What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that students learn best while creating personal meaning. When we work with language, I will ensure that you understand how to communicate well with the world around you, understanding cultural perspectives and practices of the language you are learning. Although I will help you understand the grammatical functions of the language, it won't be the sole function of our lessons. Communication is key!

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

First, we'll see where you are in terms of communicating in the language. I've been trained by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) to conduct a Modified Oral Proficiency Interview (MOPI). This will help me determine your linguistic proficiency in the language you are trying to learn. I'll do this by attempting to get to know you in the language you are learning! This will assist us to develop a starting point.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I'll teach you tried and true methods of language study. I'll model these methods for you, then help you learn how to do them on your own. I'll show you how to use what you know in English and the new language, to understand new words you may encounter.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I love helping students see how much they know! Often students get bogged down by what they don't understand, but I maintain the focus on how much they've already learned, and how much background knowledge they already have to propel them into further knowledge.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

I have a wide variety of resources I can use to help students understand difficult concepts. Additionally, I frequently reach out to my teacher community to learn new teaching strategies.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

I work from the top down. We'll focus on the big picture of comprehension first (main ideas) and slowly work our way towards the details of a small focus (inference). I use multiple resources to tailor to individual students' needs.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

I find that getting to know a student's personal story helps build a great foundation for language learning. I am able to help them communicate about their life and their world. If we work with topics that interest YOU, then you are certainly going to be more interested in what you are studying!

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

It is so important to create personal meaning while learning language. I will be sure that we are focusing on topics within the language that are interesting to you, the student, so you can better understand the content.

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

I assess language in all realms. I make sure students can not only write the language, but that they can also hear and understand, speak and be understood, and read and understand.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I use an Oral Proficiency Interview to determine a student's linguistic proficiency. This helps me establish a floor (where the student can best communicate) and a ceiling (where the student begins to break down in the language) so that the student's learning goals can be met.

How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?

I take copious notes while working with students, reminding myself where a student may need extra reinforcement or practice with a particular topic. I'll seek out resources to help, and we'll return to whatever skills need to be reviewed.

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

I try to use as many authentic materials as possible (we read and listen to materials published for speakers of that language), but I also have a host of materials meant for language learning. I use books, audio recordings, and films to assist in language comprehension.