Louis H.
Vallejo, CA
Here to Help You in Your March to Success!
University of California, Berkeley
Political ScienceUniversity of California, Berkeley
Graduate CourseworkUniversite de Lyon, Lyon France
OtherAbout Louis
My teaching philosophy is that learning should be an enjoyable experience. I want to see your eyes alert, your mouth smiling, and your brain working! I emphasize English studies here because that is what most calls for my services have been.
I have over 30 years experience as a technical writer and have been tutoring students for
Policies
Cancellation
24 hours notice requiredMost language tutoring sessions extend over multiple sessions, special discounts can be negotiated in such cases. Rates for groups is also negotiable.
Travel Radius
Travels within 40 miles of Vallejo, CA 94590Louis offers online lessons
Louis is approved to conduct lessons through Wyzant Online. Wyzant Online allows students and tutors to work remotely via video, audio, and collaborative whiteboard tools. For more information about how online tutoring works, check out Wyzant Online.
If you’re interested in online lessons, message Louis to get started.
"Louis is prepared, very responsive, accommodating and helpful"
- Barbara, Pleasant Hill, CA on 10/16/14Very grateful to have Louis tutor my son with a last minute review for the SAT. He had worksheets, a computer, and ideas on the best way to review for the test. My son said he felt more prepared than he would have if he had tried this review on his own.
"Knolwedgeable Tutor"
- Sreeni, San Ramon, CA on 1/23/17Lots of experience. Was able to hone in on the issues to be worked at quite quickly (e.g. trilling of R, occasional mashup of words, vocabulary etc.) and offer quick solutions (e.g. v"owl" instead of "vow-elle").
"Very knowledgeable and informative tutor"
- Pushki, Sausalito, CA on 10/1/14I have been enjoying my tutor sessions so far, learning about many different perspective of the politics. Louis is very informative and has a high range of knowledge of every other areas except politics. I would highly recommend him as a tutor.
Approved subjects are in bold.
Approved subjects
In most cases, tutors gain approval in a subject by passing a proficiency exam. For some subject areas, like music and art, tutors submit written requests to demonstrate their proficiency to potential students. If a tutor is interested but not yet approved in a subject, the subject will appear in non-bold font. Tutors need to be approved in a subject prior to beginning lessons.
ACT English
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling, proofreading and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
I have tutored students preparing to take exams in English for the past seven years. I use the latest edition of the "Real ACT Prep Guide" to offer my clients as many as five real ACT practice tests and help them develop strategies to attack the ACT successfully.
ACT Reading
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling, proofreading and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
I am a technical writer with over 30 years experience writing user manuals and marketing material. I have tutored students preparing to take exams in English for the past seven years.
I have successfully passed the WyxAnt ACT English Wrilting and Reading tests and am qualified to be an ESL/ESOL tutor..
To ready my clients for the ACT, I use the latest "Real ACT Prep Guide" and "The Complete Guide to ACT Reading". Both of these guides offer practice tests and extensive strategies and tips to the test taker.
American History
I have been a history buff for many years now. I enjoy sharing American and European history awareness with others. The history of the development of the United States from revolutionary times to the modern era is a fascinating tale, one that everyone living in this country should have the opportunity to learn.
For AP US History students, I work with Kaplan's 2015 Book and DVD and have pre-ordered the Princeton Review 2015 Guide due out next month.
Anatomy
The anatomy of the human body has long been fascinating to me. While I have no formal education in this field of study, I have read a great deal about it and feel certain I would be a capable tutor for those with trouble memorizing the bones, organ parts, blood vessels, and all the other elements of human anatomy. My secret was to use flash cards with pictures on one side and definitions of functions and characteristics of each anatomical element on the back.
Bible Studies
I was raised in a religious home (Jewish) so my knowledge of the Old Testament goes back to my childhood. For several years, I taught the 6th Grade of a Reform Jewish Sunday School and have been president of a reform temple. The student would have to be studying the Old Testament as I have very little knowledge about the New Testament.
Biology
Anatomy, botany and biology. Which fascinates me the most? Hard to pick between them. I am a gardener by avocation. I even got a certificate in horticulture from UCLA. Anatomy and biology have always fascinated me as well. No formal education but a lot of home study in these areas. The memorizing part in basic anatomy and botany can be challenging. I use flashcards to help my clients with that.
Botany
I have been a horticulturist for many years, now. I became interested in gardening when I moved into a home with a very big backyard. I hired a gardener who was just starting out on his own in the business figuring while he had a head start we would learn gardening together.
