Education Tutoring

TEFL is a form of education. I was required to complete a methods course along with two semesters’ worth of practicum hours. I currently hold a class that meets monthly that trains TEFL teachers who are new to the field of English Language Education.

English Tutoring

My entire degree focused primarily on English linguistics. Some of the classes I took included Studies in Linguistics, Composition, TEFL Methods, and Structure of the English Language. All of these prepared me to teach English as a foreign or second language. Much of my tutoring experience has been in working with non-native English speakers.

International Studies Tutoring

The courses I took relating to International Studies included Western Civilization, Pacific Rim Studies, International Relations, as well a variety of languages classes in German and Italian that included cultural studies. Though I have not tutored on the subject of international studies, most of my interactions as a teacher with international students is a living international study. My exposure to different cultures and languages has made me appreciate and enjoy learning more in regards to international studies.

Literature Tutoring

The literary courses I studied included Studies in Shakespeare, Literary Criticism, Bible as Literature, and Studies in C.S. Lewis. Although my primary focus was in linguistic studies, literary studies were a close second. Very little of my tutoring and teaching experience has been directed solely toward literature, but in teaching language I have incorporated the fine art of literature as an aspect of culture.

Reading Comprehension Tutoring

My experience with reading comprehension comes from my teaching experience. The non-native English speaking students that I have worked came with a range of literacy experience in English. I have taught true English language beginners how to identify sight words and demonstrate sounds of letter combinations. I have also worked with advanced language learners who were interested in improving their reading comprehension to prepare them for standardized tests and academic reading materials.

Study Skills Tutoring

My experience with teaching study skills came as a result of working with non-native English language students who had not learned study skills in their first language. These students were unequipped to handle the challenges of language learning. As a result, I made note taking a mandatory practice in the classes that had students with weak study skills. I would explicitly direct students to write and remember important parts of a lesson.

Writing Tutoring

My tutoring experience began as a writing tutor. As an English major, writing was a dominant part of my academic career. Though I considered my writing skills to be weak in the beginning, with time and practice my writing skills improved. I learned that what I considered a weakness was actually a strength. I learned to approach writing with patience, to give a great amount of attention to detail, to carefully write with accuracy, and that reflection is vital to thinking through the writing process. Writing was one of the most challenging subjects for most of my students in that mistakes are more noticeable on paper than when speaking. However, I have learned that for students to advance in academics, they must learn good writing skills.

Writing Advance Tutoring

My experience teaching advanced writing was mostly in teaching different forms of essays such as compare/contrast, cause/effect, narrative, and argumentative. It is challenging for students to see words and formed thoughts as part of a pattern in the beginning, but with the help of structured note-taking, showing and demonstrating, group writing projects, and smaller writing assignments students can see in broken up bits how to compose a larger work of writing.