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ASL, ESL/ESOL, Gen Ed 20+ yrs exp - doing it differently
April Dawn S.

4.9 (10 ratings)

105 hours tutoring

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Hourly Rate: $40
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Response time: 50 minutes

About April Dawn

Bio

With more than 20 years experience in the educational realms, I am able to help students and parents address educational assistance needs. I do not tutor nor teach to a set pattern. If the student struggles or the parent desires a different approach, I readily adjust my style and options within the tutoring environment.

In previous tutoring and teaching environments I have utilized sidewalk chalk to fabric scraps to "Hot Wheel" cars to work on the alphabet and phonics. I have utilized...

With more than 20 years experience in the educational realms, I am able to help students and parents address educational assistance needs. I do not tutor nor teach to a set pattern. If the student struggles or the parent desires a different approach, I readily adjust my style and options within the tutoring environment.

In previous tutoring and teaching environments I have utilized sidewalk chalk to fabric scraps to "Hot Wheel" cars to work on the alphabet and phonics. I have utilized real-world examples, current events samples, and relational connections to aid high school students in their understanding of subject material. I think about math and its computation differently, as a former struggling learner in the field; therefore, I am able to assist students in their mathematical understanding in a more layman's manner than "math-brain" persons.

I seek to aid students in not only the short-term learning but in acquiring long-term learning skills, a love and verve for learning, and confidence in themselves. It is a joy for me to see a student discover "I can," to see them realize they are capable of conquering the difficulty. Each student is unique. Each learning experience is different. If I can encourage and strengthen your student's love for learning and success in their educational pursuits, that is my goal, my desire.

My experience is contained in: roughly 17 years ASL (American Sign Language) teaching and interpreting (kindergarten through college), more than 10 years ESL (English as a Second Language - also ESOL) teaching/tutoring (kindergarten through college) (students from Latin America, Russia, East Asia, Middle East, US territories), a few years of Spanish teaching and tutoring (junior high, high school), and well more than 5 years tutoring (kindergarten through high school) (subjects from general education through calculus, physics, literature, government, etc.).

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Education

Mount Vernon Nazarene College
undergrad
University of Phoenix Online
Masters
William Woods University
Other

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Approved Subjects

Elementary (K-6th)

Elementary (K-6th)

My experience spans nearly fifteen years. From 2004 to 2012 specifically, I worked (as a teacher and a tutor) with elementary students, working on their English (alphabets, phonics, reading, and grammar) and honing their mathematics comprehension. I have a background that includes experiences in public schools to private and charter schools to homeschool and home-tutoring. In every situation, I utilize a diversity of alternative and creative approaches to instruction. I am not satisfied until the student's eyes light up with comprehension or awareness.
English

English

As a native English speaker, it was easy to ignore the finer points of my language until I began tutoring foreign language students in my college years. Through their eyes I realized the beauty and complexity of English. Later, while teaching ASL and ESL/ESOL/ELL students I worked to find non-traditional ways to explain English in a manner more palatable. I continue to bring those creative methods to assisting students in mastering their first-language of English.
ESL/ESOL

ESL/ESOL

For over 10 years I have worked with elementary through adult ESL/ESOL/ELL students. Using creative and non-traditional methods I enabled these students to gain the confidence to express themselves. While teaching at the elementary and middle school levels I expanded my students' knowledge and skills by doing the following. Investigate and furnish materials to support instruction of ELL and non-ELL students. Create games, challenges, and tools for students to build language skills. Encourage reading of materials suited to age and understanding while prompting expansion of abilities. Address students’ learning and language needs with teachers. Establish groups using qualifying criterion and build lessons applicable to each group. Assist students with homework and classroom work. Test students’ language abilities.
Hard of Hearing

Hard of Hearing

As someone who speaks with exactness and enunciates, I have been told I am easy to lip-read. I have worked with the hard of hearing and d/Deaf since 1995, when I worked at Missouri School for the Deaf as an office and classroom aide. From then I have continued my work as an interpreter with the d/Deaf since 1997. I am skilled with American Sign Language and Signed Exact English and PSE. For supplementary information and training I have attended seminars and institutes sponsored by Ohio School for the Deaf's ISLR. In 2004, I attended “Language Acquisition for Young Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing”. In 2003, it was the Summer Institute on Deaf Education.
Phonics

Phonics

My experience spans nearly fifteen years. From 2004 to 2012 specifically, I worked (as a teacher and a tutor) with elementary students, working on their English (alphabets, phonics, reading, and grammar). I have training in the federally-funded Reading First initiative, which focuses on phonics. Understanding the consonants, vowels, diphthongs, diagraphs, and all the other phonics specific terminology, is a puzzle I enjoy revealing to a student. In every situation, I utilize a diversity of alternative and creative approaches to instruction. I am not satisfied until the student's eyes light up with comprehension or awareness.
Sign Language

Sign Language

While still a teenager, I began self-educating with sign language. I received formal training at William Woods University while simultaneously working at Missouri School for the Deaf. Following that I worked as an interpreter with the d/Deaf (educationally - elementary, high school, and college - and in other professional environments) in a couple other states. For more than six years, I taught ASL at the collegiate level. Additionally, for three years, I taught ASL via video services to middle and high school students. My sign language skills span: American Sign Language, Signed Exact English, and PSE. To keep up-to-date, I attend seminars and institutes to further my understanding, skills, and abilities in: sign language, d/Deaf culture, and d/Deaf education. I am comfortable with helping students further their understanding and usage of ASL via personal instruction or using online video conferencing sources. Most of my instruction is non-traditional and uses voice to explain what the student may be struggling to understand through traditional voice-off methods.
ACT English
Elementary Math
Elementary Science
General Computer
Geography
Grammar
Prealgebra
Proofreading
Reading
Spelling
TOEFL
Vocabulary
Writing
April Dawn S.'s Photo

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Response time: 50 minutes

Ratings and Reviews

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4.9 (10 ratings)
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Reviews

Great tutor for any age.

April has done a great job working with my daughter who is a senior this year. She was hesitant about a tutor and really was not "on board" with the whole tutoring process, but April set her at ease and adapted the lessons so that she could relate to them and she actually enjoys learning now. April is able to relate to what is important to her and that has enabled my daughter to accept the tutoring process and learn skills for her ACT tests. We are so glad we found Wyzant and April, they have made tutoring easy and affordable and that is providing my daughter with skills she can use in college and beyond.

Mike, 8 lessons with April Dawn
Hourly Rate: $40
Response time: 50 minutes
Contact April Dawn