I enrolled and completed a two year extension course in horticulture at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and received a Certificate in Gardening and Horticulture. The course included plant identification, botany and plant taxonomy, soil science, and gardening techniques and practices.
English
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling, proofreading and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
English is my native language. As an avid reader and career writer, my command of English is strong. I have put together a manual on speaking American English, which I offer for free as part of my tutoring service.
As a technical writer, I have learned to state things concisely. I have experience with creative writing as well, which places special demands on English understanding. For example, I have translated a libretto from French to English and worked especially hard to use the right words to capture nuance more than looking for a word-for-word translation.
ESL/ESOL
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling , proofreading and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
I am a technical writer with over 30 years of experience using the English language correctly. I have tutored students for whom English is a second language for the last seven years. Those students learning English with me who want to do so use the Internet to enhance their learning experience. My goal with all my clients is to make improving English skills both a rewarding and enjoyable experience.
European History
I have long been a student of European history. I am particularly drawn to the triumphs and shenanigans of the Royals of different countries during the period of the absolute monarchies, the emergence of the Age of Enlightenment, and the birth pains and accomplishments of the modern democracies.
French
I studied French in Junior High School, High School, and it was my minor at the University of California, Berkeley. I spent my college senior year at the University of Lyons where I received a Mention Bien for my work. Since then, I keep in touch with family in France who speak and write very little English. I read a French newspaper daily (Le Monde) and visit France whenever I can. My latest visit was last year. During that visit I spent time in Paris (of course), and Provence.
GED
The GED crosses four disciplines, which makes it a difficult test. We will need to demonstrate that your proficiency in English (reading and writing), social studies, and science meets the standards set by the American Council on Education for you to receive a Certificate of High School Equivalency. I use tools available on the Internet to prepare you for the exam. My services will prepare you for the English, social studies and science portions of the exam. However, I do not provide tutoring for the math section of the exam.
Government & Politics
Government and politics has been an area of interest for me for many years, now. I graduated from the undergraduate school at the University of California in Berkeley with a major in Political Science. I particularly enjoyed studying political philosophy and the role of political parties and pressure groups on governments. Since leaving the university, I have followed political events both here in the United States and in France on a daily basis in the newspapers and on TV, and watch the talk heads and pundits on TV with a mixture of approval and disapproval in about equal measure.
Grammar
As taught in the public education system when I was young, grammar was not emphasized. (I'm afraid it is dealt with even less seriously now.)
My grammar training really began when I started studying a foreign language. It was through French that I learned in a systematic way about person, the parts of speech, verb tenses and modes of speech, subject-verb agreement, sentence structure, phrases and clauses, articles and their uses etc., etc.
Since taking up English tutoring, I have become even more thoroughly familiar with grammar issues by using grammar books to give my clients practice, all the while evaluating their progress. Currently, I am using "Basic English Grammar", latest edition, and the accompanying "Basic English Grammar Workbook".
Literature
As a child, I was an avid reader of fiction from Albert Teyson Terhune's dog stories to the adventures of the Bobbsey Twins, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Nowadays, I am more drawn to biographies and historical novels but my love of mystery, fantasy, and adventure still needs attention (which has led me to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and the series of books by George Martin that includes the Game of Thrones). I look forward to sharing my love of literary forms --both prose and poems -- and gaining insight into the human condition by examining some of the novels, dramas, and short stories that have been part of our history.
Microsoft Windows
I have been a tech writer for over 25 years. During that time I have used both MAC and Microsoft products and a bit of UNIX as well. My knowledge of Microsoft is as a near constant user who has networked computers, solved technical problems, protected, increased the efficiency of computers, established remote connections, and removed viruses using Microsofts support tools and accessories.
Microsoft Word
I have been using Microsoft Word ever since it first came on the market. (I am old enough to remember using MultiMate and simple text writing programs before the advent of Word!) I am familiar with many of its advanced features including book building, using macros, building tables with columns that can be added, creating equations in documents, controlling page layout, saving documents in different formats, moving text between Word and other applications, using mail merge, etc. I would feel highly qualified to tutor a student in the more sophisticated uses of Word.
Political Science
I graduated from the University of California with a major in Political Science. I spent my senior year in France where I took an exam in French politics with an emphasis in France Overseas (La France Outre Mer), passing with an Honorable Mention (Mention Bien). Since then, I have stayed keenly aware of politics both in the United States and in France participating here at home in voter registration and supporting candidates I think will work best to preserve the freedoms we are afforded in the US. I also read United States, French, and English newspapers and watch English, French and US news broadcasts every day.
