Visited 19 days ago
Melissa
Professional TeacherTeaches
English
Native
Speaks
Spanish
Dutch
Korean
Arabic
Chinese (Mandarin)
French
Japanese
Teaches
English
Native
Speaks
Spanish
Dutch
Korean
Arabic
Chinese (Mandarin)
French
Japanese
About Me
Me as a Teacher
My lessons & teaching style
Resume & Certificates
From United StatesLiving in Detroit, United States (15:40 UTC-05:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Jul 4, 2017InterestsTravelMusicFoodFilms & TV SeriesHistory
My name is Melissa, and my first love, more than anything, is learning languages!
I'm a linguist who has dedicated most of her life to learning and teaching languages, because I believe that languages are an incredibly important tool. Learning languages allows us to see the world from a different point of view. As a language learner, I've become fluent in Spanish and I speak intermediate high Korean, plus I just started studying Dutch! I've met incredible people through these languages, and am excited to meet more.
In addition to learning languages, I'm also very passionate about travel! I've been to more than thirty countries, and plan on seeing a few more in 2018!Me as a Teacher
My biggest motivation for becoming a teacher is hearing people say that learning English is "scary" or "impossible." It makes me sad to hear people say they aren't a "language person," or that it takes a special level of intelligence to learn a language. I disagree! I believe that with the right methods and with a dedicated teacher, anyone can learn a language to fluency, and they can have fun doing it!
That motivation has led to a career of over ten years. I've taught English to people in Panama, the US, South Korea, and the Netherlands. Some of my students have been so successful that they've studied abroad and found jobs in the US and international companies, using English every day! My lessons & teaching style
As a teacher, I believe conversation is the most important aspect to learning a language, and I want to provide you with conversational skills that you can use immediately, no matter your level!
However, I also know that to be understood, you have to have a good basis in grammar and vocabulary, and that's why I strategically integrate them into conversation. We won't spend hours doing conjugation charts and memorizing vocabulary lists - instead, we'll learn grammar and vocabulary through thematic discussions, and in chunks of useful language.
My classes are suitable for beginners all the way through advanced, and I will alter my speech and pace accordingly.My teaching material
- Text Documents
- PDF file
- Audio files
- Articles and news
Certificates
TEFL Certification - International TEFL Academy - 2017
Certificate verified
TEFL Certification - International TEFL Academy - 2017
Certificate verified
Masters Degree - Linguistics - 2016Masters Degree in Linguistics including training in applied linguistics; this degree is the requisite needed to teach TEFL certification courses that certify teachers all over the world to teach English.
Certificate verified
Teaching experience
2015 - 2019
TEFL Certification Instructor
2014 - 2015
TEFL instructor — Summer intensive program
2011 - 2015
English Coach and Supervisor
2008 - 2010
University English instructor
2019 - Current
Expert English instructor
Education
2012 - 2016
Master's - Linguistics
2003 - 2007
Bachelor’s - International Studies
Work Experience
2015 - Current
TEFL Certification InstructorI teach others how to teach English to non-native students; some of my alumni are even teachers here on iTalki! I teach grammar, teaching pedagogy, lesson plan instruction, pronunciation, and classroom management, amongst other topics, and also observe practice lessons.
2014 - 2015
English Instructor - Intensive ProgramI worked as a university English instructor at Myongji University in Seoul, where I taught beginner and intermediate students. Many of my students found their passion for English in my classes, and realized that English does not have to be scary. Some of them even went on to score highly on the TOEFL, and get study abroad or job opportunities in places like Arizona and California!
2011 - 2015
Online English Coach and Coach SupervisorI worked for four years at Rosetta Stone, first as an Online English coach, teaching students who lived all around the world. I was very successful in my job and was promoted after six months to Coach Supervisor. I helped train new coaches, assisted them if they needed help with technology, gave them feedback and extra training, and helped create new language learning products.
2008 - 2010
English InstructorI taught English to university students at La Universidad Interamericana and at ULACIT, both in Panama City. My classes ranged from beginner to advanced, and I taught everything from grammar to advanced conversation. I also assisted in hiring and training new faculty, and was the official departmental substitute in case other teachers were sick or unable to teach.
2008 - 2008
English TeacherI taught middle school and high school English to grades 6-12 at Canadian International School.
2007 - 2008
Peace Corps Volunteer and English TeacherAlthough I was a Peace Corps volunteer in charge of working with Environmental Health, I ended up teaching English for most of my job. I taught in a very rural environment, to children and adults in a school with no electricity or modern technology. Because of this experience, I am flexible and able to work with any materials I have to create an interesting and fun English lesson!
2005 - 2007
Loyola University Literacy CenterDuring college, I worked for two years as an ESL tutor to students from Poland. I taught intermediate to advanced English, assisted them with job preparation and resume writing in English, and practiced advanced conversation with them.
5.0
Rating
3
Students
5
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
60%
Response rate
English Lessons
Conversation Practice
A1 - C2Conversation4 lessons completed
USD 20.00+
Availability
Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)
2 Reviews
David
1 English lesson
Teacher’s pick
It was great :-) I will book your lesson again. Thanks a lot....
May 8, 2020
AKG
3 English lessons
Great experience!
May 7, 2020
Lessons
Hourly rate from
USD 30.00+Your final payment will be made in USD