Personal Description:

I am a 4th year student at the University of British Columbia, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts. My major is International Relations with a minor in Spanish. I am enthusiastic about foreign languages as a means of self-expression and communication for far-reaching topics. When it comes to youth, education in a foreign language is a positive way to develop communication skills and be open-minded with the different cultures that accompany a language.

I have been studying French for 9 years and Spanish for 6 years. Over the years, I have grown very fond of the diversity of these languages and their respective cultures. To be precise, I am at the advanced intermedia**Contact Detail Removed**vel in both languages. This is the B1 level, based on the DELF and DELE criteria. My knowledge of the two languages has been helpful in making strategic correlations between Spanish and French.

This summer (2019), I did an exchange at Sciences Po Paris where I was able to immerse in Parisien culture. I am familiar with Paris and speak standard French though I am also familiar with Québécois French. This will help me to explain the linguistic and cultural differences between the two francophone places. I have also done French immersion twice through the Explore program in 2017, in Trois Pistoles, and in 2018 in Charlevoix, Quebec. Both times I was in an advanced class.

I look forward to sharing my knowledge of the Spanish and French language to my prospective students. Moreover, I aspire to pass on my passion for these languages as they are of great significance in our rapidly evolving world.

Note: As an upper-year student, I have a busy schedule but I continue to tutor because it is absolutely fulfilling. It would be ideal to meet with my student on or near campus. I am willing to travel as long as it is nearby.

Tutoring Experience:

I have been working with First Tutors Canada for two years now. In this time, I have been lucky to have worked with a wide variety of students ranging from students as young as age seven to retirees. I enjoy working with students of all backgrounds as it allows for different approaches to learning a foreign language, and by doing so, we are mobilizing ourselves to understand and ultimately, adapt to a globalizing world.

During the summer of this 2019, I went to Bali, Indonesia where I spent two months volunteering as a Healthcare Education teacher, through Green Lion Bali, in a local elementary and secondary school. This presented a challenge to me as I too, had to adapt to a setting that was foreign to me and teach a subject in a language foreign to the students. I am overjoyed to have actively contributed to the intellectual growth and stimulation of the Indonesian Children. Furthermore, I feel grateful to have had this experience as it has taught me strategies for teaching students who often have difficulty with academics, how to make sessions fun and interactive, and lastly but not least, it has made me an even more encouraging mentor.

In December 2018, I volunteered as English teacher in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia through Emerging Voices. I taught full-time for 2 weeks to people of all ages. I had one class of adults whom I taught at a church, and another of children at a community centre. This was an incredible cultural and educational experience for myself and my students. I am grateful for this opportunity because I saw just how much a foreign can open our minds to the possibilities, not just in one city but in the world.

For four months in 2017 I worked as a volunteer French tutor for children in grade 3 at the Port Credit Library in Mississauga, Ontario through their Reading Buddies Program. I closely assisted students in Elementary School to become familiar with reading in French through guiding them while reading and playing educational board and computer games. This experience has been foundational for me to teach French and Spanish as a second language as I developed the patience and strategies for guiding, rather than simply instructing, young students.

Tutoring Approach:

Truly understanding a language is a skill which is acquired overtime. I believe that everyone has the potential to learn a foreign language as long as the student is nurtured in a way that facilitates growth and ultimately, independent learning. Like any subject as with languages, some students have to work harder than others and it comes to some more easily. I am here to suit the needs of my students.

The most important thing is for lessons to be customized for each student's individual needs. My approach to tutoring is to be a supportive guide to my students instead of simply giving instructions. I aim to create an environment in which they are comfortable in so they may succeed in learning a language that they are not entirely familiar with. I am gentle with correcting my students and I aspire to encourage them continuously since many students feel shy or uncertain about how to carry about studying a foreign language.

Sessions will comprise of assisted writing, listening and speaking practice, in addition to customized notes which will help the student when I am not present. I am open to taking suggestions from students and parents as my goal is to serve my students in their pursuit of foreign language acquisition.