Case Studies: Teachers

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

I teach mainly English for business. When I decided I’d like to live in Spain and learn Spanish, I decided to do a Celta. Instead of just staying for a year though, I ended up working for language schools over seven years. When it was time to come home to London, the first port of call work-wise was in teaching English.

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

I got my degree from Queen’s University Belfast. I had such a great time there. Being thoroughly English, and moving to a different place culturally helped prepare me for when I headed for Northern Spain later. I did my Celta at city of Bristol, and the Delta at International House London.

What do you look for in a student?

Since one-to-one teaching is inevitably an interpersonal exchange, I always appreciate a sense of humour. I think it’s crucial that learners are willing to take risks and not worry too much about mistakes –it’s the communication that counts. I also appreciate learners who are patient enough to get the most out of the teacher. It helps if each student is able to initially guide their teacher to provide what they want.

What should students expect in you as a teacher?

Professionalism for me means being able to wear a number of different hats and change roles as necessary, according to students needs. The basics include having clear aims, and a minimum level of organization and planning. Beyond that, students should expect their teacher to highlight not just meaning, but structure and pronunciation as well.

Describe your favourite aspect of teaching with Language Trainers:

I like teaching because you meet so many interesting people. I’ve taught quite a few bankers with Language Trainers, and they’ve always been a pleasure to teach. Among my favourite moments in teaching was when my student who was a trader came in, looking tired and worn. We began our lesson, then asked if he was okay. He confided, “You know Lehman Brothers? By Monday they’ll be bankrupt.” Talk about first hand breaking news!