Experience Summary
I have been speaking, reading, and writing fluently in Spanish for 10 years.
I have also been teaching Spanish (to children and adults) and translating for Spanish-speakers for 8 years.
I speak Spanish daily because my husband is from Mexico and does not speak English.
I also have 2 children (7 years old and 5 years old) who are bilingual.
Teaching Style
I use a combination of E-mail, Telephone, Instant Messenger, and Video Chat (optional). Each lesson requires the student to translate from Spanish to English and then to translate from English to Spanish. Therefore, the student begins speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish from Lesson 1. Aside from the lessons, I provide Spanish music with lyrics and translation to help with speed and comfort level when speaking. I also provide websites for watching Spanish TV from all Spanish speaking countries to help with understanding and adjusting to different accents.
Other Comments
People usually have the misconception that it is better to learn a foreign language from a native speaker. But if you really think about it, as a native English speaker, how much English can you really teach someone?
For example, think about the 3 verbs MAKE, FAKE, and TAKE. Do you know why the past tense of MAKE is MADE, the past tense of FAKE is FAKED, and the past tense of TAKE is TOOK? Do you know when to use WHO and when to use WHOM? Do you know the difference between AFFECT and EFFECT?
Native speakers do not usually know Rules of Grammar and how to explain them. As someone who learned Spanish myself, I have Spanish Rules of Grammar down to a science, and can make 100% certain that all your questions are answered. I can help you to speak Spanish more correctly than some of the native speakers.