Moni

Moni Tutor Interview

Q. Hi Monika! Would you like to give us a quick self-introduction?

A. Hi there! First of all, I’m happy to be part of this great site and work with Cafetalk. About me, I am Hungarian by birth and I learned English in school then in the streets of New York so to say☺ I like the rough feel to this sentence but of course not only on the streets.I worked and lived with Americans and it helped me a lot to get the speed, the fluency and the vocabulary I needed to sound like a native.

I spent 16 years in the U.S. and spent the last 6 teaching English. I’m a very friendly, open-minden and out-going person with a genuine interest in different cultures, countries and their people. I`ve been also told approachable and easy to talk to.I am cheerful and always looking to make a light joke. My students say that they are pleased with my positive attitude and the good mood I am always able to provide in class.

Q. I see you have a unique hobby. How and why did you start dancing Hungarian folk?

A. Yes, but it’s only unique at my age. Many Hungarian children start folk dancing at an early age. I was always interested in it, but actually started as an adult just a few years ago in the U.S. The location is probably the most unusual part of this story. I think that tradition and our ancestors’ knowledge are important and I try to practice them and use them well in my life as much as possible and as it makes sense. I still have a lifetime of learning ahead of me but I had the good fortune of performing Hungarian folk dances in front of American audiences and making an appearance on TV.

Q. What made you take up English teaching and how did you make your way to New York?

A. During my studies it became clear that I can analyze the language and figure out the rules and patterns easily and wished that I could share my insights with others. I was also looking for a rewarding job. I have volunteered for teaching before and it was the most satisfying experience in my life. Teaching is rewarding, it’s a great feeling when my students “get” something, they improve their skills and eventually reach their goals. And I am able to make a living while feeling appreciated and helpful. I love it! To answer the second half of your question, I left for NY when I was 23, shortly after college. I was mostly seeking adventure and my goal was to learn English fluently. I chose the USA because I was crazy about NY. Originally planned to stay for 1 year, but then life happened☺ I met people and started to like the American lifestyle and decided to stay for an indefinite time.

Q. While we’re on the subject of teaching, do you have a particular style when you teach? Or does it change depending on the student?

A. My English lessons are centered around speaking and listening. There is lots of conversation during classes and I often give listening assignments for certain lesson types as homework which we discuss and use as material in the next class. These skills will pull the rest with them, i.e. vocabulary, pronunciation etc. I specialize in teaching the living English language, the expressions and phrasal verbs we often use in every-day life and business environments. I do this by asking lots of questions and finding interesting topics from the world around us . I also teach about American culture and have cultural and social discussions about our countries.

My approach is wholesome. I treat you as a whole individual who brings his/her life into the class. I take interest in my students’ lives and I use what I learn to teach them English through their life. This makes our classes interesting and memorable since they can directly relate to the topics. I strive to create not only a teacher-learner relationship but a comfortable, relaxed environment and a friendly atmosphere. This part is not exactly a method, it just comes to me naturally. I am always well prepared for a class but I am ready to take your lead if you have something to talk about. I believe that the most effective learning takes place when you can relate the class material to your life.

My classes are interactive. I use Skype for audio and video (optional but preferred) and various interesting and innovative online tools to share and edit documents in real-time. These tools are free and very easy to use. No download is required. My students get a completely personalized experience and my full attention. I keep track of my students’ progress. I can send audio recordings of our classes so the students can see how they improve. I always send completed material from classes and material to prepare for next time if. My teaching style can change a little depending on the student but generally the speaking-centered method works for everybody. It is also helpful to find out how to motivate my students. Our initial talk usually helps with this. What DOES change is their level, their goals, their interests and hobbies and I take these into account and make a study plan accordingly.

Q. You’ve got some very interesting lessons like “Pictures say a 1000 words” – what would be your favorite lesson? And which lesson would you recommend to an absolute beginner?

A. I only put up types of lessons that I think are extremely helpful to students. Most of them are full of native-like phrasal verbs, expressions and idioms, like the “Can you believe it” series. I love my English the American Way lessons that not only teach American English but also give a look into American culture. But my favorite lessons are the ones that I create based on TED talks or any other video or article from usually a news site. It’s called “The World Around Us” Topics can include the environment, new technologies, psychology or language learning and many other lighter or sometimes heavier issues. But you can see how I’m biased here, right?:)

“Anything goes” is another favorite because it’s my delight when students bring their own topics, they are really invested and it usually makes for a great conversation class. Absolute beginners need input before they can speak, so I start them off with my American English File series. These are textbooks that are very well planned and give a good basic knowledge that we can build on with more up-to-date supplemental material later on. “Pictures say a 1000 words” lessons are also suitable for lower level students because of their visual nature. Describing pictures is always interesting and a great way to build vocabulary.

Q. Being originally from Hungary you must have studied English very hard yourself to get to that perfect level of fluency. Would you mind sharing some or if not just one secret to studying a foreign language?

A. It was only hard work until I thought about it as “work”. Try to think about learning English as a hobby. Make watching a show or the news for a few minutes part of your every day. Let your ear and brain get used to it. Alternate between this and more structured grammar work and doing exercises if you are on a lower level. You can find lots of sources online that are suitable for beginners but still fun. Later you can increase the fun time by watching longer videos or shows. I watched a lot of TV when I moved to the States. I was confused and frustrated in the first few months, then everything just fell into place and I was able to understand and say more and more.

There are no secrets, but there are good practices. The two most important are:

1. Pay attention at all times. Like a baby, let your brain be a sponge again and analyze what you hear. If you are not good at recognizing and organizing patterns (grammar, pronunciation or word partnerships) , just take notes of the sequences of the words and the situation when you heard them. Try to notice if you hear a phrase over and over again. It`s worth to learn it as it is and use it. It will make you more fluent and sound like a native. Basically `copy and paste` what you hear from native speakers into your similar situations. Listen and repeat, listen and repeat.
2. Speak up and make mistakes. Most of us are afraid of making mistakes by the time we are adults. Therefore we are reluctant to speak when we are not confident. You have to forget this and again, be like a baby and not care about making a mistake. Remember! You are just learning, nobody expects you to be faultless, not your teacher nor other native speakers. We know you`re not dumb, just a learner☺

Q. Finally, I know from your profile that you’re a very outdoorsy person. Is that a very important part of your life? Give us a glimpse of your typical day in the wilderness and make us envious!

A. am sooooo happy to live where I live! After living in the States and particularly in New York City for many years, our recent move back to Hungary is a big lifestyle change but all for the better. We (my fiancé and I) are living in the countryside, in a lovely old house next to a National Park. Going on walks in the forest, seeing wildlife, drinking spring water has become part of our everyday life. Even though it`s hard to find the time to do and have time to appreciate all these even here, I try to jog a few times a week to make sure I get out there and enjoy all the beauty around me.

I’d like to wish all Cafetalk students an enjoyable time learning English! You will have to be persistent and make time for your studies, but it will be well worth it. Because speaking another language is like getting a second soul and speaking English can bring us all closer to each other.

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Moni

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