Information About Azucena - Droichead Nua tutor -

(6 reviews)

Personal Description:

Native Spanish teacher, conference interpreter and interpreter trainer at NUIG's MA in Conference Interpreting .

Extensive experience teaching face to face and online.

I have been based in Ireland since the 80s. I lived for a year in Latin America (Dominican Republic and Chile) and I worked for 15 years as Director of a centre for solidarity with Latin America, so I have good knowledge of Latin American Spanish.

I love languages, and I also speak French. I lived in France for a year and I currently keep my level of French by spending holidays in France and doing French/English language exchanges with friends from France.

I love swimming (try to swim 5 times per week), music, reading and conversing. Other interests are social justice and solidarity, community development, food sovereignty, etc.

In 2014 I gave up my job as Director of the solidarity centre in order to focus on language teaching, conference interpreting (which I have been doing since June 2000) and training interpreters. And I am loving it. Conference interpreting has landed me some high profile jobs such as meetings between the Prime Minister of Spain and the Irish Taoiseach; interpreting during the visit of the Bolivian President Evo Morales to Ireland and the Mexican President to the UK and Real Madrid press conferences as well as medical conferences, business negotiations, fisheries meetings, rugby meetings, etc

Tutoring Experience:

I have taught Spanish and English as foreign languages both in Ireland and Spain.

In Spain I taught English in 2 language schools to children and adults (Academia Cosmos and Cambridge School of Languages, both in Valencia).

In Ireland I have taught English to adults and children also, both privately and in language schools (Stillorgan Language Centre, Oatlands Collage, Stillorgan and Pobalscoil Rosmini, Dumcondra). In both schools I was in charge of designing and teaching adult English language programme for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. Recent or current priva**Contact Detail Removed**ssons include grinds to a Junior Cert student (exam passed), and adults. I also give private English lessons to Spanish au-pairs in Ireland.

Approach to Grinds:

Language teaching and learning is an interactive process and as such, classes focus primarily on speaking the language. Students start practicing oral Spanish or English from the very first lesson through the use of exercises such as role play, work in pairs, games, songs, oral presentations, enacting of real life situations, etc. Grammar points are explained as they emerge from these activities. Written language is used as support and basis for the oral work.