Visited 8 hours ago
Swahili with Tina
Community Tutor
Teaches
Swahili
Speaks
English
Native
French
Spanish
Swahili is my second language– Fulbright Scholar & Linguist with 10 years of teaching experience.
Teaches
Swahili
Speaks
English
Native
French
Spanish
Swahili is my second language– Fulbright Scholar & Linguist with 10 years of teaching experience.
From United StatesLiving in Kigoma, United Republic of Tanzania (08:16 UTC+03:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Oct 13, 2023Interest topicHistoryFilms & TV SeriesMusicTravelEnvironment & Nature
Swahili is my second language through complete immersion after living in Tanzania for many years. I'm an anthropologist with a love for language and culture. I became completely fluent in Swahili within 1 year, which allowed me to conduct my qualitative research in Swahili, craft my Masters thesis, and finish my postgraduate studies at the University of Dar es Salaam. I used a self-taught approach to Swahili, using the most recommended resources. But what truly gave me my Swahili is the lasting friendships I've cultivated and the daily conversations I share with native speakers from Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Let's explore the connection between language and culture!Me as a Teacher
I bring the most unique perspective to Swahili instruction. Having navigated the process of becoming fluent in Swahili at C2 level from the ground up, I understand the challenges and have discovered the most effective techniques and strategies. My Swahili methods work, and I've put them into practice teaching refugees, and children of Swahili speakers living abroad. In addition to teaching Swahili, I've worked as a private music teacher and served as a university Instructional Assistant. My teaching style is down-to-earth, direct, and to the point. I also value the importance of humor in the learning process! I'm motivated to ensure you are well-equipped to reach your Swahili language goals.My lessons & teaching style
My teaching style is a unique blend of the best Swahili resources I've collected and my real-life immersion-learning experience. Lessons will be Conversation-Based, as much as possible. Beginners will start with the Swahili Greetings– an important cultural custom. Then we'll dive right into the most Practical Phrases– focusing on listening, speaking, reading, and writing while naturally integrating grammar, verb tenses, and intonation. With my approach, you will learn "daily life" Swahili (even slang and "street" Swahili)– NOT recite outdated "textbook" tourist Swahili. I'm here to prove that authentic modern Swahili is fun, and it isn't difficult to sound like a local Swahili speaker.My teaching material
- PDF file
- Text Documents
- Presentation slides/PPT
- Audio files
- Video files
- Articles and news
- Homework Assignments
Work Experience
2022 - 2023
Volunteer English-Swahili Linguist Translators Without Borders
2022 - 2023
Volunteer English-Swahili Translator Nyamboyo Technical School
2019 - 2020
Anthropological Researcher & Music Teacher FULBRIGHT U.S. Student ProgramConducted research and interviews (in Kiswahili language) about music culture through community immersion; Facilitated community Music & Debate Classes (in Kiswahili language) without use of English, interpreters or translators.
Education
2014 - 2018
Bachelor's - Cultural Anthropology, Anthropological Linguistics
File uploaded
2020 - 2023
Master's - Swahili Language, Anthropology, Music Culture
File uploaded
Certificates
TEFL – Teaching English as a Foreign Language Fullcircle 2023
Certificate uploaded
Fulbright Scholar - U.S. Fulbright Program Fulbright U.S. Student Program 2020
Certificate uploaded
5.0
Rating
8
Students
27
Lessons
100%
Attendance
100%
Response
Swahili Lessons
Trial Lesson
2 lessons completed
USD 5.00+
Swahili Greetings– Introductions and Phrases for Beginners, Visitors & Travelers
A1 - A2General6 lessons completed
USD 6.00
Package with 16% off
Foundations of Kiswahili– The Fundamentals Customized For You & Introduction to Grammar & Conversation
A2 - B1General18 lessons completed
USD 7.00
Package with 14% off
Conversational Kiswahili– Improve more complicated Grammar, Verb Tenses and Vocabulary through Discussions
B1 - C1Conversation Practice1 lessons completed
USD 7.00
Package with 14% off
Availability
Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)
My creations
Quiz (3)
7 Reviews
Loissa
4 Swahili lessons
Teacher’s pick
You Swahili-learning folks better buy a package from Tina before she decides to raise her prices lol she's so good at what she does, that even if she charges 3x more, I'd still choose her. Asante, Tina!!
Dec 4, 2023
edward siu
2 Swahili lessons
Teacher’s pick
I'm English and am completely new to Swahili. Dr Tina makes learning fun and explains in such a way even a thicko like me can understand. I look forward to many more lessons with her.
Dec 3, 2023
Peter
11 Swahili lessons
Teacher’s pick
Tina is a great teacher/tutor. She has an incredible understanding of Swahilli and for native English speakers, she can unlock the language by providing them with the right materials and conversations to help the student quickly focus on learning th things that drives fluency. Tina is a great resource to build towards my first goal which is to achive fluency. For those considering getting help in the language journey, I would highly recommend Tina.
Nov 6, 2023
Loissa
4 Swahili lessons
Asante sana, Tina, for another great lesson! Learned a lot from you. I'm looking forward to our next lesson!
Nov 27, 2023
Loissa
4 Swahili lessons
Tina knows what she's doing. If you need an effective , knowledgeable teacher in Kiswahili, she is exactly what you're looking for. She may be new to italki but after our trial lesson, I am beyond ecstatic and relieved that I gave her a chance. I even bought a package right after the class 🤣 Asante, Tina!
Nov 22, 2023
Laura
1 Swahili lesson
What a delightful first class! I was so happy to be able to chat in Kiswahili with Christina. She is a lovely person and went out of her way to speak slowly with me and use simpler words to explain things. It is also inspiring and motivating for me to learn from someone who also started out as a learner and has now reached a C2/native speaker level. It is something for me to aim for in several years! Asante sana kwa darasa letu, Tina, nimefurahi sana kuzungumza nawe kwa Kiswahili!
Nov 13, 2023
Trial Lesson
USD 5.00
Your final payment will be made in USD