Hi there! 
This is where we get to know a little about each other and talk about your specific difficulties (and strengths) with English language learning. I will tell you a little about the lessons I offer and we will make a plan on how to move forward and which types of lessons would be the best fit for you! My goal is to get you speaking English more confidently and flexibly--like a true cultural insider. Let's get started!

These lessons are best suited to students hoping to strengthen their conversational skills in formal and informal settings. Lessons with students will use conversational methods to help students overcome difficulties with poor wording, limited/repetitive vocabulary, and awkward transitions from formal to informal speech (or vice versa).

Conversational Fluidity

This is a 10-module program that I specifically designed for advanced English learners and culture lovers that work for international companies and/or want to navigate situations in English like a native speaker. This course uses an situation-based approach that adapts to your needs and gives you the tools you need to enter conversations naturally and make yourself heard. A few skills refined through this program include: 
++ Conversation recovery and redirection skills 
++ Interview preparation and practice 
++ Rapport building strategies in business dialogue

North American English Cultural Insider Course

In these lessons, you are invited to learn about commonly used English words and phrases undergoing considerable shifts in North American business spaces, and explore how you can use these shifts to build more meaningful and rewarding relationships in your professional life! This is available as a cohesive, tailored course or as individual lessons for targeted interview preparation. It is appropriate for high intermediate or advanced students.

What's the point? 

Native English speakers and English learners, alike, must be aware of the changing social and political reality across North America and understand the impact this has on the language that we use. Not knowing about these language shifts in the workplace often results in: 

++ The loss of potential professional opportunities,
++ Workplace misunderstandings with sometimes, harsh consequences, and 
++ Poor relationships with your coworkers

 Don't get left behind. Learn Progressive Business English!

Inclusive Workplace English

These lessons are strictly recommended as a follow-up to the North American English Cultural Insider Course (NAECI). Students that complete this course are invited to use these lessons as an opportunity to delve deeper into any of the themes discussed in the course, including body language, code-switching/mixing, and mindfulness, etc... 

Be sure to refer to the detailed course outline shared with you for NAECI and choose among the extensive list of concepts covered there. This way, I will be able to tailor the lesson to meet your specific interests. Whatever your interest, the goal is to loop the concept back around to the question: "How does this impact the way(s) in which I might use English?"

Advanced Topics in Cross-Cultural Psychology and Communication

Do you work in education or do you hope to in the future? Maybe you work for an organization and are responsible for the training and guidance of new hires. Would you like to have the range to do this work internationally and experience cultures different from your own? 

Perhaps, you have heard of certain big topics in education, like culturally responsive pedagogy, learning gaps, and differentiated learning styles, but haven’t had many opportunities to discuss these topics in English. 

It takes a special skill set to navigate culturally diverse classrooms. Add to this, the challenge of communicating clearly in English and this can present a huge challenge for new teachers and experienced teachers alike!  

Now, wait. 
You're probably wondering what difference it makes to be able to navigate these topics in English if you can already do it your first language?

The short answer is: while it is extremely valuable to be familiar with strategies facilitating equitable classrooms and empowered students or employees, if you are not comfortable doing this in English, you will be limited in how far you can apply your skills (geographically).  

Why learn this from me? 
📚 I have a degree in education with a specialization in international education 
📚 I have taught in culturally diverse classrooms in Bangkok, Thailand and Toronto, Canada with up to 35 students (5 years, cumulatively)
📚 I have accreditations from the International Institute for Restorative Practices and York University for completed training in Restorative Problem Solving in Classrooms, Anti-Oppressive Education Strategies,  and Culturally Responsive and Transformative Pedagogies
📚 I am genuinely passionate about helping educators navigate diverse classrooms more confidently and experience the tremendous mutual learning opportunities that accompany them

Teacher Toolkit For Equitable and Diverse Classrooms

Have you recently moved to an English speaking country or do you plan to do so in the near future? Or, are you job hunting for a position with an international company? If either of these apply to you, you have probably already head of the  International English Language Testing System (IELTS). It is one of the most common tests required for English learners/speakers who need to transition into workplaces and educational institutions where English is the primary language for communication. It consists of four sections, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. So, let's cut to the chase--is it difficult? 

No. Is it common for English speakers to score low without preparation? Absolutely. Preparation is all about having a strong familiarity with the strategies required to perform well in each section of the test. Attempting to memorize the tasks and responses that you have seen in practice tests online will not help you to get the score you need. In my IELTS preparation lessons, we practice highly effective strategies related to:
⏳ Timing
📖 Purposeful Reading
🔎 Text Scanning
🗣️ Vocabulary Extension
💭 Response Anticipation
and many more!

Every student's needs are a bit different and what is considered a 'pass' or 'fail' depends on what you need to take the test for. The highest band of scores on the IELTS is a 9. Some students require a minimum score of 4 in all sections, others a 7.5, for example. The strategies that I teach in my lessons are essential for all students' goals. I have helped several students in the industries of technology, agriculture, education, retail, and software development, to get the scores they need on the IELTS. I can help you, too. 

Let's determine your goal(s), discuss your strengths and starting point, and make a plan that will help you get the score you need on the IELTS confidently!