Experience Summary
My qualifications to teach English as a second language stem from the fact that I have faced this beast from both sides of the fence: first, as a learner of a second language, then as an instructor. In 2007, I returned from almost 10 years in the country of Albania where I learned the native language and became adept at knowing how a language is learned, some of the pitfalls involved, and some of the factors that make it not just doable but enjoyable. After learning Albanian, I taught conversational English to a small group of Albanians and also gave several informal English lessons to Albanian children. This past year in the states I started learning Portuguese and then tutored a small group of Brazilian ladies in English.
Teaching Style
Teaching English is such a delight! Having lived in a cross-cultural setting for several years and learned the native language, I understand remarkably well some of the frustrations and difficulties of learning a second language. Empathetically aware of the challenge, I aim to create a setting in which the student can make the not so painless trek from their native tongue to mine. I seek to build their conversational ability from the start while adding appropriate grammatical understanding as we go. Speaking and comprehension take first seat followed by writing and reading. Using a variety of creative ideas and examples, I seek to make learning English very practical and user friendly from the first day.