J. Nathaniel Holland

Community Tutor

Teaches

English

Native

Spanish

Speaks

Haitian Creole

French

German

Experienced and Supportive English Teacher with North American Diction and Accent Specialty

Teaches

English

Native

Spanish

Speaks

Haitian Creole

French

German

Experienced and Supportive English Teacher with North American Diction and Accent Specialty

About Me

Me as a Teacher

My lessons & teaching style

From United StatesLiving in Other, Costa Rica (03:16 UTC-06:00)

About Me

italki teacher since Feb 15, 2019

InterestsBusiness & FinanceMusicLegal ServicesHistoryTravel

Hi! I’m James Nathaniel, a North American English coach specializing in accent reduction and neutral diction—perfect if you want to sound clear and confident! With decades as a multilingual performer (opera, piano, composing) and world traveler (US, Austria, Haiti, Costa Rica), I’ve mastered the art of adapting language authentically. My students love how I blend cultural insights with practical techniques—whether you’re prepping for TOEFL or polishing everyday English. Let’s make your speech shine!

My creations

Me as a Teacher

I have an bachelor’s degree in vocal performance, so my experience with the common languages of the operatic repertoire is very good, such as English, Italian (although I wouldn’t say I speak it), German, and French. I have taught voice and piano in the United States and Costa Rica for some time. Other teaching language experiences have been with teaching English to Haitian refugees in Los Angeles in 1991, informally, tutoring and teaching English to Spanish speakers, and teaching Spanish to visiting guests in the country. With my background in learning Haitian Kreyol and overseas studies in Austria, and learning Spanish on my own in Costa Rica, I really know the key to learning quickly.

My lessons & teaching style

My teaching style is personable and informal. First, we will chat and find out what you hope to accomplish, perhaps evaluate your level and things you need to work on. From there we will begin with a theme and build together. Informal practice or formal grammar lessons, either is no problem, and my specialty (from my experience in singing) is a practical approach of getting rid of accents to speak English with a neutral manner. Materials will be mostly demonstrated with a white board and written media. Specific homework tasks can be assigned. Your writing skills can be reviewed via chat. ***Please no kids under 15 or language school evaluations.

My teaching material