and contemporary literature and guides students through complex narratives.
Martin Adam is an Associate Professor of English Linguistics and a dedicated proponent of the Brno linguistic tradition. Building on the legacy of Jan Firbas, he specializes in Functional Sentence Perspective (FSP) and the analysis of religious and persuasive discourse. He serves on multiple editorial boards and teaches courses ranging from Introduction to Linguistics to advanced Functional Syntax, and is also the guarantor of all the B.A. programs offered by the department.
Světlana Hanušová is an Associate Professor of foreign language didactics. In her academic work she focuses on the nature of teaching expertise, teacher education curricula, curriculum development in English language teaching (ELT) and Second Language Acquisition (SLA). As the Programme Guarantor for Lower Secondary School English Language Teacher Training study programme, she coordinates the Programme Board and oversees the structure of the curriculum, ensuring the courses align with the department’s graduate profile.
Jana Popelková serves as the Department Secretary. Her office (A4010) is the administrative hub of the department, handling student enquiries, official documentation, thesis submissions, scheduling, and day-to-day departmental operations. She is the first point of contact for students and visitors navigating administrative processes. She communicates and cooperates with all other departments at the faculty. She welcomes all enquiries regarding study matters.
Pavla Buchtová taught American literature, Native American literature, contemporary American poetry, creative writing, and gender studies at the Department of English Language and Literature. Her courses focused on American literary traditions from the colonial period through the twentieth century, with emphasis on Indigenous perspectives. Her research explored Native American fiction and its engagement with the Western literary canon, with particular interest in Thomas King, Louise Erdrich, and Sherman Alexie. She collaborated internationally on the LIRE extensive reading project with partners in Poland and Slovakia.
Jana Chocholatá teaches ELT methodology for primary and lower-secondary teachers. Her courses focus on inclusive classroom practices, special educational needs, and advanced young learners (B2+). Her research explores pedagogical content knowledge development and reflective teaching practice, with particular interest in democratic education principles. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in early language acquisition, learning differences, and school ethnography.
Šárka Cox teaches ELT methodology courses, including Basics of English Didactics, Didactics 4, and Teaching Children. Her courses focus on practical approaches to English language teaching at primary and lower-secondary levels. Her research explores foreign language teaching and learning, with particular interest in the professional development of English teachers at Czech primary schools. She is a Cambridge speaking examiner and holds the Trinity College Diploma in TESOL, bringing over twenty years of teaching experience in the Czech Republic and the UK. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in ELT methodology and teacher development.
Filip Dobiáš teaches phonetics and phonology, and courses based on the task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach. His courses focus on simulations, theatre in education, and experiential learning methodologies, creating immersive and meaningful language experiences for future teachers. His research explores design-based research in tertiary education, with a particular interest in designing complex simulations within the TBLT framework. He has developed innovative simulation-based curricula which integrate drama techniques with language-learning objectives, drawing on both theoretical frameworks and practical classroom experience. He welcomes consultation and collaboration in TBLT implementation, educational simulations, and experiential learning design.
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Alena Dobrovolná teaches ELT methodology, using literature in EFL, and online courses on creative writing and using music in ELT. Her courses focus on English didactics, extensive reading, and developing communicative competence. Her research explores interactive technologies in language teaching and literature-based EFL approaches, with particular interest in extensive reading and oral interaction in the classroom. She co-authored the LIRE Erasmus+ toolkit Let's Read in English (2022, Raabe). She welcomes consultation and collaboration in ELT methodology, extensive reading programmes, and creative writing in EFL.
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Šárka Dohnalová teaches English for Kindergarten Teachers, Teaching through Drama, Methodology of English Language, and Practical Language and Phonology. Her courses focus on drama in education, teaching very young learners, and inclusive approaches to EFL. Her research explores drama techniques in language teaching and learners with special educational needs, with particular interest in multisensory approaches for SEN pupils. She is a British Council-certified drama teacher trainer and Oxford University Press teacher trainer with extensive international conference activity. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in drama-based ELT, very young learners, and inclusive education.
