Thomas Alexander

About Me

Lessons

Availability

Reviews

Visited a day ago

Thomas Alexander

Professional Teacher

Teaches

English

Native

Esperanto

Native

German

Speaks

Croatian

Spanish

Teaches

English

Native

Esperanto

Native

German

Speaks

Croatian

Spanish

About Me

Me as a Teacher

My lessons & teaching style

Resume

From United StatesLiving in Rochester, United States (10:01 UTC-05:00)

About Me

italki teacher since Dec 8, 2016

InterestsScienceTechPets & Animals

After 25 years working in Information Technology (IT), I discovered that what I really wanted to do was to help people learn. For the last few years, I have been helping people like you become more confident speakers, regardless of the language they are learning - this, through one-on-one teaching and conversation practice here on italki. I have been tutoring foreign languages part time since 1998. In 2016, I got involved full time, started teaching ESL locally, and mentored under the best teachers I could find. Learning and teaching Esperanto has broadened my knowledge of my own native English, and helped me learn how to explain things in a clear and understandable way.

Me as a Teacher

Teaching (and language learning) is who I am. In university, many of my friends were international students. I took pride in my ability to adapt my English to the appropriate level as they progressed. I was learning German, and this really helped me see things from their perspective. Now I am well-known in the Esperanto community - a regular teacher-in-residence at NASK and other events. In 1988 I became a tutor in a Free Esperanto Course (which I now administer), and when I left my IT career in 2016, I started teaching once a week at the local ESOL Association, as well as tutoring on line and in person. Teaching different languages in these situations has given me a unique perspective.

My lessons & teaching style

The main thing is that I want my students to speak. The first step is to feel comfortable. You will receive solid feedback, but you don't need to worry about being constantly corrected or about making mistakes. You're going to make mistakes. We can expect that ahead of time. The important thing is that we learn in the process. For English, once you're ready to try your first conversation, I will help you get to the next level - including intermediate and advanced English, accent reduction, and Business English. For German, I like to help people get started right in the beginning, or to help if you're struggling with understanding German grammar. For Esperanto, I cover the whole range.

Certificates

Certificate of Instructional Competence - North American Summer Esperanto Institute (NASK) - 2017Demonstrated full competence in didactic presentation, guidance of classroom group discussion, and response to individual students.

Certificate verified

Language Examination Certificate C1 - Elte Origo Nyelvi Centrum - 2017This is the highest recognized fluency exam for Esperanto.

Certificate verified

5.0

Rating

412

Students

2,412

Lessons

100%

Attendance rate

100%

Response rate

5.0

Rating

412

Students

2412

Lessons

100%

Attendance rate

100%

Response rate

English Lessons

English

Esperanto

German

Trial Lesson

246 lessons completed

USD 6.00+

English conversation with feedback / Informal Tutoring (for adults)

A2 - C2

Conversation

590 lessons completed

USD 15.00+

Package with 22% off

American Accent Training // (Foreign) Accent Reduction

B2 - C2

Language Essentials

2 lessons completed

USD 45.00

Package with 34% off

Availability

Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)

509 Reviews

All

English

Esperanto

Lívia Mendes

21 German lessons

Teacher’s pick

Thomas has been very helpful and patient with my German learning process. He adjusts the classes whenever it's necessary to improve the productivity and meet the expectations. He is able to understand your specific difficulties and tailor the teaching to meet your needs.

Aug 5, 2020

Bernie USMLE TOEFL

57 English lessons

Teacher’s pick

Thomas is very easy going and attentive. I always learn something new in our classes. I highly recommend him. See u next time teacher!

Apr 15, 2017

William Somerville

5 Esperanto lessons

Teacher’s pick

Thomas is an excellent teacher of Esperanto! He is very skilled in the language, and is patient, supportive and friendly. The lessons are well structured, encouraging and easy to follow. With Thomas's help, I was able to identify and correct problems that I have been struggling with during the introductory lesson. I look forward to my future sessions with Thomas and feel confident that he will help me achieve my goals (and fluency) in Esperanto!

Mar 20, 2017