https://www.italki.com/teacher/1448117
Learning foreign languages sometimes can be challenging… but with a strong approach, a lot of fun, and hard work, anything and everything is possible. I think your WILLPOWER is the key for success. Plus, if you have a good teacher or friend with a good command of that language who’s able to help you…then what else can you ask for?
The person I’m going to speak
about is Ante. He’s from Croatia. The first time we started working together
was in 2017. When I saw his name for the first time, I thought it was probably
some American who had origins from Croatia and wanted to learn Croatian, but
that was not the case. Instead, he wanted to learn English. I was happy because
I felt I could help somebody from the Balkans who spoke almost the same
language as I do.
I think the biggest challenge
was teaching him grammar, and that is why I did my best to mix different
methods…such as: using the book English grammar in use + comparing
different aspects of grammar with Serbo-Croatian grammar as much as it was
possible + writing some short stories on Google Docs.
I also used to give him a lot
of homework so that he could practice as much as possible since he was not the
type of person who would start learning by himself (especially because he would
work so much and, of course, he would spend the rest of his time with his
family). So that was the only way to make him practice his English a bit more
before he went to work…
I would like to compliment his
determination and his discipline. He was finishing his homework almost always
on time. Plus, our lessons were NEVER boring. He is such an energetic and smart
man. I also used to joke a lot with him so that he could embrace his mistakes
much easier, and most importantly, learn from them.
I truly believe that was
exactly the reason why he became one of my great friends and not only a
student. I also used to remind him about his homework when necessary. I will
never forget one of his jokes:
- I will not let you go to
Bratislava for the Polyglot Gathering because I won’t have you to remind me
about my homework. I will get up super early and tell everybody that I was
going to work, when in reality, I’d be making a deal with my friends from
Belgrade (later I ended up teaching them English as well because Ante
recommended me as a teacher) and we would all show up at the bus station in
order to convince you not to go, and we wouldn’t leave that place until you
came with us. And if you still get on the bus, I will put a needle in the tires
so you can’t go.
Of course, he was just joking,
but that was the sweetest joke ever. I knew they would never actually do it
(and they didn’t), but those words showed how much of a loved and important
teacher I was. That was priceless.
When I came back from the
Polyglot Gathering, we worked together for a very looong time after. I also
used to organize free online English video conferences and of course, native
speakers were invited as well. These conferences were the best opportunity for
him to practice both his listening and conversational skills at the same time.
These conferences were the best opportunity for him to practice both his
listening and conversational skills at the same time. After that, one day, he
started to understand English grammar much better that he even started
correcting his boss at work. His boss told him, “Wow, you have an amazing
teacher. She taught you so well.”
