Trial lessons with me will be straightforward and casual. We will use this time to get to know each other and for you to decide whether lessons with me are a good fit. 

We will discuss your hobbies, English learning goals and what you have difficulties with, as well as your professional interests. I will then tell you about myself and about what you can expect in classes with me. During this time, I will make notes in reference to your speaking and listening abilities, which will aid me in developing personalized classes for you.

Do you want to improve or sharpen your conversational skills with a teacher who has nearly three years of experience giving conversation classes? Are you shy and need more conversation practice to get comfortable speaking English? If so, you're in the right place. 

My conversational lessons will be stress-free and casual, because as a current student of the Spanish language, I know just how intimidating speaking can be sometimes. Classes will be tailored to your personal preferences in terms of the topics you desire, the amount of structure you want in your lessons, the goals you want to achieve, and the types of materials we use to meet those goals. And if you're not quite sure what those are, then I will be happy to choose the topics and the skills I believe you need to work on.

We will focus on the following:
 - Growing your vocabulary so that you can express yourself without limitations
 - Improving your pronunciation as well as your ear for hearing different accents and pronunciations
 - Speeding up your speaking abilities with fluency exercises
 - Working on your listening through videos, music, and free-flowing conversation
 - Identifying errors in order to eliminate them in the future

Whether you're shy or a big talker, I'm confident that we can take that next step on your English journey together. Let's kick back, relax, and chat!

(*Long-term students only*) General Conversation Practice A1-C2

Here we will work on all facets of English. Activities will cover reading, writing, speaking, and listening, and they will be taught in a manner more akin to a classroom. In other words, the lessons will be more structured than my conversation classes. While we will focus on learning new grammar and vocabulary, we will also dedicate time at the end of class for you to produce the new vocabulary and/or grammar through conversation and/or short writing activities. 

This class is best for beginners and intermediates who want to build the foundation they need to become fluent English speakers. However, this class is also ideal for advanced students who are interested in learning more complex grammar, vocabulary, and expressions through topic-based contexts.

All lesson topics and vocabulary/grammar work will be designed based on your interests, hobbies, and/or professional goals. Homework activities will be assigned if requested by the student.

General English / Grammar Lessons

Do you want to improve or sharpen your conversational skills with a teacher who has nearly five years of experience giving conversation classes? Are you looking to build confidence and get comfortable speaking English? If so, you're in the right place. 

My conversational lessons are stress-free and casual, because as a current student of the Spanish language, I know just how intimidating speaking a foreign language can be. 

What to expect in my classes:
 - Classes tailored to your personal preferences in terms of the topics you like and the goals you want to achieve
 - Engaging conversations with feedback for each class on areas you can improve upon
 - I keep your class materials, vocabulary and grammar needs organized for you in one place so that you can come back to it for review and practice
 - I provide excellent resources and materials for improving both conversational English and grammar 


What we will focus on:
 - Growing your vocabulary so that you can express yourself without limitations
 - Improving your pronunciation as well as your ear for hearing different accents and pronunciations
 - Using fluency exercises to make your speech more rhythmic and native-sounding
 - Working on your listening through videos and free-flowing conversation
 - Identifying grammar errors and providing you with the resources you need to eliminate them in the future
 - Learning idioms and phrases that native speakers actually use 
 - Fun, friendly and thought-provoking conversations

So whether you're shy or a big talker, I'm confident I can help you take that next step on your English journey. So let's kick back, relax, and have a chat!

Growth Through Conversation A2-C2

To obtain my certificate, I completed 180 hours of coursework as well as 10 hours of teaching practicum in beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes. I earned the grade of A in both my coursework and practicum hours.

I completed a 20-hour course to become familiar with the format and sections of the different versions of the IELTS exam. I learned various tips from experienced test practitioners and analyzed in-depth each section of the exams and how they are scored. I also completed assignments related to lesson planning for a prep class and learned best practices for preparing students for the exam.

I studied the craft and fundamentals of creative writing and was required to produce a slew of short stories to complete the specialization program.

At Indiana, I graduated with a 3.4 GPA majoring in arts administration and minoring in music. In addition, I was the co-director of the Arts Management branch of the BCEC (Business Careers in Entertainment Club).

At Blendex, I taught classes focused on developing the conversational skills of my students. In my two years there, I learned how to adapt to teaching students with varying levels of English. I also enhanced my abilities to keep conversations flowing and engaging and discovered techniques that helped me inspire even the shyest students to speak. I also taught many intermediate grammar lessons, a series of classes on essay writing, and even some IELTS preparation.

Giving tours is quite similar to teaching ESL. As a tour guide, every tour started with me providing around 30 minutes of group and personal instruction on a topic unfamiliar to my clients—in this case, how to operate a Segway. This required me to project my voice and speak in a clear and concise manner to people from all over the world, and hence, different levels of English. During the tours, I taught my clients a good deal of Chicago history, and I often used joke to keep them engaged.

During my time in Medellín, I started to give private classes on the side, while teaching at Blendex. I am also currently conducting weekly online private classes with two pre-intermediate students in Bogotá. This experience has helped me develop my skills teaching remotely in one-on-one classes using a video chat platform.

With a team of comedy writers, I co-wrote and edited the *satirical* book _Trump's America: Buy This Book and Mexico Will Pay for It_. Over the course the 2016 campaign for the US presidency, I honed my writing skills by producing satirical news articles and essays lampooning a potential Donald Trump presidency. I believe this experience, in addition to my other studies in writing, provide me with the confidence to aid students who may be looking to improve their English writing capabilities.