Tutor in Chicago, Illinois

My name is Mike, and I'm an experienced language teacher with teaching certification from DePaul University's College of Education from the Bilingual-Bicultural Education program. I currently work in a preschool as an assistant teacher and Spanish instructor. Additionally, I do work with the bilingual French students in the class so that they can better develop their English and French skills using a process called translanguaging (the fancy way that linguists refer to people who switch back and forth between two or more languages in conversation). I spent the last year of my life traveling and teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages abroad (Vietnam and Mexico). I lived and worked in Mexico City for 8 months (my photo is at Teotihuacán, a pre-Hispanic ruin outside of Mexico City), have traveled quite a bit in Latin America as well as Spain, and am active in Spanish-speaking Latino communities in Chicago. I can tutor students who are already in elementary, middle school, high school, or college classes. I'm also able to create an individualized curriculum from scratch for anyone who simply wants private lessons. I have a communicative and cultural approach to language teaching and also believe in some explicit instruction. What this means is that my main emphasis in teaching and tutoring is to use language in authentic contexts rather than focusing on structural features (such as grammar, syntax, etc.). I like to discuss cultural differences across various Spanish-speaking communities and nationalities as well as differences with American and other Anglophonic cultures as these differences are often reflected in the language. I will use explicit instruction regarding structural features when it enables students to more easily recognizes patterns within the language and to think structurally about what they're saying, but I do not make this the primary focus as it often becomes tedious for students and reduces motivation. Of course, if a student is in a course where it is necessary to practice specific structural features I am able to focus on those structures and their usage during our sessions. In addition to Spanish lessons, I can also aid students with basic level French, though my level of fluency and structural knowledge is lower than my Spanish proficiency. I’m also able to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages to individuals from non-native speaking households or countries. I do have experience in standardized test preparation as well, though it’s primarily been with the TOEFL (exam to for non-native English speakers to study at North American colleges and universities), however, many of the strategies for standardized test taking are similar regardless of the test. I'm able to give lessons in house or in a café during the evenings (I can only go to places that are easily reachable by the CTA.). I provide a free consultation prior to starting lessons to discuss the individual wants and needs of each of my students. Please feel free to contact me via the email or phone number provided (text or call is fine!). I'm also willing to offer a lower hourly rate ($18/hour) to students that commit to at least one lesson a week for a month and pay in advance with a signed contract.