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PhD Language Expert | Portuguese, Spanish & English (All Levels)
Ryan M.

4.9 (37 ratings)

65 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $50
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About Ryan

Bio

Aló / Hola / Hey!

I’m Ryan — and yes, in Portuguese it sounds like “LION,” just swap the LI for a HI. 😊

I’m a PhD language educator with over a decade of experience teaching Spanish, Portuguese, and Academic English at every level — from absolute beginners to advanced university students and professionals. I earned my Ph.D. in Latin American Literature and Culture from the University of Texas at Austin, one of the leading institutions for language pedagogy in the U.S. Since 2024, I have...

Aló / Hola / Hey!

I’m Ryan — and yes, in Portuguese it sounds like “LION,” just swap the LI for a HI. 😊

I’m a PhD language educator with over a decade of experience teaching Spanish, Portuguese, and Academic English at every level — from absolute beginners to advanced university students and professionals. I earned my Ph.D. in Latin American Literature and Culture from the University of Texas at Austin, one of the leading institutions for language pedagogy in the U.S. Since 2024, I have held a position as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

I’ve taught at major universities including the University of Michigan, University of Texas-Austin, Villanova, and Thomas Jefferson University. My experience includes everything from foundational grammar and conversation courses to advanced writing, medical Spanish, Portuguese for Spanish speakers, and culturally focused seminars on race, media, and society in the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking world.

Beyond the classroom, I’ve worked extensively as a professional interpreter and translator in Spanish and Portuguese, supporting migrants, asylum seekers, educators, and public institutions. I’ve also lived and worked across South America and bring real-world cultural experience into every lesson.

Whether you're: starting from scratch, preparing for travel, strengthening academic writing, building professional fluency, maintaining a heritage language, or refining advanced grammar and style, I tailor lessons to your goals with clarity, structure, and encouragement.

My teaching style is rigorous but relaxed — we work hard, we laugh, and you leave each session feeling more confident than when you arrived.

When I’m not teaching, you’ll probably find me biking, rock climbing, birding, or playing guitar.

I’d love to help you reach your language goals. Let’s get started!

-Ryan

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Education

University of Pittsburgh
History, English Writing
Villanova University
Masters
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
PhD

Additional Languages

Portuguese
Spanish

Policies

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

ESL/ESOL

ESL/ESOL

I taught English for two years in South America. First, through the Chilean Ministry of Education's English Opens Doors Program, and later in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with Pensaris Corporate Training.
Grammar

Grammar

I have over a decade of experience teaching grammar across English, Spanish, and Portuguese at the university level. I help students master sentence structure, verb systems, agreement, academic style, and advanced composition. My approach breaks complex rules into clear, usable patterns so students gain both understanding and confidence. I work with middle school, high school, college, and adult learners.
Portuguese

Portuguese

I hold a PhD in Iberian and Latin American Literatures and have over a decade of experience teaching Portuguese at major universities, including the University of Michigan and UT Austin. I teach all levels, from beginner conversation to advanced grammar, writing, and academic Portuguese. I work with both Brazilian and European Portuguese and help students develop confident, accurate communication tailored to their goals. I also bring professional experience as a translator and interpreter, ensuring practical, real-world language training.
Proofreading

Proofreading

As a PhD scholar and university instructor, I have extensive experience editing academic essays, research papers, theses, and professional documents. I specialize in clarity, structure, argument development, and stylistic precision. I work with undergraduate, graduate, and professional writers to strengthen organization and eliminate grammatical and mechanical errors. My approach improves not just the document, but the writer’s long-term skills.
SAT Writing

SAT Writing

I earned a B.A. in English Writing (Departmental Honors) in 2009 from the University of Pittsburgh.
Spanish

Spanish

I have over ten years of experience teaching Spanish at the university level, including introductory, intermediate, advanced writing, and Medical Spanish courses. I work with beginners, AP students, college learners, and professionals seeking fluency. My background in Latin American studies allows me to integrate culture, history, and real-world communication into every lesson. I also have professional experience interpreting in medical and immigration settings.

Examples of Expertise

Ryan has provided examples of their subject expertise by answering 5 questions submitted by students on Wyzant’s Ask an Expert.

See all of Ryan ’s answers ›
Ryan M.'s Photo

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Ratings and Reviews

Rating

4.9 (37 ratings)
5 star
(35)
4 star
(1)
3 star
(1)
2 star
(0)
1 star
(0)

Reviews

Ryan is a grade above the rest

Ryan is a strong, patient teacher who helped me learn the Portuguese. I’ve been using him to bridge the language gap with my Portuguese clients and his flexible style has helped. He walks you through the language in easy steps and adapts the lessons to your needs so you leave feeling one step closer to fluency.

Myles, 1 lesson with Ryan

Knowledgeable and patient tutor

Ryan was able to connect with my 9th grade son and guide him through his online learning platform. My son said that he enjoyed his first session and is looking forward to the next one!

Mysti, 4 lessons with Ryan

Prepared to Help you Succeed

Ryan has tons of resources and experience to help you from minute one. He listens to your tutoring needs and really goes out of his way to prepare individualized help. He is very professional and really wants to make you learn - makes it as easy as possible for you too! Excellent tutor !

Ivanessa, 1 lesson with Ryan
Tutor responded:

Obrigado, Ivanessa! I'm looking forward to helping you succeed!

Very knowledgeable and helpful!!

Ryan was great! My son found him extremely helpful with what he had been struggling with in Spanish. Highly recommended! He was very patient and organized. He reached out and contacted my son's teacher to help come up with a study plan. Highly recommended!!

Phillip, 1 lesson with Ryan

Excellente!

I am an adult learner re-developing my language skills. Ryan understood my goals, appreciated my background knowledge, and has crafted a plan to help me reach those goals. I am looking forward to our work together.

Jarret, 1 lesson with Ryan

Engaging and patient tutor

I reached out to Ryan to tutor my son. Ryan was incredibly engaging and put my son at ease. He had him working on homework and listening, answering questions to commercials in Spanish in no time. My son said things were finally making sense to him. Can’t wait for the next lesson!

Jane, 1 lesson with Ryan

Ryan M.: professional and very dedicated Portuguese teacher

Ryan is a professional and very dedicated Portuguese teacher. As a PhD candidate, teaching Portuguese is his vocation--a big plus for choosing him as a personal tutor. I liked him immensely right from the start!

Kim, 1 lesson with Ryan

Knowledgeable and patient Tutor

I just needed a few refresher lessons as I hadn’t taken a Spanish course in a few years. Ryan was very helpful and patient and was able to tailor his lessons to fit what I needed to learn.

Garrett, 1 lesson with Ryan

Excellent first lesson

Ryan was extremely organized and easy to work with. He is even helping with the regional accent of the area I'm interested in visiting. I think we had a great lesson!

Michael, 1 lesson with Ryan

Knowledgeable and confidence building tutor

Today we learn the pronunciation of vowels and the alphabet, had a short dialog in asking each other our names and how each other was and saying good day, evening and night. We touched on formal and informal. The lesson was a mix of lecture and lots practice. Ryan was well prepared. I am looking forward to learning more!

Laura, 6 lessons with Ryan
Hourly Rate: $50
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