Erika

Certified Tutor

Call us today to connect with a top tutor

(888) 888-0446

Call Now

Having over 10 years of experience as a second language educator at the novice and intermediate level, from the K-12 age group to the university, I have learned to keep in mind external factors that affect the students’ development as a second language learner. My approach to this issue has always been and will continue to be proactive, involving the cultivation of a positive rapport with the students, creation of positive and safe learning environment and a high emphasis on the content of the material. When the students are provided with comprehensive activities that are interactive, culturally significant and meaningful to everyday life, they are more likely to be motivated and focused on applying what they know from various aspects such as cultural appropriateness, prior knowledge from life situations and other disciplines to assignments or cumulative projects, rather than when they are instructed to complete individual disconnected activities that tend to bring out their frustrations and flaws in an isolated context as they are not directly presented with the significance of the tasks.

Connect with a tutor like Erika

Erika’s Qualifications

Education & Certification

Undergraduate Degree: Cleveland State University - Bachelors, Spanish

Graduate Degree: Arizona State University - PHD, Spanish

Hobbies

Reading, writing, traveling, yoga and running

Tutoring Subjects

Conversational Spanish

IB Language B

IB Language B HL

IB Language B SL

Spanish 1

Q & A

What is your teaching philosophy?

Having over 10 years of experience as a second language educator at the novice and intermediate level, from the K-12 age group to the university, I have learned to keep in mind external factors that affect the student's development as a second language learner. My approach to this issue has always been and will continue to be proactive, involving the cultivation of a positive rapport with the students, creation of a positive and safe learning environment and a high emphasis on the content of the material. When the students are provided with comprehensive activities that are interactive, culturally significant and meaningful to everyday life, they are more likely to be motivated and focused on applying what they know from various aspects such as cultural appropriateness, prior knowledge from life situations and other disciplines.

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

I'd get to know the student, what kind of learner they are, establish the objectives for the subject/class and assess what they already know. Then, we would work on the assignment or area of need.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I'd teach them appropriate strategies to study on their own and the most effective questions to ask the teacher to be able to work on trouble areas at home.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I attempt to engage the students in the subject matter by making it relevant and relatable to their life and culture. I'd change their perspective of learning a language by engaging them with creative and endless possibilities.

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

I would identify what is giving them the most trouble, which often has an original source. Once we get to the root of the situation, we can then proceed to other problematic concepts, such as language, which is a cumulative subject.

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

I would practice, practice and practice with the students. First, I would provide reading strategies to provide them with the necessary tools. Then, I would guide him with questions that they can ultimately use to guide themselves, and then we would practice, a lot.

Connect with a tutor like Erika