Olga Dontcheva-Navratilova is a Professor of English Linguistics. She teaches functional linguistics, lexicology, stylistics, sociolinguistics and academic writing. Her research, grounded in discourse analysis, pragmatics, and corpus linguistics, focuses on English for professional and academic purposes, with particular interest in coherence and the interpersonal dimension of traditional and multimodal academic genres as well as learner discourse. She leads a Czech Science Foundation project on recontextualisation strategies in multimodal academic genres and was recognised with the prestigious MUNI Scientist award for her contributions to the field. She is the editor‑in‑chief of the journal Discourse and Interaction. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in discourse analysis, pragmatics, and AI‑enhanced teaching methods.
Michael George brings a diverse professional background to his teaching of American history and culture. He specializes in American history, film, and the pedagogy of tolerance, contributing to the department as a guest lecturer. The diploma theses he has supervised reflect these interests: topics have addressed the media's role in shaping American conformity, the tensions between individualism and Christian identity in postmodern America, and comparative approaches to teaching tolerance in the USA and Czech Republic. He promotes democratic education and welcomes consultation and collaboration in American history studies, film theory, and screen adaptations of literary texts.
Irena Headlandová Kalischová teaches English phonetics and phonology as well as practical English. Her courses span bachelor and master programmes, including specialised accent analysis for English film production studies. Her research explores English intonation patterns and Czech-English linguistic interaction, with particular interest in implications for non-native speakers. She has extensive Erasmus+ teaching experience at European universities, and also participates in the lecture series for University of the Third Age. She published a monograph Intonation in Discourse (MU Press, 2010) and co-authors publications on Czech-English comparison. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in intonation analysis, accent studies, and comparative phonetics.
Dita Hochmanová teaches British and American history, culture, and literature courses. Her research examines satire in 18th-century England, with particular attention to masculinity studies and the era’s standards of politeness — key themes explored in her recent publication, Henry Fielding between Satire and Sentiment (MU Press, 2023). Her additional interests include British women novelists and the use of multimodal approaches in teaching literature. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in 18th-century and contemporary British literary and cultural studies.
Sonia Homolka teaches practical English language courses and testing preparation. Her specialisations include STANAG 6001 testing methodology and language assessment. Her work focuses on practical language skill development and testing strategies, drawing from nearly 30 years of teaching experience at tertiary level. She holds a Master's degree with honours in English Language Teaching from the University of Pardubice and has contributed expertise as a professional language tester. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in language testing, practical language teaching, and assessment design.
Irena Hůlková teaches phonetics and phonology, and has experience teaching English grammar and syntax. Her courses include the compulsory undergraduate Phonetics and Phonology and the optional Methods of English Pronunciation Teaching for postgraduate students. Her research explores L1 interference and explicit pronunciation instruction, with particular interest in pedagogical applications. She received the 2021 MU Rector's Award for Teaching Excellence and actively extends her reach through her YouTube channel and Instagram account "Anglická výslovnost s Irenou", CPD workshops and webinars. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in pronunciation teaching methodology and phonetics research.
Renata Jančaříková teaches grammar and discourse analysis at the Faculty of Education. Her courses focus on developing students’ grammatical competence, supporting their accurate use of English, and guiding them in stylistics to analyse and produce texts with greater awareness of style and register. Her research explores academic discourse and British crime media representation, with a particular interest in naming strategies and their social implications. She is the author of Victims vs Killers in the British Press (2014) and co-author of Coherence and Cohesion in English Discourse (2012). She co-edits the international journal Discourse and Interaction and welcomes collaboration in discourse analysis, academic writing, and media studies.
