Madeline Waldhoff

I believe in the benefits of practice through conversation, listening, reading, and writing at or just above the student's current English level. As a student, I was a Peer Writing Tutor for three years. I assisted with developing and editing assignments in all stages of the writing process, from planning to final polishing. I am happy to use lesson time to assist with outside written work as well as providing structured practice within and outside of lessons.

I begin with new students by evaluating where a student is at and establishing what their goals are for the lessons. Learning a language is different from other skills -- there are so many aspects to learn that it can overwhelm new and intermediate learners alike. By establishing the student's skill level and ultimate goals, I can help students navigate the many resources and approaches available to them. I will provide grammar, vocabulary, writing, and speaking practice, but I believe each student is unique in their needs and a flexible approach focusing on the student's goals is ideal. Within lessons, I provide structured conversation practice and go through practice assignments and written work together with the student. At the end of the lesson, I will provide resources to develop specific skills, including listening and reading resources alongside writing, grammar, and vocabulary exercises. I believe that learning is more effective when the student is genuinely interested in what they are studying. Whenever possible I tailor the content of these exercises to the interests as well as the skills of the student.