Austin G.
New York, NY
Spanish Teacher with Methods that Actually Work
Columbia University
About Austin
Hello, my name is Austin. After attending school at Columbia University in NYC, my wife and I have dedicated ourselves to volunteer work. We have been living outside of the USA for about 3 years now in Bolivia. My wife is a native Spanish speaker, and most think I am as well. With help from friends and AWESOME techniques that I came across, I was
Policies
Cancellation
1 hour notice requiredA cancellation fee between 50 percent to 100 percent of the cost of a 1-hour lesson MAY be charged depending on the circumstances if notice is not given at least 1 hour before the lesson.
Travel Radius
Travels within 40 miles of New York, NY 10027Austin offers online lessons
Austin 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 Austin to get started.
"Hands-down, the Best Tutor I've Ever Had!"
- Shadman, Bronx, NY on 11/3/15I've been having tutoring sessions with Austin for the last couple of weeks now and I can already see an improvement in my ability to understand and speak Spanish. He's a highly knowledgeable and patient tutor, and even when I make a mistake, he'll explain what to say and then connect it back to what we're already talking about. In that way, Austin is also really thorough, and makes sure that I understand a concept before moving on to something new. I also found his teaching style to be unique and really helpful, in that we'll actually have a conversation in Spanish, which would lead to a lesson or how to fix this or that. Although somewhat unorthodox, I found it extremely helpful, since I not only learn grammar, or verb conjugation, but I actually get to practice what I learned in real conversation. Since I've always been one to focus on the real applications of things, using real conversation is really helpful and makes the lessons all the more engaging and exciting. The pacing of lessons is also really nice and I'm often surprised by how much we actually cover in an hour every week. He's, hands-down, the best Spanish tutor I've ever had and I'd highly recommend him to anyone trying to learn or become better at Spanish.
"Very Patient and Encouraging"
- Ronald, Long Island City, NY on 6/19/17Austin really takes the time to ensure that I understand the material before moving forward. I was able to to put sentences together after just the first lesson. Austin is a really patient instructor who listens very well to his students. The best way to learn a language is by speaking it and Austin expects this during the lessons, but he is far from intimidating. I sincerely look forward to our sessions every week. Would definitely recommend!
"First lesson very promising"
- Althea, Bronx, NY on 6/16/17My son had his first lesson with Austin and it went extremely well. Austin's explanations were clear, concise and easy to follow. He made it very interactive and engaging which was extremely helpful.
"Patient, pleasant, non intimidating"
- SHARON, Secaucus, NJ on 3/26/17First lesson was not stressful at all even though this student is hardly proficient in Spanish. I cannot speak a word of Spanish and now feel hopeful that with Austin's tutoring I will be able to converse in Spanish.
"Great first lesson"
- Ryan, Orange, CA on 3/5/17Austin had a great first lesson with our son. He is patient and listens and teaches well. My son enjoyed his lesson and is looking forward to his next lesson with Austin
"Through, Well Paced, Knowledgable, Encouraging"
- Matthew, Totowa, NJ on 12/31/16Austin is a great tutor. I am a teacher and I can see that Austin has a natural flow for teaching like myself. It is refreshing and exciting to work with someone who knows what they are doing. I am mostly self taught up to this point but I believe Astuin will take my learning and language acquisition to the next level. But as I know and as he knows, YOU have to work hard!
"Great knowledgeable tutor"
- Zuzana, New York, NY on 12/15/16Austin is a great, patient and very knowledgeable tutor. Not just he speaks Spanish but he can explain stuff very well and totally into detail which is so important. I have had only a couple lessons with him but I'm excited to learn more! Recommend
"Great tutor! Very patient with kids!"
- Stephanie, Corona, CA on 12/12/16Austin helped my kids (2nd grader and 6th grader) understand Spanish and he made it seem very easy to learn Spanish! We are excited about our classes with Austin.
