Maura: Bloomington tutor
Certified Tutor
I am a person that is dedicated to teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). While I have many years business experience, I was downsized in early 2009 when the US economy crashed. I reinvented myself as an ESL instructor and have never looked back. Travel is my passion in life and I have always enjoyed meeting people from different cultures. I am friendly, flexible and professional. I believe in enjoying life every day and I love seeing students become more comfortable and confident in using English.
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Undergraduate Degree: Bryant Stratton College - Buffalo NY - Bachelors, Business
Travel, Ethnic Foods, Music, Film, Meeting New People
- College English
- English
- ESL/ELL
- High School English
- Test Prep
- TOEFL Prep
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that once the student has the foundation of the language, it's really important to let them talk about 90% of the time and become more confident speaking English.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I like to get some background information about their purpose for learning English. While they are talking, I am assessing their pronunciation and ability to form sentences. I would then explain what our plan will be for studying.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I always encourage the student to listen to English language tv, movies and podcasts every day to increase their comprehension. I also advise them to make friends with native speakers.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would make sure the lessons are structured but also engaging and fun.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would find further information to help them understand.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Bring it back to basics and make sure they are comfortable with the sentence structure and vocabulary.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
It's important for them to keep talking. I always have a variety of topics to discuss.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I have many resources on the internet. I also have a very good grammar book if they need help with that.