My name is Ivana Stikovac. I am 52 years old. I graduated in the English Language and Literature at the Philological Faculty of the University of Belgrade in 1986. After graduating with first class honours, I was employed by the prestigious School for Foreign Languages of Kolarcev Narodni Univerzitet as an English language teacher. I stayed there for six years, until I moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, where I still live and work as a language teacher.

In Johannesburg I worked for Astra College for a short while, then at Magri's Language Institute for a year, only to start my own English Language Studio in 1995. Over time, I have added Spanish and Serbian as the languages my studio offers. I completed my Spanish studies at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria as a twice-awarded best student in my generation. (I received Rosalia Castro Award in the first and the third year). I also taught Serbian to a group of students for several years. I have a fairly good command of German too.

I have been tutoring for many years, all levels, from elementary school students to those preparing for TOEFL and SAT exams.

Although languages are by far my biggest passion, I am also interested in painting, psychology, film and theatre and I am an avid reader.

1986 Graduated from the Philological Faculty of the University of Belgrade. Obtained a BA Degree with Honours cum laude in the English Language and Literature (Grade average 97.6%)

1986 - 1992 Worked as an English language teacher for the prestigious School for Foreign Languages of Kolarcev Narodni Univerzitet of Belgrade

1992 Worked at Astra College (English teacher)

1993 Worked at Magri's Language Institute (English teacher)

1994 Tutoring

1995 Started English Language Studio

2005 - 2008 Studied Spanish at the Department of Modern Languages of UNISA and passed all the examinations with the grade average of 80%

Currently teaching English, Spanish and occasionally Serbian.

2017 Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate

I have been a sworn translator for the Supreme Court of South Africa for English and Serbian since 1994.

My overall teaching experience spans over 30 years, if I exclude 10 years of tutoring prior to obtaining professional qualifications

There are as many approaches as there are students. Generally, I put the biggest emphasis on grammar as I find it a necessary foundation for any progress in learning a foreign language. Obviously, grammar is just an aid, albeit very useful, so, depending on the student's progress I introduce conversation in the relevant fields of interest.

I believe that working on a one-on-one basis enables the teacher to understand each student's needs in depth and choose the best possible materials for that particular student. Different students need to improve different skills, so I always make an effort to focus on what is most important for each individual student.

I always encourage students to ask as many questions as possible and guide me in terms of what they want me to help them with.

Moje ime je Ivana Štikovac. Rodjena sam u Srbiji i živela u Beogradu do svoje 27. godine, dok se nisam odselila u Južnu Afriku.

U Beogradu sam završila tadašnju 8. beogradsku gimnaziju (današnju 3. beogradsku), a zatim i Filološki fakultet u Beogradu, Odsek za engleski jezik i književnost.

Fakultet sam završila sa prosekom 9.76.

Radila sam šest godina na Kolarčevom Narodnom Univerzitetu, u Školi za strane jezike, kao nastavnik engleskog jezika.

Nakon preseljenja u Johanesburg 1992. godine, nastavila sam da radim kao profesor engleskog jezika. Radila sam u Astra Collegu jedno kratko vreme, a zatim godinu dana u Magri Institutu za strane jezike, takodje kao profesor engleskog jezika.

Od 1995. godine radim privatno. Moja škola se zove English Language Studio, ali ne predajem samo engleski.

Predajem takodje španski, koga sam završila na UNISA-i, Univerzitetu u Pretoriji, Južna Afrika.

Nekoliko godina sam predavala srpski jezik grupi studenata koja je dolazila u moj studio.

Srpski jezik je moj maternji jezik, ali ja fluentno govorim i engleski i španski, i imam prilično dobro znanje nemačkog jezika.

Imam 52 godine i radim kao nastavnik jezika zvanično 30 godina, ali sam zapravo pošela da dajem časove punih 40 godina.

Diplomirani profesor engleskog jezika. Diplomirala juna 1986 godine sa prosečnom ocenom 9.76. na Filološkom fakultetu u Beogradu, Srbija

Završene studije španskog na UNISA-i 2008. godine, sa prosekom od 80%. Dva puta proglašena najboljim studentom godine i nagradjivana (Nagrada:Rosalia Castro)

Radim kao profesor jezika od 1986. godine

6 godina na Kolarčevom Narodnom Univerzitetu u Beogradu.

1 mesec u Astra College, Johanesburg

1 godina na Magri Institutu, Johanesburg

English Language Studio (moja škola) od 1995. godine predajem engleski i španski

4. godine predava srpski jezik polaznicima moje škole. I dalje predajem srpski kad god se ukaže prilika

Pošto je srpski jezik veoma komplikovan, potrebno je prvo napraviti dobru osnovu. Na početku akcenat stavljam na gramatiku i na uvežbavanje gramatičkih kategorija.

Studenti moraju dobro da savladaju gramatiku da bi mogli da pokušaju da pričaju.

Naravno, uvodim jednostavne fraze već od samog početka da bi student imao ideju o nekoj osnovnoj kominikaciji.

Metod i pristup se razlikuje za svakog učenika, u zavisnosti od njegovog nivoa poznavanja jezika koji uči.

Tempo i brzina savlađivanja gradiva takođe zavisi i od lične motivacije i talenta svakog učenika ponaosob.

Me llamo Ivana Stikovac. Originalmente, soy de Belgrado, Serbia, pero llevo 24 años viviendo en Johannesburgo, Sudáfrica.

Tengo 52 años y soy profesora de inglés, español y serbio. También sé bastante del alemán, pero no lo enseño.

Me encantan las lenguas - son mi pasión más grande - y me encanta enseñar. ¡No me acuerdo del tiempo cuando no enseñaba!

También me interesan las películas y el teatro, la psicología, y me encanta pintar y leer.

1986 Me licencié en inglés y la literatura inglesa

1986 - 1992 Trabajé como profesora de inglés en La escuela de Lenguas Extranjeras de Kolarcev Narodni Univerzitet (una de las escuelas de lenguas extranjeras más celebres y grandes en Belgrado y en toda Serbia)

1992 Me trasladé a Johannesburgo, Sudáfrica.

1992 - presente Trabajo como profesora de inglés

2003 Empecé a estudiar el español con un tutor

2005 - 2008 Estudié el español en UNISA (Universidad de Sudáfrica). Aprobé todos los examenes con el promedio de 80%. Como la mejor estudiante en el

Departamento de Español fui premiada dos veces (El Premio Rosalia de Castro)

2008 - presente Clases individuales de español

Cada estudiante es un mundo. Tengo diferentes modos de enfocar en la materia, dependiente de cada estudiante. Para mí, la gramática es la llave y siempre trato de encontrar las maneras más divertidas de enseñarla. Sencillamente, sin conocer la gramática bien, no hay progreso.

Creo que tengo mucha paciencia porque entiendo qué difícil es aprender una lengua nueva y extraña.

Prefiero enseñar a los principiantes en español ya que estoy segura de que ellos puedan aprovecharse de mi conocimiento de la gramática más.