"Very helpful, passionate and encouraging"
- Sojeong, New York, NY on 11/11/16If you want to learn how to converse with someone in Spanish, Austin is the tutor you're looking for. I've had 5 lessons with Austin so far and it's been terrific and I certainly look forward to having more "conversations" with him in Spanish. Verb conjugations can be confusing but Austin explains them very well and makes you keep practicing/using those words that at one point you just start saying things without thinking too much and they turn out just fine. Apart from his teaching style, I can also tell that he's a very passionate and experienced teacher who encourages you to be confident and willing to learn more. The lessons are fun and engaging, I would definitely recommend Austin as your Spanish tutor.
"Knowledgable and friendly"
- Meghan, Forest Hills, NY on 9/12/16Austin's classes are informative and clear, and he provides many helpful tips for learning about spanish grammar and sentence structure.
"So much better than trying to figure it out on your own"
- Christian, Atlanta, GA on 9/11/16So, I come with a little vocabulary under my belt. Nothing too extensive but enough to make my point when traveling. In my first hour with Austin, I refreshed a lot and learned useful points like important parts of conversation that we use often - future tense and verb combinations.
I have been studying with Austin for several months and my Spanish and understanding is so much better. This is an appointment I hate to miss!
This is the first time that I've felt like I will be able to gain knowledge, practice and get better. I like how he teaches - for me I need someone to speak so I can make the association from paper to verbal. I can tell his teaching method is going to be the key to my success with Spanish, along with my dedication to practicing and building my vocabulary outside of his lessons.
I'm glad I went ahead and signed up. If you need help making connections in Spanish, Austin is your guy.
"GREAT!"
- Elizabeth, New York, NY on 3/22/16Austin is terrific. He explains the language very clearly and not in the confusing way of some college/high school Spanish teachers. He is very well-informed on grammar. He's enthusiasm really keeps you focused. I would strongly recommend using Austin!
"Excellent Tutor"
- Andros, Yonkers, NY on 3/13/16Austin is an excellent tutor. I am very weak in Spanish and Austin is setting me up to be conversational. His lessons are strategic and well planned. The order in which he teaches makes sense and builds on previous lessons. In term of personality he is welcoming and makes you feel comfortable. I would recommend Austin without a doubt.
"Really helpful, encouraging and patient!"
- Rose, New York, NY on 3/2/16Don't be daunted by learning Spanish - Austin is here to help. I am really enjoying my classes with him - he explains things very well and seems to gauge the exact speed for my learning path. I recommend him!
"Fun and Challenging"
- Hyacinth, Montclair, NJ on 1/31/16Austin made the subjunctive tense easy to understand.
Lessons are fun, challenging in a good way and have helped to build my conversational skills.
Thanks Austin!
"Best and reliable Spanish tutor!"
- Lena, New York, NY on 12/31/15Austin is my daughter's Spanish tutor. He is a great tutor. My daughter has learned a lot from Austin. Best of all, he is very reliable and flexible with time. I can't be any happier. I highly recommend Austin as your Spanish tutor.
"Great tutor"
- Pinar, Pearl River, NY on 12/4/15I and my husband just had our second lesson with Austin and we think he is great. His method is certainly different and he explains things well. Also he is fun and patient. He encourages you. We are happy to meet him.
"Fantastic Spanish Tutor who really can connect with students"
- Julian, New York, NY on 11/19/15Austin is a wonderful tutor for my 15 year old son. He connects with my son like a big brother, making the lessons fun, but also structured. The hour flies by and everything is covered. My son is doing much better in Spanish due to Austin's great tutoring.
"Knowledgeable and Informative Tutor"
- Peter, Colts Neck, NJ on 11/16/15Austin has been able to clarify some very troubling areas for me in Spanish 3. I believe that my Spanish grades will definitely improve due to Austin's tutoring.
"Great tutor"
- Tamika, South Plainfield, NJ on 10/18/15I recently started having tutoring sessions with Austin. Our tutoring sessions are online. I live in New Jersey and he lives in Belize. The first session he had me speaking Spanish. I definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a tutor.
"Excellent teacher"
- Jayme, Downingtown, PA on 9/14/15Austin is extremely knowledgeable, patient and encouraging. I spent a lot of money at a private four year university and he is still one of the best teachers I have ever worked with! Highly recommend.
"Very thorough!"
