Nicola

I have a BA from Auckland University in English Language and Literature and a Dip TEFL. I love teaching and have many years of experience working with children, young adults and professionals. When living in Thailand, I worked for RegentsX and taught Business English to the local staff of a German company, Food Panda. I taught them how to communicate with foreign clients, including writing emails, giving feedback and creating PowerPoint presentations. I used interactive material, encouraging the students to laugh as they learned, to participate and enjoy their classes. Thai people are usually very reserved, so using fun competitive games helped them feel more comfortable speaking in front of each other. I also taught beginner Mandarin to university students when in NZ. I used a textbook published in China for foreigners, but also included the etymology behind the characters which helped them learn efficiently, while adding interest and a cultural
element to each class. I believe that learning language should include aspects of the host culture. I am a friendly New Zealander with many years experience living and working abroad and understand the challenges and joys of learning languages first hand. I believe in the balance between grammar rules and pronunciation and fluency and in each of my classes, I aim to add fun, and will find a way to encourage each student. Learners need to feel safe in order to learn, and this is particularly true for those learning another language. Short, effective sentences are the building block of communication and are a great starting point for any learner.