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Ryan, Literature MA
Professional TeacherProfessional Teacher![]()
Teaches
English
Native
Speaks
French
Russian
Spanish
Icelandic
German
Serbian
Study with a university instructor with an MA in literature. Fluent in Russian, French and Spanish.
Teaches
English
Native
Speaks
French
Russian
Spanish
Icelandic
German
Serbian
Study with a university instructor with an MA in literature. Fluent in Russian, French and Spanish.
About Me
Me as a Teacher
My lessons & teaching style
Resume & Certificates
From United StatesLiving in San Francisco, United States (19:46 UTC-07:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Sep 19, 2019InterestsMusicReadingArt
I’m a teacher and translator with a deep love for languages, literature, classical music and nature. I grew up in the snowy mountains of California. My wife is from Russia, where I lived for over 10 years, and we have a daughter who we're raising bilingually.
I’ve dedicated myself to maintaining a high level of competency in several languages. I love to play the piano, read, write, and explore the outdoors.
Teaching gives me the opportunity to help others while making connections with interesting people around the world. I have 15+ years of teaching experience, an MA in comparative literature, and a BA in Spanish — all of these have equipped me well for the job!Me as a Teacher
I’ve taught English, literature and writing in 3 U.S. universities and colleges, a language school in Moscow, and online.
I’m patient, understanding, organized, and progress-oriented. I strive to create a relaxed learning environment which at the same time forces students to express themselves in new, varied, precise and sophisticated ways.
My teaching philosophy reflects what I myself seek as a language student, namely:
1. a caring and cheerful teacher who sincerely wants to help their students grow;
2. intellectually stimulating topics that generate meaningful discussion;
3. ample speaking practice with a focus on language development, vocabulary enrichment, and grammatical accuracy.My lessons & teaching style
My lessons are based on interesting, current, and high-quality materials. I like using articles, literary essays, short stories and podcasts. My favorite sources are National Geographic, The New Yorker, NPR and more.
I teach using an interactive and communicative approach. We discuss meaningful topics of current interest, and during our conversation I identify any areas that need improvement. The grammatical focus flows naturally from the discussion topic. I strongly believe that reading and writing are crucial skills for improving language abilities. If you are interested in this, I may ask you to read or write something before the lesson. However, what we do is up to you!My teaching material
- PDF file
- Text Documents
- Audio files
- Image files
- Video files
- Articles and news
- Test templates and examples
- Graphs and charts
- Homework Assignments
Certificates
French Placement Test - CIREFE, Rennes, France - 2020Certification of C1 / C2 Level in French
Certificate verified
Education
2010 - 2012
Master's - Comparative LiteratureMA in Comparative Literature
2003 - 2009
Bachelor’s - SpanishBA in Spanish, with a focus on Latin American literature
Work Experience
2018 - 2022
Online English Teacher• Teach online individual lessons incorporating a wide range of skill-building activities for speaking, writing, reading, and listening.
• Develop meaningful and stimulating materials for students of all ages and ability levels.
• Successfully prepare students for Cambridge exams (KET, PET, FCE, CAE) and administer mock exams.
2015 - 2018
English Teacher• Conduct group and individual lessons incorporating a wide range of skill-building activities for speaking, writing, reading, and listening.
• Develop meaningful and stimulating classroom materials for students of all ages and ability levels.
• Successfully prepare students for Cambridge exams (KET, PET, FCE, CAE) and administer mock exams.
• Welcome new students, evaluate their skill levels and place them into a program that meets their needs.
• Attend professional development workshops.
2012 - 2015
English Professor•Taught a range of English reading and writing courses for a diverse student body, designing all curricular materials and working closely with students to encourage application and foster success.
• Evaluated all student work, providing individual feedback and support to improve reading and writing skills.
• Collaborated with Dean, academic coordinators and colleagues to ensure excellence for students.
2010 - 2012
English and Writing Professor* Designed and taught university English writing courses and held regular office hours for additional support.
* Taught online writing course, utilizing interactive software and innovative discussion work spaces.
2010 - 2022
Freelance Translator / Editor / ProofreaderTranslate documents, web pages and applications from Russian, French and Spanish into English.
Edit and proofread texts for context suitability, professionalism and correctness.
5.0
Rating
233
Students
3,801
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate
English Lessons
Trial Lesson
123 lessons completed
USD 17.00+
Speaking Lesson with Vocabulary and Grammar Corrections
B1 - C2Conversation956 lessons completed
USD 25.00+
Package with 8% off
Complete English Course: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing
A1 - C1Language Essentials2,293 lessons completed
USD 38.00+
Package with 8% off
Let's talk about literature
B1 - C2Conversation266 lessons completed
USD 38.00+
Package with 8% off
Writing workshop (offline)
B1 - C2Language Essentials97 lessons completed
USD 24.00
Availability
Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)
207 Reviews
Alessandra
18 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
Ryan's lessons are "food for thought", always inspiring; he is extremely kind and patient, and his deep questions are like exercises for the brain :) Most importantly, he always makes you feel comfortable, which is very important when speaking a foreign language; in short, time flies during his lessons! Thank you Ryan :)
Sep 7, 2021
Mia
136 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
Ryan is an excellent teacher. First, His lessons are very organized, I can always learn a lot in every lesson. Second, he is very nice and patient, so I'm not so afraid of making mistakes in his class (I'm always afraid of making mistakes, which is bad, I know). Third, as a linguist, I think he knows what should be focused on in your current English level. In a word, I'm sure I'll continue to learn English from him, and recommend him to people who want to improve their English level.)
Nov 25, 2020
James Wong
29 English lessons
Excellent
Jun 16, 2025
Konstantin
40 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
It was my first lesson with Ryan and I am so glad that I've decided to study with Ryan. He is friendly and patient.
You are always inspired after a good lesson and I can feel it right now :)
Thank you!
Sep 6, 2021
Almaz Zeynalova
4 English lessons
I’m truly grateful to have Ryan as my English teacher. He is incredibly patient, understanding, and always creates a comfortable learning environment. No matter how many times I need to revisit a topic, Ryan explains everything calmly and clearly, without any pressure. His supportive attitude and genuine kindness make every lesson enjoyable and motivating. It’s rare to find a teacher who not only teaches well but also truly cares — and Ryan is exactly that kind of person.
Jul 26, 2025
James Wong
29 English lessons
Teacher is always well prepared. I enjoy his lesson very much. We discussed literature together and had a lot of insight.
Apr 10, 2025
Trial Lesson
USD 17.00
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