---

Learn More About Bonita's Experience:

ESL/ESOL Many years ago I learned, having worked with the United Nations, that teaching ESL is more than simply transferring knowledge from the teacher to the student. The undertaking requires a familiarity with the customs and cultures of those who are being taught, as well as the ability to initiate an exchange. During my teaching career I have taught students from Tunisia, Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, Chad,Nigeria, Liberia,Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico and as a result have received gifts from all over the world. My students have been very successful. I taught a young nurse from Colombia to speak English. Within a year she had passed her Nursing Certificate in English)and had become a full-fledged Registered Nurse. The reason that I have been so successful with my students is that I am a former member of the United Nations/United Nations Development Programme(spelled with to m's) and the United Nations Peacekeeping forces. My work with the UN took me to Europe, the Middle East, North, East, West and South Africa for extended periods of time. I have learned much about the cultures of many peoples of the world. I also have a working knowledge of some of the languages of the countries I have worked in, as well as those of Latin America. Such knowledge assists me in understanding how people learn and the best approach to use in teaching them. grammar Most of my education was provided by professors from Oxford and Cambridge during my stay overseas. All of my Bachelor's and Master's Degree courses were designed under the British system. In this regard, I was immediately made aware of the mechanics of the English language. While students at American schools have long since dispensed with learning grammar--at great cost--students studying under the British system undergo rigorous writing projects, which can vary in length from 20-45 pages. At the outset I was required to appraise myself of a minimum of eleven tenses in the English language, as well as knowing by rote their functions and purpose. I was extremely happy to have had the opportunity to undergo this rigorous training, because when I wrote my Doctoral thesis, I was able to accomplish the task with minimal difficult. Upon completion the manuscript was published by Garland Publishing Company, a Madison Avenue firm in New York. The company's acceptance of my manuscript was achieved without solicitation, which was quite a commentary in respect of my writing ability. proofreading The failure to proofreading school work is one the most significant causes of failure in academia. Often in the rush of things words are left out, thoughts left unfinished and meanings obscured. I have learned several ways to help overcome this shortcoming, one of which is never try to compose AN OVERNIGHT WONDER. What appears fantastic before going to bed, can turn out to be a pretty shabby undertaking in the morning. Of course, it's too late then and you are confronted with handing the shabby job, or getting a zero for submitting nothing. Whichever decision you make is not going to be one that will help your academic career. I have lived in many countries in the world, and wherever I went, I took time to study at a university, a college or a trade school. After many years, I have devised some pretty good systems to help reduce the number of errors on written work. Of course the golden rule of writing is, "You can never write anything just once." study skills Dear Students, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself. About 15 years ago I returned to my home in America after an extended stay overseas. During that time I travelled to Africa and stayed ten years, Australia (14 years), the Middle East, and East, West and Southern Africa. My extended stay in Australia provided me with an opportunity to attend college free of charge, so naturally I headed straight for college. My first degree was in Professional Writing, this included all forms of writing from essays to film scripts and magazine articles. After graduating I decided to use my former experience working with the United Nations Development Programme (spelled with two mm's), to study third world development and peoples in various developing countries. I graduated with a Master's Degree in Development studies, which combines world history and sociology. On my return to the United States, I decided to complete my studies by obtaining a Ph.D. in Human Services, since it has always been my life's ambition to help as many people as I could learn the value of education. I completed my Ph.D. in 1996 and my Doctoral thesis was published by a Garland Publishing Company, a Madison Avenue firm in New York. Since that time I have been working with students at all stages of learning. It has come to my notice that today's students often fail to achieve their educational goals because they have not been taught study skills. It appears that in most schools this is not a course which is available, yet it represents a significant component of a student's success in school at any stage. I think that I have developed these skills and can use them effectively to assist others to reach their desired goals in academia. Respectfully, Bonita Evans, Ph.D.