Zdeněk Janík teaches Critical Intercultural Communication, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), and Cultures and History of English Speaking Countries. His courses focus on intercultural pedagogy, cultural studies, and internationalization of higher education. His research explores intercultural communication and identity negotiation, with particular interest in intercultural interventions in study abroad programmes and COIL methodology. He served as Vice-dean for Internationalization (2019–2023) and guarantees the BA programme Education for Diversity and Inclusion. He welcomes consultation and collaboration in intercultural communication, internationalization of curriculum, and collaborative online learning.
Barbora Kašpárková teaches 19th- and 20th-century British and American literature and Critical Reading. Her courses focus on literary analysis and the philosophical dimensions of fiction, encouraging students to engage with texts as both aesthetic and ethical objects. Her research explores Iris Murdoch's literary and philosophical works, with particular interest in ethics and human relationships in novels. She specialises in British women writers, Gothic fiction, and cinema studies, and supervises bachelor and master theses in these areas. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in literary analysis, Murdochian studies, and Gothic literature.
Zuzana Kršková teaches critical reading, British literature history, and experiential learning. Her courses emphasise presentation skills and project management in educational contexts, fostering students' capacity for independent critical engagement with literary texts. Her research explores postcolonial literature's stylistic and symbolic dimensions, with particular interest in solidarity theory and interdisciplinary approaches. She specialises in examining literary adaptations in visual media and their educational applications, building meaningful bridges between textual analysis and screen culture. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in postcolonial studies, critical pedagogy, and literature-cinema connections.
Karolína Mistríková teaches Grammar, Practical Language, and Didactics. Moreover, she leads the course of Artephiletics in language learning, where she examines the opportunity to use Artephiletics for adults. In this approach, aesthetic experience and artistic interpretation are used as vehicles for language and meaning-making. She has experience with teaching in an alternative primary school. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in art-based teaching methods, Montessori-inspired pedagogy, and didactic innovation.
Martin Němec teaches Translation Exercises, Grammar, and Introduction to Translation Theory. His teaching focuses on English-Czech translation practice and the linguistic aspects of English. His thesis supervision has addressed literary translation and its analytical dimensions, with students examining Czech renderings of canonical and contemporary works: topics have included translations of the medieval Irish epic Táin Bó Cúalnge, Edgar Allan Poe's Gothic fiction, Shakespearean drama, vulgarisms and slang in modern prose, and fairy-tale collections by J. K. Rowling. He welcomes consultation in the areas of English-Czech literary translation and translation theory.
Petra Pašalov teaches language didactics, phonetics, and Practical Language in the Primary Education programme. Her courses integrate drama education, storytelling, and videotelling techniques that bring language learning to life for young learners. Her research explores picture books' pedagogical potential in primary language education, with particular interest in visual literacy development. She brings extensive experience from primary schools and teacher training seminars and actively supervises theses on English language teaching in primary contexts. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in primary English teaching, picture book pedagogy, and creative teaching methods.
Lucie Podroužková teaches courses in British literature and literature for children and young adults. She served as a visiting instructor at McLennan Community College, Texas (2012–2014), guest teaches at local schools and develops English reading programmes for libraries. Her publications include The Shakespearean Canon in the Works of Tom Stoppard (2015) and Let’s Read in English: Using Graded Readers (co-authored, 2022). Her academic interests range from contemporary British and American drama and literature for children and young adults to reading literacy, sustainable education, and integrated curriculum. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in British literature, literature for children and young adults, the science of reading, and literacy pedagogy.
Renata Povolná teaches syntax and pragmatics. Her courses emphasise practical applications of linguistic theory, helping students engage analytically with how language functions across contexts. Her research explores discourse analysis, pragmatics, and conversation analysis, with particular interest in coherence and persuasion in academic and media discourse. As Associate Professor of English Linguistics, she brings extensive scholarly experience to the department and co-edits the journal Discourse and Interaction. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in syntax, pragmatics, and discourse coherence studies.
