Case Studies: Teachers

What language do you teach, and why did you choose teaching as your career?

I teach three languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese, but I speak six (Italian, French and German). I was brought up as a polyglot; we spoke several languages at home and I studied at international schools at home and abroad. I always felt that it was a privilege to be able to speak many languages and wanted to share my knowledge. Teaching came naturally to me, as people were always asking me to correct their homework or to explain grammar or pronunciation. When I started teaching, I was on an exchange programme in Brazil where I was improving my Portuguese. My students were university lecturers and I was teaching them English. At first, I was terrified as I was going to teach such well-known individuals but that fear soon disappeared as I was confident in my knowledge and simply loved the experience. Teaching is incredibly rewarding and it gives me great pride to say that many of my students now live abroad and some even teach languages themselves.

Where did you study, how long have you been teaching, and what age group do you usually teach?

I have studied at several schools abroad, as well as at Malvern Girls College and Cheltenham Ladies in the UK. For the past fourteen years, I have had the privilege of teaching adults and children of all ages and abilities in Spain, Brazil, Panama and the UK.

What do you look for in a student?

Students that succeed in language training have great determination, focus, and are able to fit learning into their schedule. A great student is one that can relax and see the chance to learn a language as one of the most rewarding opportunities they will have.

What should students expect in you as a teacher?

My manner is jovial and I have a good relationship with my students, and make sure that they are able to relax and enjoy their journey into becoming proficient in a language. I always adapt the classes to students’ needs. If they have to make a presentation in the target language, for example, I will work along with them to ensure they succeed. Likewise, students will be able to do well in exams and day-to-day encounters abroad.

Describe your favourite Language Trainers teaching experience:

I have taught hundreds of students and always feel it is a privilege to accompany them during their learning progress. Even after many years, students have maintained contact and some have become great friends. There are many success stories amongst these people but the one I remember vividly is when a student wanted to get a job as an engineer in a well-known multinational company. She had the appropriate experience for the job itself but her language skills were not at their best. She came to Language Trainers, and began daily classes during a span of three months.Not only did she get the job that she wanted, but she was promoted soon after and her career is now growing. I feel proud to have helped achieve her objective.