Yolanda
For me, teaching has always been something vocational, so since I started my studies in Translation and Interpreting in the Universidad Autónoma in Madrid (French and English), I also began to teach Spanish and French.
It was that vocational spirit, my love for languages and the wish to be in contact with people from other places and cultures that made me take the decision of dedicating myself to teaching exclusively, after 7 years working as a translator and editor.
Initially, I gave face-to-face Spanish lessons in different international companies in Madrid, but when I moved to Tenerife I started to give classes using videoconferences.
In the recent years, I have focused on trying to better understand my students' needs, on how to adapt myself to their different learning styles and on how to deal with difficulties that prevent them from progressing with the aim of providing a more effective Spanish learning.
NATALIA AGUT
I have a degree in Hispanic Philology from the University of Barcelona and I have more than 20 years of experience giving language classes, both in Barcelona and Tenerife.
My classes are enjoyable and entertaining. I like to be creative when designing lessons' activities and during the classes, adapting myself to the different learning rhythms and needs of students. I am fully involved in learning and I am always willing to solve problems that arise during lessons.
I am organized in the execution of the classes, although this does not mean that there cannot be a certain degree of improvisation in them.
I like that students feel comfortable learning and have fun attending class.
MARIBEL JIMÉNEZ
My name is Maribel and I am from a small town called Talavera de la Reina, in the center of Spain. I would describe myself as a dynamic, open-minded and a curious person. I have spent more than 10 years learning languages. I speak Italian, French and English.
As I travelled around the world I realized that it is essential for language students to practice speaking the language they are studying, so I like to focus on conversation skills in my classes using vocabulary and common expressions that Spanish people use in everyday life.
Barriers can be broken and fear of making mistakes while speaking can be lost, one of the biggest blocks we face when trying to speak another language. I will help you to do it.
Teaching method
– We apply a communicative approach in the classes. Grammar aspects are explained and put afterwards into practice with the student. We try that the student practises what he/she has learned, mainly orally, so lessons are very interactive: the student is the main character.
–Personalized classes. All students are different and have their particular way of learning. We focus on their learning goals, working on their difficulties and reinforcing their strengths. Moreover, we will keep in mind their interests, personality, learning speed, etc.
–Adapted material. In the sessions, we use Google Drive to be able to prepare student-designed lessons. We use plenty of resources (books, material from Internet, graphics, audios and videos, etc.) which are adapted to the student. Apart from that, we send self-prepared homework to put more into practice what has been learned in the classes.
-We aim to communicate with the student in a common language (English/French) during the first sessions. After that, the communication will take place in Spanish, adapting to the student’s level in this language, although we may still use the student’s mother tongue (or reference language) to compare it with Spanish and thus make him/her unterstand some concepts better.