Catherine Berglund Mclaughlin

I have taught language classes both in person and online for years. I worked as a Spanish medical interpreter in the US and lived in Spain for years, so have good knowledge of both Castilian and Latin American Spanish. My face-to-face students have often hired me to become their private online tutor because they found my classes to be fun and interactive. If you're studying for an exam, I can help you retain the knowledge that you have by discovering what methods work best for you. I have empathy for high-level students because I recently prepared for and passed the C1 DELE test in Spanish, but am now taking beginners' French, so know what it's like to be in those early stages as well. As an online student, I've been able to experience first-hand what it's like to have a teacher that's engaging and leaves students feeling empowered and involved, and also what it's like to have a teacher who does too much of the talking and doesn't give students enough say in what they're trying to learn. Through lockdown I also volunteered and taught students online who were refugees in Ireland. Together we learned how to make the most of online classes so that they're as good as being in a classroom. In private classes, I believe it's especially important for the teacher to listen to what the student's goals and desires are and to tailor the class's content to those needs. Textbooks can be helpful, but they should not be our only guide to what we study together!