SAT Verbal + Essays | 25 Years | Clear Steps, Real Results

Eric R.

Accent Reduction

With an MA in English and Linguistics and a decade of ESL Teaching experience, I help students speak English more clearly and confidently by targeting the specific sounds and patterns that affect intelligibility. My linguistics background means I understand why certain sounds are difficult for speakers of particular languages and how to fix them efficiently. I work with professionals, graduate students, and anyone who wants to communicate more effectively in American English. I understand articulation and phonetics not only for American English pronunciation, but for my students' L1 languages as well.

Adobe After Effects

I am an instructional designer and I worked with Adobe After Effects to create effects, motion graphics, and videos for training materials for 17 years. I have worked with government clients, universities, non-profits, and businesses. I was approved by Adobe back in 2009 to create tutorial content. I've been working in Adobe After Effects since 2008 alongside Premiere, using it professionally for motion graphics, animated explainers, and visual effects in instructional design and freelance projects. I teach everything from the fundamentals keyframing, masks, layer management to more advanced techniques like expressions, compositing, and workflow integration with Premiere. My goal is to help students understand not just how effects work, but when and why to use them.

Adobe Premiere

I am an instructional designer and I worked with Adobe Premiere to create effects, motion graphics, and videos for training materials for 17 years. I have worked with government clients, universities, non-profits, and businesses. I was approved by Adobe back in 2009 to create tutorial content. Additionally, I am an actor and video editor, so I edit videos for clients to post on social media, YouTube, or other sharable places to foster engagement. I have been editing in Adobe Premiere since 2008, using it professionally for instructional design projects, corporate training videos, and freelance work. I know the software well. I understand it from basic cuts and transitions to color correction, audio mixing, and workflow optimization. I can help students learn not just which buttons to press, but how to think like an editor: pacing, storytelling, and efficient project organization.

Creative Writing

I am a published author of four nonfiction books, poetry, and one fiction. I hold an MA in English/Linguistics. I've spent 20+ years teaching writing at the university level, from first-year composition to advanced creative work. I have led Creative Writing Workshops and University groups in creative writing and poetry. I help students find their voice, develop compelling narratives, and understand the craft elements.

Debate

I hold an MA in English/Linguistics and have spent 20+ years teaching argumentation, rhetoric, and persuasive writing at the university and community college level. My background in linguistics gives me a unique perspective on how language shapes arguments and how to structure claims for maximum impact. I help students build and dismantle arguments, analyze evidence critically, and speak with clarity and confidence. Whether preparing for competitive debate or strengthening everyday persuasion skills, I focus on making abstract concepts practical and memorable.

ESL/ESOL

Background in TESOL, Language Acquisition, and Theoretical Linguistics. Graduated from Kent State University with MA in English/Linguistics.

Essay Writing

I hold an MA in English/Linguistics and have taught college writing for over 20 years at institutions including George Mason University and Northern Virginia Community College. I've guided thousands of students through the essay writing process. I can tutor students from brainstorming and thesis development to structure, evidence, and revision. I focus on teaching transferable skills: how to build an argument, organize ideas logically, and write with clarity and purpose. I have also tutored grade school through high school students on essay writing for over 10 years.

Linguistics

I completed university coursework and minored in Linguistics at Youngstown State University. Courses relevant to linguistics include: Psycholinguistics, TESOL Methods, Language Acquisition, and English Grammar. The latter three courses were graduate courses I was approved by the department chair to take as an undergraduate. While I was an undergrad, I served as a supplemental instructor for two years teaching Introduction to Linguistics at YSU. I continued my studies in English and Linguistics at Kent State University, and took graduate courses such as Literate Practices and Sociolinguistics and Schools of Linguistics. I received my MA from Kent State in 2004.