How to Choose an English as a Second Language Teacher

Basically, there are two forms of the English language – British and American. And even though British is the original form, most students want to learn the American version, which is much more widely spoken. The two forms are similar, with some of the primary differences being idioms, slang and pronunciation. However, unless there’s a specific reason a student needs to learn the British version, I’m always going to strongly urge them to learn American English.

There are also two choices when deciding on your teacher. Those choices are learning from a native speaker or a non-native speaker. This choice may not be as easy as it seems. So, the questions are, what’s the best route to take when choosing an ESL teacher? And should I choose a native speaker to teach me?

Many people don’t realize this, but the Philippines is the 4th largest English-speaking country in the world. In fact, along with Filipino/Tagalog, it’s actually one of the two official language spoken here. And while there are many reasons to learn English from a Filipino, perhaps the biggest reason to do so is math.

Let me show you what I mean:

My boyfriend is an American college educated, native speaker. He’s an excellent writer and very well spoken. He’s also a TEFL certified teacher. Because he’s a native speaker, he charges around $25 an hour for individual lessons. However, my grammar is in the same league as his. And my spelling is actually better than his. Also, I’m fully capable of teaching correct pronunciation of words. (This is something I’ve spent a great deal of time learning. It’s also something that I’m proud of, as one of the biggest differences between Filipino and American English is the way some words are pronounced.)

And despite the fact that either way, students will be getting top quality ESL lessons, my rate is basically half of what he charges. Are his lessons worth double the price? That’s a value judgement that everyone needs to make on their own. There are plenty of students that think lessons from him are worth the extra money. Just as I have plenty of students that don’t feel they get enough extra value. The point is that either way, you can get top-notch ESL lesson. But if you choose lessons from me, it’s going to cost you about 50% less.

And regardless of whether your tutor is a native speaker, or a teacher from the Philippines, the goal is going to be the same. To get you speaking and understanding the English language as quickly and efficiently as possible.

But whichever way you choose a basic foundation of learning English is grammatical rules. You see, a good teacher will be able to teach you all of the grammatical rules you need. This is really important, as there are a lot of rules. Some of the rules change for little or no apparent reason, and it’s important to memorize these. (Luckily, there’s not that rules many like this.) And either a native or non-native speaker can help you here.

So, if you are thinking about the next step and learning ESL, here are a few things you should know.

The reason I became a TEFL Certified teacher was because I want to be the best I can possibly be. Never forgetting that the goal of ESL classes is for you to learn conversational English.

And since I love teaching children as well as adults, I took the extra step of becoming TELF certified to teach to young children, as well.

I teach both in-person and online. So, if you are in Manila, we can have our lessons in person, here in BGC (also known as Fort Bonifacio or simply the Fort). Or you can be like most of my students and learn English online via Skype. Online lessons are both highly effective and significantly more convenient than in-person lessons. In fact, many of my students that are only a few minutes away, still prefer to take online language lessons.

Either way, the majority of the lessons I teach are private classes, with one student at a time. With me acting as your tutor. This is because it’s so effective to learn with a private tutor. However, if you want to form your own small group for ESL lessons, that can also be accommodated.

If needed, I can take you to the next level of learning as well. A great example of this is that many students want to take business English lessons. There are also many students that want to prepare for IELTS tests. Or learn more about the American culture. And if desired, we can teach you all of this.

Being as close to a universal language as there is, there are many reasons for a student to learn ESL. For example, it’s helpful professionally. If you learn English as a second language, you will most likely have an easier time getting a job. And will be worth more on the job market. And since many professionals in the travel industry speak at least some English, learning ESL is also helpful if you are traveling.

But in the end, the path you choose is less important than actually taking action. So, if you have always wanted to learn ESL, there’s no time like the present to start. And to make it super easy for you to get started, I’m offering a free 30-minute introductory lesson. So, contact me today to get started. It’s a quick, easy and fun way to improve your life, both personally and professionally.