Laurette
Certified Tutor
I have a passion for the promotion of professional development through training and demonstrated in my work experience. Not only am I fluent in French and English, but I have worked simultaneously in both languages for fifteen years. My experience includes teaching French to business clients (in New York) and college students (in New Jersey) and also teaching English (English as a Second Language) to government officers and other professionals in the private and public sector overseas.
I love teaching, especially languages. I use participatory methods that encourage students to communicate effectively in the target language. I am proud of my achievements and hope to continue to instill the love of languages to my students.
I am a French native speaker; I've studied in Geneva (Switzerland) and France. I have a French Baccalaureate because all my primary and high school were done in the French language. We speak French at home. I have a Standard French accent.
I hold 2 certificates in teaching English: TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and TBE (Teaching Business English).
Connect with a tutor like Laurette
Graduate Degree: CUNY Graduate School and University Center - Masters, Liberal Studies (French/English)
Graduate Degree: Metropolitan College of New York - Masters, Public Administration
Traveling, Kickboxing, Read the bible
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
With students who are struggling with reading comprehension, I will first have them understand the keywords of the text, making sure they understand every new word or important word in the text. To make sure they have a full understanding of those keywords, I can also use these words in different sentences and have them make their own sentences with the same words. When this is covered, I will ask them the main idea of the text (using a multiple choice system), then ask topic sentence of each paragraph. The next step would be to ask different questions about the text to make sure they grasp the important elements of the passage. At the end of the lesson, I can give them an exercise they can answer in writing. This exercise will gauge their ability to translate their understanding of the text into their personal experience.
What is your teaching philosophy?
My goal is that each student comes out of my class with the ability to communicate in the target language in the most realistic manner. It is not just about theory; more importantly, it's about getting to practice speaking in the target language, listening to the target language (French or English), and being able to demonstrate concrete results. I am only concerned about students demonstrating their knowledge in the most concrete manner. My everyday goal is that my student becomes proficient at the end of the lesson.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I will introduce myself (giving a brief overview of my education and experience with students who have the same needs). I will do a needs assessment, that is, ask the student his/her weaknesses and strengths, as well as his/her goals in French or English.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I will use different methodologies: - encourage him frequently - keep a positive attitude with him (I am aware that my attitude has an impact on the student's achievements) - stay in touch with him during the week and be available to answer his/her questions - use a variety of methods to teach him, such as visuals (pictures, photos, videos), audios (CD's, DVD's), tactile techniques (have him play games with different tools), kinesthetic techniques (have him role play on his feet, or have him move around the room to describe pictures, for example)