About Me

So You Need to Learn a LanguageSpanish and teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.....Well, that's what I have degrees in, but I wouldn't distill it down to such a fine point. I'm more of a linguistic and educational survivor/refugee more than anything. A language "whisperer" if I may. I first got interested in Spanish language because I felt that I was confined to a teeny little world, and guess what, I WAS! But decades later...I've seen amazing changes in people's language skills: kids from age 2 to 62 read and speak better, negotiate real life situations, and get whatever job done that needs to be done thanks to non-traditional language teaching methods. I'm talking about things that researchers have proven for the past 40-50 years about learning languages that still goes unused in the vast majority of language classrooms; unless you are really conversing after receiving tons of listening and reading input, it just ain't happening. Most importantly, I suppose, as a teacher I classify myself one of those students - because my personal education never stops. Brief Origin StoryI grew up reaching out to my own local small-town community, part of which is a Hispanic community. Spent time talking to migrant workers at the grocery store who asked me to help them with simple things. I spent my early 20s working hard for landscape and construction companies, learning words and phrases never considered in any college classroom. Later I got into business and medical Spanish, and progressed towards learning the necessary grammar and vocabulary to communicate in Portuguese. They are definitely not the same! Now I can have conversations in those languages no problem, and even passed a few tests saying I'm kind of good at it. What did a masters in teaching languages get me besides a ton of student loan debt? A tried and true methodology that I have picked apart, reassembled and verified with my own real-life experiences. A system that can change for you, probing the depths of your abilities and supporting the weak areas with those that are stronger. Also, I passed a few tests saying I'm good at it. How You Can Do ItIf you are a "shortcut now" person, you will soon find out that there are no shortcuts in language learning- just like you can't take a bunch of supplements and benchpress 500 lbs. But there are things you have probably never tried or imagined that will make you feel like you did just do that! What we will do together is frame out a mental structure or area that is uniquely "you." Your language needs, level, and related skills: Do you need phone, texting, or email skills? Can you read? Do you have a set of digital tools you need to be proficient with in that language? After establishing that personal zone of growth, you can grow - because you will WANT to grow- as a language user and language community member, not a multiple choice box-checker. That's not all you will earn- you will also be able to take that system to any new foreign language situation without a teacher. You will not only learn how to take "the test" (and do well) but also learn BEYOND the test in a way that is useful to you and everyone you come into contact with. Don't wait too long!

Education & Certifications

Q&A with Terry

Tutoring Subjects