Ailsa Marion Randall teaches practical language, methodology, and intercultural communication. Her courses focus on technology integration and music in language classrooms, bringing creative and internationally-informed approaches to teacher preparation. Her work explores innovative classroom practices and international cooperation, with particular interest in EDUC project implementation. She has coordinated four EDUC projects facilitating collaboration between Masaryk University students and partner universities across Europe. She also brings professional expertise in proofreading, editing, and voiceover work. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in technology-enhanced learning, intercultural projects, and creative teaching methods.
Michaela Sojková Šamalová teaches English language didactics and teacher training courses. Her specialisations include methods in language teaching, language systems, and assessment techniques across a range of pedagogical contexts. Her research explores the role of mother tongue in foreign language teaching, with particular interest in translation methodology and cross-linguistic transfer. She has developed online learning materials tailored for children with specific learning needs, combining pedagogical theory with practical classroom application. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in teaching methodology, instructional strategies, and materials development.
Jaroslav Suchý teaches courses integrating music and creative writing in language education. His specialisations include Using Music and Songs in Language Classrooms and experiential learning principles, grounded in the conviction that authentic engagement transforms language acquisition. His work explores innovative pedagogical approaches in residential language courses, with particular interest in experiential methodology implementation. He brings extensive teaching experience from elementary, secondary, and private education sectors, enriching his university teaching with real-world classroom insight. He welcomes consultation and collaboration in music-based teaching, creative writing pedagogy, and experiential learning design.
Radek Vogel teaches lexicology, stylistics, grammar, syntax, and academic writing. His courses cover both historical and contemporary English language systems, connecting linguistic theory to real-world communicative practice. His research explores lexical semantics, verb hierarchies, and persuasion in specialised discourses, with particular interest in English for Specific Purposes. He contributes to Czech Science Foundation grants on persuasion and multimodal genre recontextualisation. He brings professional experience from business English and translation methodology teaching. He welcomes consultation and collaboration in lexicology, semantics, and specialised discourse analysis.
Žaneta Voldánová teaches practical language, phonetics and phonology, and grammar, mainly in the Primary School Teacher Training programme. Her courses also include singing in ELT and poetry writing, providing a rich and creative environment for future teachers. Her research explores the effects of pragmatics instruction on EFL writing skills, with a particular interest in the integration of applied linguistics and didactics. Beyond her academic responsibilities, she manages the department's social media presence and co-organises student events. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in didactics-oriented research, especially in the areas of pragmatics teaching and creative language activities.
Helena Worthington teaches syntax, lexicology, and academic writing. Her courses focus on practical language skills and linguistic analysis, equipping students with tools to understand how language operates across social and institutional contexts. Her research explores critical discourse analysis and political discourse, with particular interest in how language shapes identity, power, and ideology. She completed her doctoral research examining strategic language use in political contexts and continues to investigate the intersection of language and power. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in discourse analysis, academic writing, and sociolinguistic research.
Eva Zavadilová teaches practical language, phonetics and phonology, and didactics of English. Her teaching focuses on developing students’ language skills and on reflective approaches to English language teaching. Her research is situated within foreign language didactics and explores oral corrective feedback in EFL classrooms, with particular attention to its formative potential in lower-secondary education. In her work, she seeks to connect theory with classroom practice, support early-career teachers, and contribute to the development of teachers’ skills in providing effective feedback. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in didactics-oriented research, especially in the areas of corrective feedback and formative assessment.
Jana Zerzová is an Associate Professor of foreign language didactics and head of the didactics section in the department. Her academic work focuses on intercultural communicative competence and plurilingual and pluricultural competence development, approaches and methods in FLT, CLIL, bi- and multilingual disciplinary literacies, and autistic learners of foreign languages. Drawing on over 20 years of experience from language schools, she serves as a foreign language methodologist in one of them, and has collaborated with TAKTIK, CERMAT, and City&Guilds on major educational projects. She welcomes consultation and collaboration in foreign language didactics, special educational needs, and computer-assisted learning.
