Zoe: Suffolk County tutor
Certified Tutor
I love teaching Spanish. I understand how learners think. I am patient, flexible, creative and will make learning fun.I studied in a Spanish Immersion school then lived in South America for a year. Then I continued my love for Spanish by getting a degree in Spanish Portuguese and Global Studies.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities - Bachelors, Spanish Portuguese and Global Studies
learning more spanish, learning about other cultures, and spending time with friends
What is your teaching philosophy?
I customize my instruction based on the student's goals, learning style, personal preference and language ability.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I will ask what their goals are, what they want to improve on, and how they learn best. I will informally assess their reading, listening, and speaking abilities through asking questions and doing simple tasks while doing their homework or with exercises that match their goals.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I can teach them to problem solve and guess the meaning of words based on the context of the sentence, and guess the meaning of words from cognates or recommend when to use the dictionary. With speaking, I encourage students to take risks and try speaking, even if it's not perfect. The more you practice, the better you get. Sometimes even gestures can also help convey a message.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I will make it fun and be very positive and encouraging. Perfection is not the goal. Gaining fluency over time happens from just practicing more.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I will experiment and try new methods. We can experiment with flashcards, role playing, doing gestures, using repetition, and explaining with lots of analogies.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I have them read the questions at the end of the passage, make predictions about what will happen in the story, and possibly identify words they don't know and look up the definition.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I review the goals of the student. I try to be flexible to adjust the instruction based on the student's personality and ability level. Sometimes I use lots of gestures; other times the student takes the lead and asks questions about what they need help on. Sometimes I guide the student and review things more slowly that they may not understand.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I will try to find a way for it to relate to their life. Help them remember a time something similar happened to them or someone they knew. Or draw on previously learned material to compare or connect the information to.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I can do oral or written informal assessments. Or if the student has specific homework, I should be able to determine if the student understands the concepts based on being able to complete their homework correctly.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I will give them lots of praise, and continue to challenge them as they progress.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I will strengthen their areas of weakness based on their goals and what is appropriate for them to accomplish based on their ability level. Some students may need help with their listening comprehension, while another might need help with pronouncing. Other people might need help memorizing grammatical rules, while others might need help building their vocabulary and increasing fluency. It is based on their goals.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I will adjust the instruction based on the student's ability and their academic goals. I will try one method and ask the student if the speed and focus is right.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I can use flashcards, pictures, dictionaries, pen and paper, grammar books, or anything else they prefer.