Find English Teachers
Visited 7 hours ago
Melinda
Professional TeacherProfessional Teacher![]()
Teaches
English
Native
Speaks
German
Personalized English presentation coaching & conversation. Gain confidence & competence.
Teaches
English
Native
Speaks
German
Personalized English presentation coaching & conversation. Gain confidence & competence.
About Me
Me as a Teacher
My lessons & teaching style
Resume & Certificates
From United StatesLiving in Chicago, United States (17:33 UTC-05:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Mar 2, 2020InterestsTechArtBusiness & FinanceTravelHistory
Raised in Indianapolis and living in Chicago, I am a native English speaker with a clear American accent.
Passionate about teaching English and intercultural awareness, I have over 20 years experience in TESOL instruction (in California, Germany, Indianapolis, and Chicago) and educational ESL/EFL publishing in New York City. I have taught in academic settings, businesses, private language schools, as well as private one-on-one classes for immigrants and expats.
Committed to language acquisition, I have spent my entire career helping English language learners master how to effectively communicate in order to improve their daily life, careers, and future opportunities.Me as a Teacher
As a teacher, I understand that English language learners have various learning styles, strengths, and needs. My lessons are designed to help students meet their individual goals. I create a supportive atmosphere and help students build confidence so that they can overcome personal challenges, connect the dots, and find real-life applications for their English skills.
I look forward to helping you reach your personal language learning goals.My lessons & teaching style
My lessons encourage students to talk and present their ideas confidently so that they can use English at the time and place they need it.
Working together, we will build vocabulary and functional language, improve intonation and pronunciation, answer grammar questions, and master small talk skills. My goal: to help you use your English in the ways you want and need to for personal success.My teaching material
- PDF file
- Text Documents
- Audio files
- Image files
- Video files
- Flashcards
- Articles and news
- Graphs and charts
- Homework Assignments
Certificates
Bachelor of Arts - Indiana University, Bloomington - 1998Diploma with distinction
Certificate verified
Professional Educator's License - Indiana State - 1998Complete university coursework, take state exam and area proficiency exams, complete student teaching, teach in a public school (Note: This license was issued under my maiden name but it is still considered a valid inactive license.)
Certificate verified
Education
1994 - 1998
Bachelor’s - Germanic Studies, Secondary Education, ESL endorsementDouble major in Germanic Studies and Secondary Education with an ESL teaching endorsement
Work Experience
2008 - Current
English Language Instructor• Teach ESL lessons to adults with varying needs and proficiency levels
• Compile learning resources for students’ continuing independent study
• Facilitate interpersonal conversations targeting student objectives
• Assess student needs and design differentiated lessons
2016 - Current
German Language Instructor• Teach courses to native and non-native German speakers
• Collaborate with colleagues to create materials and select course books
• Wrote curriculum for accreditation by the German Ministry of Education
2006 - 2014
ESL/EFL Freelance Editor• Read manuscript for cultural accuracy and American English usage
• Authored short stories for an EFL textbook published in Germany
2002 - 2006
Associate ESL Editor• Read manuscript for consistency, accuracy and pedagogical effectiveness
• Responsible for taking ESL/EFL books and ancillary materials through all
stages of development and production
2000 - 2002
ESL and German Teacher• Created and enhanced the ESL and German curriculum
1999 - 2000
English for Specific Purposes Instructor• Designed and conducted seminars on American cultural awareness
• Taught Business English to German professionals at diverse companies
• Developed and taught EFL coursework for college business students
1998 - 1998
ESL Instructor• Designed differentiated lesson plans and tests using a variety of materials
• Taught young adults reading, grammar, listening, and conversational skills
• Administered placement tests
5.0
Rating
54
Students
1,190
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate
English Lessons
Trial Lesson
19 lessons completed
USD 20.00+
Personalized Conversation Practice + complete personalized self-study bundle (written & audio notes) – Basic
A1 - A2Language Essentials124 lessons completed
USD 45.00+
Package with 7% off
Personalized Conversation Practice + complete personalized self-study bundle (written & audio notes) – Intermediate through Advanced
B1 - C2Language Essentials345 lessons completed
USD 45.00+
Package with 7% off
Personalized Conversation Practice + personalized pronunciation self-practice (audio note) – Intermediate through Advanced
B1 - C2Language Essentials275 lessons completed
USD 32.00+
Package with 7% off
Personalized Conversation Practice (no notes) – Basic
A1 - A2Language Essentials37 lessons completed
USD 30.00+
Package with 20% off
Personalized Conversation Practice (no notes) – Intermediate
B1 - B2Language Essentials102 lessons completed
USD 30.00+
Package with 20% off
Personalized Conversation Practice (no notes) – Advanced
C1 - C2Language Essentials288 lessons completed
USD 30.00+
Package with 20% off
Availability
Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)
My creations
Quiz (9)
66 Reviews
aylncnr
31 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
I thoroughly enjoy my lessons with Melinda.
She pays attention to my interests and needs, and structures the lessons accordingly.
Her extensive range of materials makes the lessons even more engaging.
I feel much more confident than before while speaking.
Thank you Melinda, you deserve the best!
May 16, 2024
Luca
86 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
I highly recommend Melida as an outstanding teacher. From Business English to refining my everyday language skills, Melida's adaptability and deep knowledge have made our lessons invaluable. Her exceptional availability and commitment create a supportive learning environment. Melida not only ensures understanding of complex concepts but tailors her approach, instilling confidence in both academic and practical language use. Choosing Melida means gaining a mentor who seamlessly guides from business-oriented language to everyday linguistic proficiency.
Nov 16, 2023
Anna Kopteva
24 English lessons
I’ve had a truly wonderful experience learning English with Melinda! I appreciate her to adapt lessons to fit my individual needs. Thanks to her support, my English skills have improved significantly. Highly recommended!
Apr 29, 2025
K.K
7 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
I'm glad I found Melinda. She is a rare gem, and her dedication to the lesson is unmatched. I love the lessons with personalized written notes and audio. They are well-structured, professionally done, and helpful. You can see her time and effort in each lesson. I have only taken a few classes with her. Still, I can confidently say she is one of the best teachers, especially if you are an advanced English learner.
May 2, 2024
Stefan
80 English lessons
I have been taking lessons with Melinda continuously. The sessions are extremely helpful for me, as she can tailor the lessons precisely to my needs (keynotes, moderating workshops, presentations, business conversations, etc.). Lately, we have been focusing more on presentation training, a newly developed module. This ongoing coaching is very helpful to me, not least because Melinda is excellent at adapting her approach to the fact that I deal with a changing audience, ranging from native speakers to non-native speakers in a global environment where English is spoken. I highly recommend her!
Sep 4, 2025
Anna Kopteva
24 English lessons
Melinda is a great teacher! I have been studying with her for more than half a year now and I feel more fluent in English.
Oct 9, 2024
Trial Lesson
USD 20.00
Your final payment will be made in USD