Hello, I'm Erica and this is my first post. My first language is English. I also speak Spanish, French, and German. Well, I speak Spanish better than the others, since I began studying it at age 8. I don't get to use it often, so my vocabulary isn't the best, but I can converse. When I spent 6 months in Scotland in 2001-2002, I was translator to 2 Spanish women who had come there to work (I told them the Scots didn't speak English, but I don't think they really understood me). I took 2 yrs of French in high school in the 70s, then took 3 semesters here at UTA in 2007. I can hold a very limited conversation in French, and read and write it decently. My German classes were taken in the 70s as well, so I can only do basic things like ask for the toilet.
I have been a tutor for SOAR here at UTA for the past 4 years (thank you, work/study). My specialty is English Conversation (most of my students are Asians, but I've also had a Pole, a Venezuelan, and a Peruvian), but I also tutor writing skills, French, POLS and HIST. I'm taking this class because I plan to travel for a year, beginning in September, and I want to get a TEFL certificate so I can possibly teach ESL abroad. As well, I think this class will help me even more with my tutoring this summer. We have 23 new EMBA students at UTA's business college this summer, all from China. I'm tutoring 3 of them, so far.
OK, that's me in a not-so-little nutshell. See you soon!
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I befriended Chinese EMBA students a couple years ago. They actually made up the majority of my first conversational English class!
ReplyDeleteIs the SOAR position a paid position? I am looking for ways to gain more experience, but I would like some $ to help pay for tuition ($1228 for one class!) if I can have both.
Where will you travel in September?
Yes, SOAR tutors are paid! They start at around $8/hour, but once you get to level 3 of training, you get $10.05/hour. I started Fall 2006 and by March 2007 had my training done, so it's not difficult. I think it's one of the highest paid campus jobs. Work/study applies, too.
ReplyDeleteAs for September travel, I'm planning on starting with workaway.info hosts, where I can volunteer to help people in their homes and get room and board. I'm not sure where to start, but maybe Spain, Italy, Greece, for the winter? I also have a couple of places in Ireland and England that look great, too. Since I've spent winter in Scotland, I can handle a lot!
it sounds like a lot of fun. Europe is one of my dream travel destinations!
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