Learn and Improve your English! Experienced Cambridge CELTA Teacher: School and Test preparation / enhance Speaking Skills for adults

Find out more about Anna

• Praat je deze taal vloeiend door je afkomst of omdat iemand jou deze taal heeft geleerd?

  My passion for learning and teaching English has always been strong. Coming from a country where many people don’t really take the time to learn English; I’ve always wanted to change this mentality. My main concern in Greece was always to help students grow, get out of their current living situation and explore the world.

• Citeer een levend, historisch of fictief persoon die, volgens jou, hét symbool is dat de desbetreffende cultuur vertegenwoordigt.

  "Viewed freely, the English language is the accretion and growth of every dialect, race, and range of time, and is both the free and compacted composition of all. From this point of view, it stands for language in the largest sense, and is really the greatest of studies. It involves so much, is indeed a sort of universal absorber, combiner, and conqueror.’’ Walt Whitman, 1885.
  Walt Whitman was an American poet and journalist. A bright mind, who’s considered one of America’s most influential and innovative poets. Besides the remarkable poems that Whitman wrote, the poet was always preoccupied with linguistic matters, wrote numerous prose works and published essays. Walt Whitman was a man who changed the face of poetry during his lifetime and played an important role in the evolution of the English language.

• Is er in deze taal een woord, uitdrukking, traditie of typisch soort gedrag dat je bijzonder of leuk vindt?

  There are many English idioms that I like but I must admit one of my favourite ones is ‘It’s all Greek to me’ meaning that something is incomprehensible or hard to understand. I guess it’s because of my Greek background 😊 It originated from a similar Latin phrase; "Graecum est; non legitur" ("it is Greek, therefore it cannot be read") because of the Greek alphabet.

• Waarom is het belangrijk om deze taal te spreken, of het nou vanuit een academisch, professioneel of meer persoonlijk oogpunt is?

  English is the second most widely spoken language in the world (behind Mandarin Chinese) and the official language of the European Union. Countries like the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark have adopted English as a second language.It is indeed the language of international communication and learning English will be the best decision you have ever made! When it comes to things like travelling or finding a job, English doesn’t have a rival. People all around the world speak English and in many places people find English important for their businesses as well because they need to know the language in order to communicate with customers.
  
  Furthermore, not only it makes travelling easier, English is the dominant language of business. Over the past years speaking English has become a necessity. Learning or improving your English, is a great way to boost your CV and it will open more doors for you in the professional world; nowadays it is essential that you speak English to a decent level.
  
  One of the biggest reasons why I love English and is such an awesome language, is because it can help you master other languages! As I love learning languages, currently studying Dutch and recently obtained my degree in German, it has come to my knowledge the common ground that English shares with languages like Dutch and German.

• Wat is het lastigst aan deze taal waar het nemen van lessen bij kan helpen?

  In my experience, as an English teacher with over 10 years' experience, students generally say the hardest aspects of English are prepositions, phrasal verbs and sentence structure. I’ve noticed that depending on the nationality, to give an example many Greek or Spanish students are facing difficulties with the phonetics; consonant clusters and th 'th' sound. Other students are struggling with memorising idioms and expressions and they start feeling more confident the more they practice these with a teacher; a good English teacher will provide effective feedback which can totally transform a student’s learning experience.

• Kun je ons een leuke anekdote vertellen die te maken heeft met jouw beroep of jouw eigen schooltijd?

  During the first lesson with a group, I always let my students ask me questions about myself in English as in introduction. I was teaching young children in an English language school in Crete, Greece and one question that came up was ‘Where do you live?’. I was new in town and couldn’t remember the name of the street at the moment, so I just told my students that I lived next to the big park, close to the church. A few days later one of the students’ mother came to the school and asked me why I was living in the park and if she could offer me help! Not to mention that after assuring the concerned parent that I was not homeless, we covered prepositions with the class!

• Help ons je een beetje beter te leren kennen door ons te vertellen over enkele reizen die je gemaakt hebt.

  I love to travel from the moment my parents took me with them at the age of five and I think this love is hereditary 😊 Both of my parents are crazy with travelling; my father owns a camper-van and we’ve been all around Europe. They believe that travelling helps open your mind and by being exposed to new places, cultures and experiences makes you a more well-rounded person; with this philosophy they raised my brother and me.
  
  I started travelling alone when I was eighteen and it has definitely shaped me into the person I am today. I have been fascinated by many places in and around Europe, but I must admit one of my favourite ones is the Lake District in England. It’s the largest national park in the country and its beauty is incomparable! A unique secluded corner of England; since 2017 it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a wonderful landscape, the biggest lakes and the highest mountains England has to offer. Perfect spot to enjoy the tranquility and to connect with nature. Another favourite place of mine is Cochem in Germany. Cochem is the biggest town of the Mossele Valley and a very old town that dates back to 886; breath-taking views from the castle in the middle of the town, lovely river cruises and picturesque villages. The whole area seems like it belongs in a fairy tale.
  
  I could talk for hours about places that I’ve visited. In my eyes, getting away from home and travelling means getting in touch with yourself, expanding your perspective, educating, and making memories that will last for a lifetime!

• Wat maakt jou een Superprof, naast het feit dat je je kunt uitdrukken in verschillende talen?

  From my point of view, being Superprof means not only being knowledgeable and fluent in the language you plan on teaching but also being approachable and sensitive to the individual needs of the student.
  
  One of my professors at the university told me ‘You can teach skills but not charisma’ and improving your charisma helps you being a more effective teacher. A great teacher is warm and supportive and helps the students develop critical thinking skills. I take pride in seeing my students progress and become fluent as well as building great rapport with them and organising student-centred lessons that cater to different learning styles.