I started studying French in the seventh grade and loved it, leading to a lifetime of studying foreign languages. I was a French major at Bucknell University and also began to study Spanish there. I went on to get a Master’s and PhD in Romance Linguistics at the University of Michigan, also learning Catalan and a reading knowledge of Portuguese. In order to really learn these languages, I spent one summer living with a family in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, a semester living with a French family and studying at the Université de Paris III, and then almost four years in Barcelona, Spain, where I taught English as a second language to students ranging from late teens to adults. At the same time I conducted field work for my doctoral dissertation on Catalan.

I have extensive teaching experience. I taught French and Spanish on the college level for 9 years. In addition to 3 years of teaching ESL in Barcelona, I also taught ESL for 5 years at Penn State, teaching college-age students from every continent except Australia and Antarctica! After my teaching career, I became a self-employed translator, translating all kinds of documents from French, Spanish, Catalan, and Portuguese into English. This work kept me current with my knowledge of those languages.

All this experience has given me a deep knowledge of French and Spanish, and also of English grammar. I consider myself to be an excellent teacher and tutor. Unlike some teachers who are proficient in a foreign language, I understand that languages do not come easy for many people. I have had much success with students who struggle to learn a foreign language. I understand their difficulty and I am very good at finding ways to explain the often confusing grammar of French, Spanish, and English, and making it easier for students to learn. Students always appreciate my patience and my teaching skills.

I look forward to helping you learn, whether it is French, Spanish, ESL, or reading skills.