Would you like a private English coach to help you improve your English
in the comfort of your own home?
I offer personalized English lessons on Skype to help you meet your goals. Do you want to work on American English pronunciation, English conversation or prepare for a job interview or test?
If you want an English tutor ready to
guide and support you in meeting your goals to understand and speak
English, you're in the right place! Please bookmark this site (save to
your favorites). Look at my fees by clicking the "Schedule Appointment" button below. If my fees look reasonable to you, then feel free to schedule a free trial lesson or keep reading below the black button to learn about taking lessons with me.
So many English learners have spent years studying grammar and learning to read and write English but still have trouble speaking English!
Always relax yourself
before self-study or a class by using whatever methods you know. You
will learn more and enjoy yourself more if you are not tense.
Repeat everything!
Listen to audio files, podcasts or songs several times, not just once.
Each time you listen, focus on something new....comprehension, pronunciation,
intonation, word order, collocations. Listen again and try "shadowing".
Echo what you hear, or if there is a text, read it out loud immediately
after the voice on the recording. We can talk more about shadowing in
class.
Review any lessons that you
have done a week later, then, three weeks later, then, a few months
later. This is the way to be sure that you have moved the lessons from short term memory to long term memory and really learned the material. Flash card programs like the app on https://apps.ankiweb.net/ are good for learning vocabulary with a built in system of review. I will put comments and corrections in the Skype chat box which you can read over/review from time to time.
Relax, Repeat and Review = Recall
Repetition and review is key to language learning. Repetition and review is absolutely key. Read this again next week. ;-)
I encourage you to use English
language dictionaries
instead of translation dictionaries, not only to learn the proper pronunciation
of a word and its meaning, but also to read sample sentences and see how we use the word so that you will be able to use the new vocabulary yourself !!! That's what you want, right? In these sample sentences, I want you to try to identify collocations (common phrases). Notice the words before and after the target word. You can pick up some phrases as you study the target word. If the target word is traffic, you will probably see phrases like "heavy traffic" and "traffic jam" in sentence examples.
All this will help you with: Thinking in English, Recall, and Fluency.
Thinking in English + Recall + Fluency = Confidence
As you know, teachers usually teach from a book with little regard to the knowledge and capabilities the student may already have. I learn what your goals, wants and needs are and customize lessons to teach you only what you want and need.
I'll give you tips on how to improve
rapidly. I will draw from many books and resources I have acquired in
my twenty years of instruction and tutoring. You will keep me informed
on your interests and goals, ask me any questions, tell me what you
enjoy and what you find boring. Remember, this will be a collaborative
effort.
You will be the driver of your English education.
Please don't think I can "feed English" to you.
You must have motivation and be willing to put a lot of effort into achieving your goals.
Please don't think you can lie down on the job.*
* lie down on the job: idiom meaning to not work as hard at something as you should
Here Is what you will need:
1. a headset for the best sound quality (A headset helps prevent an echo.)
2. Please add my Skype name, americanenglishcoach to your Skype contacts list;
3. a computer with Adobe Reader to read pdf files and a media player like Windows Media Player, VLC or other
We can have classes using Skype by phone, but in order to receive the files I'll want to send you, a computer is necessary.
5. A strong desire to improve your English and enough time for lessons and self-study.
I think learning a language is similar to learning to play an instrument like violin or trumpet. You must enjoy playing your instrument and be willing to spend time practicing. Imagine the difference between the musician who practices an hour a week compared to two hours a day. Would you even want to hear the unpracticed musician?
Of course you can only practice English
according to how much free time your schedule allows. Be creative with
time management. Begin talking to yourself in English first thing in
the morning and listen to podcasts during your commute to work. Carry
reading material to waiting rooms. Also, while you are waiting, look around the room and describe the environment and people there in your mind using English. Book vacations where you will meet
English speakers, or join a tour in your own town where you will meet English speaking tourists.
What to do now:
Click on the tab "Schedule lessons/Buy packages" on the top of this page now to schedule a free trial. Choose "free trial lesson".
Yes? Take at least two lessons per week and be prepared to work on your English at least six days a week. The seventh day may be needed to visit with family members who don't speak English.
Make English part of your everyday life. Change the language settings to English on your computer and phone. If we elect to use a coursebook for your studies, stay at least five pages ahead of our class so that our class becomes a review session. Listen to the audio files and read the conversations aloud.
Use English language dictionaries, not translating dictionaries most of the time. Translating dictionaries can be used for names of fruits and vegetables or if you're in the middle of a conversation and just need one word. But to really understand English words and phrases and get an idea of how to use them, then an English dictionary is critical to your success.
Please do not underestimate the benefits of self-study.
Though my guidance and correction will be crucial to the improvement of your English proficiency, the deeper thought involved in self-study, listening, reading aloud and additional conversation practice are even more important!
Speaking practice should be done as much as possible. Whether it's talking with other English learners online or talking to yourself; the more speaking you do, the better speaker you will be! Simple, right?