April J.
Private tutor in Great Neck, NY
Education
Pennsylvania State University Ph.D. in Spanish Linguistics (2007) Pennsylvania State University Master of Arts in Spanish Linguistics (1999) Pennsylvania State University Bachelor of Arts (1996)
Experience
In the 11th grade in high school, I fell in love with the Spanish language along with its history and culture. From that moment on, my principal goal was to learn to communicate in a foreign language and to travel outside of the United States to become fluent in Spanish. I have dedicated my life to the study (earning a Ph.D.) and teaching of the Spanish language ranging from a one-on-one tutoring setting to teaching graduate-level language and linguistics courses at the university level (e.g., Pennsylvania State University, Temple University and Frostburg State University). My academic areas of expertise lie in second language acquisition learning theory (the cognitive processes involved in language acquisition) and practice, as well as foreign language teaching methodology. In addition, I have an extensive background in teaching the basic aspects of language; that is, pronunciation, grammar, language structure and the different social conventions of communicative interaction. As a fundamental element of my professional and personal interests, I have participated in study-abroad programs in Latin-America (Chile) and Spain, both for a duration of one year. Throughout my time abroad, I taught English classes both as a tutor and as a university professor, experiences which have allowed me to gain the skills necessary for teaching courses in ESL/ELL as well. In addition, I have travelled extensively in Spain and Latin-America (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Spain), which has allowed me to acquire and maintain native-like proficiency in Spanish. Aside from that, I have garnered an extensive knowledge of the variants of Spanish (dialects) as a function of geography, history and culture. Such experience allows me to share this knowledge with my students, such that they are able to function more easily within a wide variety of Spanish-speaking settings. My academic training and related international travel has equipped me with a comprehensive skill set that I carry into the language classroom. Not only am I able to share historical and cultural perspectives of the Spanish-speaking world, but I especially pride myself in my ability to design and implement a personalized curriculum for each student according to his/her preferred learning style(s). Aside from that, I can reliably predict and assess the typical problems foreign-language learners face throughout the acquisition process and in this way, more efficiently pinpoint and address them. I target their individual needs by first evaluating their current proficiency level as well as their backgrounds and experiences with language use and exposure. Since foreign languages are my passion, I do not view teaching as work, rather a source of personal enjoyment. I find no greater pleasure than watching my students advance in their ability to communicate in another language as well as come to understand and appreciate cultures different than their own. I relish the moments in which I see their world expand and the feelings of pride and accomplishment that come with them. As an instructor, I am extremely patient, friendly, relaxed and encouraging with all students. I want the language learning experience to be enjoyable and beneficial to my students, such that they come to take a great deal of pride in the invaluable skills they are acquiring that they will carry with them for a lifetime in both their personal and professional lives.
Availability
Any day at any time
Can Meet
Up to 1 hour away for a flat fee
Hobbies
My hobbies and interests are quite eclectic in nature. I love participating in outdoor sports, mainly in the summertime, such as swimming, fishing, kayaking and hiking. On the other hand, I greatly enjoy attending foreign films, theater productions and festivals. Of course, I also am passionate about international travel, as I crave learning about different cultures as well as seeing as much as I can of the world around me. Most of all, I absolutely love cooking and baking for my family and friends. I constantly look for new recipes to try and find myself at home in the kitchen. For me, cooking is a way of expressing my love and affection to those I care about most; and my family and friends know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I love them to the moon and back! Learning about the interests of others is of great interest to me as well. Through others’ experiences, I can be exposed to new activities that I may not have even thought of before or were simply hesitant to try. **NOTE**: Due to the unfortunate prevalence of Nigerian scammers on this site, I will *only* accept cash payment for my services.
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