- Angel, Davidson, NC on 8/28/15Austin helped me to better understand the verbs "estar" and "ser". As a tutor he desires to help you reach your personal best. I feel like I am on my way to becoming a fluent speaker with his help.
"Passionate, patient and easy to work with"
- DeVan, Atlanta, GA on 6/20/15I have been working with Austin for about 5 consecutive weeks now. He is very knowledgeable of the language, very patient, and encouraging His approach is rather unorthodox whereby he begins with verbs and their conjugation and slowly helps you incorporate them into complete sentences. This approach really works for me as I'm the type of student that wants to know the "whys" as I find understanding the "whys" speeds my progress. "This is how it's said so repeat after me" is not the approach that suits me best. Austin's style comforts me as I don't feel stressed by being thrown into speaking Spanish without any background or reasoning. I'd had tutors who force students to speak only Spanish during the lesson. This is a great style of teaching but it doesn't work for me as I found it stressful and not very fun. I am sure Austin and I will get there but understanding that all students are different, he's going at a comfortable and reasonable pace while "pushing" me just enough. As I learn to conjugate more verbs--something he explained the importance of on day one--my confidence increases as I learn more verbs and nouns. I am walking around the house creating short sentences in Spanish something I didn't think I would be able to do or have the confidence to produce this soon. His lessons are engaging and he's very encouraging. I look forward to Austin's continued tutelage and HIGHLY recommend him to help you learn Spanish no matter what your current level is. Austin es un tutor impresionante.
"An excellent approach to Spanish!"
- Carl, Phoenixville, PA on 6/19/15Austin is an experienced tutor, you can tell. I have been living in South America for a few months and have even been doing some learning on my own with duo-lingo etc., however, there is no substitute for good instruction. Austin has been helping me connect the dots I've been missing while trying to learn on my own. He will quickly adapt to the level you are currently at, and will help you sort through the most important concepts to start speaking correctly. Austin, will also teach you which ones can wait, a relief, because Spanish is complex! I look forward to our sessions, you will too!
"A+ Tutor!"
- Jeanette, Phoenixville, PA on 5/5/15Austin responded very promptly to my initial email and we scheduled a meeting for the next day! He arrived at the agreed-upon time literally on the dot, was prepared with printouts that he developed, was very professional and friendly, and tailored our session to my ability level and goals. He was very reassuring and it didn't take long for me to feel comfortable speaking and making mistakes. I can't wait for our next session and am confident that I will progress quickly under his tutelage. I consider his pricing to be very reasonable, and I can't recommend him highly enough!
Update 1/7/15: Austin continues to be a prompt, professional and effective tutor. He continues to tailor our sessions and my "homework" to my areas of weakness, and he is very encouraging and complimentary. The time always flies!
Update 5-5-15: My favorite tutor has now moved to South America. I am thrilled that WyzAnt initiated an online tutoring system, because we are able to continue our lessons! All of the features are very easy to use. There is a large shared "whiteboard," a chat window, and audio and video feeds, if you wish to use them.
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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.
Spanish
If primarily you just want a good grade in your class, any tutor would probably suffice, including myself. However, I am really excited about teaching ones who would really like to learn to dominate the language in a short period of time. I really believe that in 14 weeks if you have the right attitude I can give you all the tools you need to be able to become a fluent Spanish speaker without the need of a tutor anymore. Just to give you an overview about the difference in the way I would teach you and the way most others would is that I will focus on helping you to be able to CONJUGATE verbs in all the various necessary tenses as quickly and easily as possible so that you can get to the conversational stage of Spanish quickly. Once you can conjugate verbs, you can converse, and from there you will naturally be able to learn other things (the alphabet, numbers, time, phrases) that most teachers spend a lot of time on in the beginning. This error in most people's method of teaching is part of the reason why it is extremely rare to find an American who can speak Spanish to the point that many native Spanish speakers can't tell he or she is American. I know exactly how everything connects from English to Spanish and the best way to explain it because I've already been through it and have succeeded.
Other New York, NY Tutors
Austin G.
New York, NY
Spanish Teacher with Methods that Actually Work