ESL teacher with 15 years of experience teaching 5-60yr olds from all over the world!

Find out more about Asha

• 1) Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  1. I speak this language fluently because of my origins. I was born and raised in California to English-speaking parents whose parents also spoke English. So, my whole family (immediate and extended) and I are native English speakers. My mom's side of the family lives in England, so I am familiar with both American and British English.

• 2) Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  2. I think the emblematic representative of my language’s culture is William Shakespeare because his written works, though they were originally created hundreds of years ago, still have a lasting impact on modern-day English. For example, the words ‘generous’ and ‘lonely’ were both introduced to the English vocabulary by Shakespeare through his plays.

• 3) Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behaviour in the language that you particularly like?

  3. I like the way that English, as one of the most popular languages globally, frequently evolves and expands through interaction with other cultures. For instance, the word ‘schadenfreude’ has become a common term in contemporary English usage, but it began as a loan word from German.

• 4) Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  4. Speaking English matters to me because it is one of the top international languages of exchange, so it allows me to connect with other people from all over the world in a common tongue. Speaking with others who have a varying level of fluency in English is fun, as not only can I teach them something from my culture (i.e., language), but also because I usually learn something new from my students as well.

• 5) What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  5. The main difficulty of learning English is that, like any language, there are many rules to follow, but there are just as many exceptions to these rules. In my experience, there are many ways to help the process of learning. One method I enjoy is to find out about my students' interests and then share resources with them that align with what they already know and like.

• 6) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  6. For the past several years, I have been learning Spanish as a second language. This has helped me gain a broader perspective on the experience of my students as they go through the process of learning English. For instance, I was speaking with my Spanish instructor and trying to explain to her that I was feeling lazy one day. When I spoke to her, I used the word ‘peligroso’ because I thought it meant ‘lazy.’ However, after a brief moment of confusion, she soon corrected me and told me that ‘peligroso’ actually meant ‘dangerous’ and that the correct word for ‘lazy’ was ‘perezoso.’ We shared a laugh at the mix-up, but afterward, this experience helped me better understand what my English students were going through when it came to learning and using similar-sounding words.

• 7) How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  7. My trip to Ireland helped my skills and knowledge of English because it increased my understanding of a wider variety of accents and vocabulary. Before my trip, I was mostly familiar with American and British English, but after visiting the Emerald Isles, I was able to learn a great deal about Irish English as well.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof in language?

  8. I am a Superprof in language because I am a very patient teacher who tries to make each class a fun and helpful experience for my students so that they want to continue on their English language learning journey with me.