Native-Level Spanish Instructor, Curriculum Designer & Interprete

Eva C.

I am a Spanish instructor and curriculum developer at the International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI), where I have been Lead Teacher since 2021 and Curriculum Coordinator since 2025. I have a BA in Education, and I completed ACTFL's 30-hour Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) Assessment Workshop. My own Spanish is rated Superior on the ACTFL OPI scale, and I hold Tier 2 and Tier 3 Educational Interpreter credentials.

At ILI I teach adult learners at every level, from true beginners to advanced B2–C1 students, in small-group classes, intensive courses, and one-on-one sessions. I also design the institute's Spanish curriculum and am writing a textbook for each of its nine levels, so I know how learners progress and where they tend to get stuck. My approach is communicative and proficiency-based: students speak from the first lesson, grammar is taught in context, and lessons draw on authentic materials such as short stories, news articles, and real conversations. I tailor every lesson to the student's goals, whether that is travel, work, an exam, or confident everyday conversation.

My language work extends well beyond the classroom. I have been a freelance English–Spanish translator and interpreter since 2000, and I currently interpret for public schools in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton, and Amherst, working with students, families, and educators. From 2000 to 2010 I was a Test Evaluator at Language Learning Enterprise, assessing speakers' language proficiency. This experience lets me help students use Spanish accurately and with cultural awareness in real professional settings, and pinpoint exactly what they need to reach the next level.