Proofreading
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling, proofreading and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
As a writer by profession, I know the value of proofreading my own work before releasing it to others. It is not unusual for me to go over something I have written several times honing, rewording, and proofreading contents.
I have also learned to appreciate the job of the proofreader who sees the overlooked with professional eyes.
In my experience, teaching proofreading is essentially training a client in the art of critical reading with an eye to correct American English usage. The professional proofreader is a grammarian with an understanding of correct use of vocabulary and sentence structure. I also introduce my clients to the proofreading tools now available through the Internet.
Reading
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of English skills that they offer: reading, writing, grammar, spelling, proofreading and vocabulary. In addition, I have seven years experience tutoring conversational English reading and writing, emphasizing American English.
As a child, I escaped from a large family through reading. The reading bug is still very much a part of my everyday life. I have largely turned from fiction to nonfiction, reading biographies (although sometimes they are more fiction than fact!) and books on current events and history books as I am something of a history buff. For more detailed analysis of events, here is another reading habit: I prefer newspaper news to TV coverage.
SAT Reading
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling, proofreading and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
I have had to read complex technical documents, separating the essential from the supportive but nonessential that typically flows from developers. I concentrate on helping students understand how to quickly locate principal ideas in paragraphs and improve their reading comprehension and speed.
I use College Board tools to prepare students I work with for success in the reading portion of the SAT the first time they take the exam.
SAT Writing
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling, proofreading and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
I have had to demonstrate writing skills above that normally required in order to clearly communicate how to perform tasks. I concentrate on essay structure, and use College Board tools to prepare students I work with for success in the essay portion of the SAT the first time they take the exam.
Sociology
My graduate work at the University of California, Berkeley, was in the field of Sociology. To me, there was a natural progression from my undergraduate studies in Political Science to Sociology.
I was drawn to two fields of investigation in Sociology: the sociology of religion, and studies of how interaction in a group affected individual behavior. A very proud moment for me was when I learned I was footnoted in Irving Goffman's iconic work, "Presentation of Self in Every Day Life" for my paper on "Teamwork and Performance in a Jewish Delicatessen".
Spelling
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling, proofreading and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
The ability to spell words correctly is extremely important although, frankly, with tools like spell check in Microsoft Word, the responsibility for spelling correctly is pretty much transferred from the writer to the machine. Still, I pride myself on my command of English and learning new words and how they are correctly spelled and used.
TOEFL
Tutoring TOEFL is a specialty of mine. I began tutoring English seven years ago in Mexico where I lived as an ex-pat for seven years. To supplement my income, I began tutoring Mexican students eager to attend US universities and needing to pass the TOEFL test to do so.
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
Vocabulary
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling, proofreading and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in speaking and listening to American English.
I am an avid reader and a technical writer by trade. Both experiences have contributed to my spelling and vocabulary skills.
I enjoy immensely seeing words that are "officially" admitted into US English, which, to date, is on a state by state basis, although many grant sanctioning power to Webster's Dictionary.
I find two tools particularly effective in broadening vocabulary: using flash cards and then using words learned in conversation and in writing.
World History
American, European and world history have long been a subject of immense interest to me. I am one of those who believes we can and do learn from the past through studies of not only history but all the humanities. I have been an avid reader since childhood and much of that reading has been historical. One summer, as an undergraduate at the University of California, I worked for Dr. Abe Nasatir of what was then San Diego State College translating documents about Jean Lafitte from French to English. I believe the history of our times will be seen in the future as a defining moment in the civilization of mankind.
Writing
I am qualified by WyzAnt to tutor all aspects of American English skills offered: reading, writing, grammar, spelling and vocabulary. I have tutored many clients, adults and teenagers especially, in reading, writing, speaking and listening to American English.
I have been a software technical writer for over 30 years. The software tech writing experience is rather like a translating one -- taking the sometimes complex capabilities created by developers and presenting them as directly and simply as possible to the user.
Other Vallejo, CA Tutors
Louis H.
Vallejo, CA
Here to Help You in Your March to Success!
Social Studies
My major in Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley campus, reflects my interest in human society and was reinforced by the work I did in Sociology subsequently. I weave elements of sociology and political science as well as history, economics, and civics into the experience, using newspapers, TV series and news, and Internet reporting to keep the experience interesting and current. I am always careful to tailor the material presented to the age of the student or students I am working with.