Experienced Teacher Specializing in English Language Development

Christine O.

Hi, I'm Christine! I graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor's in Education. My first teaching job was in a Kindergarten classroom where the population was 90% Spanish speakers. By the end of the year, I'd earned my certification in teaching English as a Second Language. I then moved into teaching middle school ESL, first in Worcester, Massachusetts and then in the Renton School District in Washington state, where I currently work. I have 14 years of teaching experience in total.

The majority of my classroom experience is as an ESL teacher, where I work with English learners who are at a variety of English proficiency levels in groups as small as five and as large as twenty-five. Most of my students are Spanish speakers and I am also conversationally fluent in Spanish. My strength is in designing lessons that are differentiated based on the needs, skills, and learning styles of the specific students I'm working with. I know how to track student progress in different skills and adjust my instruction based on that data. I strive to design lessons that are both relevant and engaging for my students and regularly integrate student suggestions and feedback into my instruction.

I believe the best way to learn language is through a variety of activities that balance speaking, listening, reading, and writing practice with an emphasis on vocabulary and grammar instruction throughout. I am very comfortable tailoring lessons to a students' current abilities and goals. I am also happy to assign "homework" as additional practice outside of lessons if desired. If you'd like to learn more, feel free to check out my LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-olsen-0978352b/