I became interested in TESOL through my interest in linguistics and languages. I was taking a community-based Spanish translation course at AU and decided to volunteer at the Washington English Center (WEC) because I thought teaching English might be something I was good at. I really enjoyed the experience the first time and have since become a returning volunteer. I had also heard my linguistics and TESOL professors share their experiences teaching English and performing linguistic research all over the world, which was something I found very enticing.

I think studying TESOL along with linguistics really gives you a well-rounded learning experience; you get the theoretical and scientific study of language, coupled with the real-life application and sense of purpose that comes with language teaching.

Did you have any teaching experience before you enrolled in AU's TESOL program?

I did have prior teaching experience. More specifically, I taught level 5B (upper-intermediate) online through WEC during the fall semester last year, and prior to that, had experience in high school tutoring children online during the pandemic for math and reading.

Are you currently teaching English? If yes, where do you teach and what is your learner population?

I’m currently teaching level 4A (intermediate) at WEC this term and I really enjoy it. I have about 20 students in total. They all have various linguistic backgrounds and come from so many different walks of life. About half are Spanish speakers. I also have some students who speak Dari and Pashto, one Mandarin speaker, two Brazilian Portuguese speakers, one Tamil speaker, one French speaker, and one Turkish speaker. I love that we have so much language diversity in our classroom because it makes teaching such an interesting experience.

What are some qualities that make a good language teacher?

I think a good language teacher needs to have not only linguistic knowledge but also pedagogical knowledge specific to the field. Successful language teachers need to be able to employ a wide variety of teaching approaches and they need to understand how to use different approaches in different contexts. Language teachers, just like any other kind, also need to have classroom management skills as well as linguistic and cultural awareness. Language classes should be a judgment-free zone designed to meet the specific needs of the students.

Overall, a good teacher must love what they do. They need to feel as if they are making a difference in the lives of their students because that sense of purpose helps teachers remember that their work matters. Having that intrinsic motivation and passion is essential.

In your opinion, what makes a successful language learner?

I think a successful language learner has to use and be exposed to the language every day. I think consistent practice–even for just a little bit–is key. Of course, this is so much easier said than done. Some days, we get busy or feel too tired to study. One of the things I’ve done is setting my phone language to Spanish, which allows me to absorb the language more easily. I think it also depends on the learner’s goals and motivations. I think that a successful language learner is someone who is dedicated and really takes an interest in the language.

What do you plan to do after you complete the TESOL program?

After completing the program, I’d like to apply for scholarships to programs where I could teach English abroad (preferably in a Spanish-speaking country), perhaps doing some kind of linguistic research, and furthering my education. I’d like to learn more about different fields in linguistics and see the world a bit. I’m excited to see where this program takes me!

In the future, my dream is to run a K–8 newcomer program and use that position to help support other ELL programs across DC. There are a lot of schools that do not have procedures in place to support their newcomers, which means that many ELL students never catch up to their classmates and get referred to special education services incorrectly.

What interests do you pursue outside of the classroom?

Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading books and learning about different languages. I enjoy trying out various languages, learning a little bit of one each day. Some days I’ll practice Spanish or other days maybe Italian, Portuguese, or German. I really like learning Catalan in my free time because in some ways, it looks similar to Spanish, and I enjoy comparing the two. Furthermore, I also help run the AU Linguistics Club and am a program leader for the Sophomore GLOBE Living-Learning Community.