I am a native, English-speaking teacher, certified in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL/ESL) and English writing and literature. I have been teaching English subjects for 20 years, both here in the USA and abroad (Japan and Colombia,South America). During my 13 years of teaching ESL, I have worked with students of all ages, English levels and with quite a few nationalities. Before deciding to teach ESL, I worked as an English writing and literature teacher at a public, magnet, high school for gifted and talented American students in New Jersey, USA.
When I teach ESL, I use the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach, because it is highly interactive and facilitates student communication. In addition to CLT, I guide students towards the use of purposeful language, used in context of the situations being studied (task-based language learning)--English for real life--whether it be for academic or professional purposes. I work with students on their overall diction: pronunciation, articulation, enunciation and intonation and on their grammar and vocabulary development for their speaking. In writing, I focus on grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, spelling, alphabetization, syntax and the use of appropriate tones for whom the communication is intended (who is on the receiving end of the message). This is also done when I work with native English-speakers on their writing. And, I employ additional CLT and task-based language learning methods for listening and reading (also for native speakers in their reading through various comprehension exercises and activities).
When I teach English literature, the aim is for the students to see the relevancy of the characters, their lives and the worlds which they inhabit to their own. After reading any piece of literature, a student should be able to comment on it and write a thorough and coherent essay.
New Jersey City University
Bachelors
English Writing; English Literature; Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL/ESL)
1995
Dean's List
1991
Dean's List
1995
Award for Most Distiguished Service to the ESL Department
1993
Standard English Teacher License
2004
Test Preparation
English
Language
Professional