I am originally from the United States and spent the majority of my life living there. I have been living in Oaxaca, Mexico for more than a year improving my Spanish and teaching English as a second language to Mexican students.

Fascinated with learning languages myself, I wanted to live in a Spanish speaking country to completely immerse myself in a language. This also allows me a setting in which I may connect with students who want to learn English in an immersion based class room. As an avid language learner I use methods in my teaching that I always prefer as a student of a language.

My favorite part of teaching English is connecting with students from different cultural and language backgrounds and breaking down the barriers of different languages. When I teach individual courses I love to create a relationship with my students in order to give them the most valuable lessons and incorporate their own interests and context into each class.

I also love literature, cinema, music, and discussing the world. These are all topics that will be repeated in my classes and used as vessels for improving the English of each students.

I typically teach advanced levels in TOEFL preparation and/or conversation practice and I will happily bring students from an intermediate to advanced level of speaking as well.

Education:

• School for International Training (SIT) TESOL Certificate Course February 2014

• Portland State University - Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies 2014

Summary of Qualifications:

-130 hours of training in the SIT TESOL course.

-In the TESOL course, I was trained to analyze language in ways that will predict student challenges.

-Effectively plan and teach lessons that develop students’ productive and receptive skills that engage students fully

-Reflect on planning and teaching decisions in order to effectively influence students’ learning and the learning environment of the classroom.

Relevant Experience:

English Teacher,

Berlitz Language School, Online

January 2016-present

-Teach all levels, from beginner to advanced in immersion based English courses.

-Teach both group and private classes

-Teach Business English such as: English for presentations, emails, meetings, and more.

English Teacher,

TOPICA Native, Online

July 2015-present

-Teach beginner and intermediate English course to groups of 6 online.

-Work specifically with conversational English and pronunciation with students from Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

English Teacher,

E Max Learning Institute, Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico

February 2014-March 2016

-Teach intermediate, advanced, TOEFL preparation, and conversation English courses to classes ranging in size from 5-15 people

-Teach personally individualized private classes in intermediate, advanced, TOEFL preparation, and conversation English courses

-Develop lesson plans daily for both teenagers and adults

-Use a range of materials and teaching methods including: games, role plays, reading and listening practices, daily writing practice, and guided conversations

English Teacher,

Ollin Tlahtoalli Centro de Lenguas y Cultura Mexicana, Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico February 2014

-Taught beginning and intermediate English language development courses

-Planned curriculum for a three week course with teaching partners

-Developed lesson plans daily that corresponded previous lessons

-Created professional materials for each class including: board visual aids, card games, readings, and worksheets.



Tutor,

Portland State University Writing Center, Portland, OR USA

September 2010-June 2013

-Helped students with academic writing: edited papers, aided students in creating outlines, thesis statements, research, and creating bibliographers

-Worked 5 to 10 hours a week in the University Writing Center with individual students.

My teaching approach is rooted in complete immersion into the English language for students of all levels.

Within this approach I introduce grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing skills to students through conversation and real life context. I follow the approach which I have been trained to use in both my TESOL certification course and in my school over the past year. This method allows for students to enter into an hour-long class and be automatically in an English-only setting.

Each lesson new vocabulary and use of grammar will be introduced through primarily verbal examples and practiced in multiple forms in order to insure the fluency of the new knowledge before it is seen or practiced in its written form. I believe that this method allows more confidence in the student's speech and leads them to a more fluid conversational level of speaking.

As students build on their level of speech they will also practice exercises of listening, reading, and writing in order to be prepared to enter into an English speaking country or university, or simply be able to enjoy books, music, podcasts, etc. in the English language. While new grammatical usage and vocabulary is introduced the students will constantly recycle and review the earlier lessons that they have previously learned.

-Immersion-based and English-only classroom

-Use of many contexts in order to prepare students for speaking in any situation

-Practice based in speech but also including reading, writing, and listening practice

-Lessons and courses created and modified to match each students needs and pace

-Creating a comfortable relationship and environment so that students may build confidence in speaking