Teacher Robert G's Page

If you are already advance or near-fluent, I can help you go to the next level. I will check your pronunciation, explain the very fine meanings of words, and how to speak with patients, customers, co-workers, and managers in an American or other English-speaking setting.

If you already communicate effectively in English, I can help you build on the knowledge you have. We can work with conversation, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. I will tell you about office culture in the United States. I am familiar with types of business, management styles, law and some accounting.

We can work with conversation, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. I will tell you about office culture in the United States. I am familiar with types of business, management styles, law and some accounting.

I can work with you if you are a doctor, nurse, applying for a job, or getting ready to give a speech. I will give gentle feedback and suggestions to improve your communication.

As I go about my day, whether in Thailand or traveling worldwide, I make a note of idioms and words in spoken English that my students might enjoy learning. During lessons, for some students, I go over a few of these words.

Often, words that seem innocuous (innocent, without any bad intention) can be “loaded” when used in certain situations. Whether in a conversation with a co-worker, and email to a manager or customer, or during a job interview–a listener could be offended if the speaker does not choose their words carefully. Whether during reading exercises, review of vocabulary words, or discussing an upcoming job interview, I am very careful to explain to the students the fine shades of meaning of words.

During reading exercises, I use the time to teach new words and explain meanings of words students do not know, or do not understand their use in the article. As well, I usually go over vocabulary lists tailored to the student's level and interests. I explain the "dictionary" definitions and also the fine shades of meaning, that they will need to know when using these words with native speakers.

Some students are fluent English speakers, but their accent makes it difficult for them to communicate effectively with native speakers. For these students, I correct them as we have conversation, and while they read on a shared screen. Also, I work with students to improve their emphasis. In English we do not use tones for different meanings of a word, but native speakers expect emphasis with certain words. Speakers of Hindu and other Indian languages tend to speak Engish in a monotone (without emphasis) and Chinese speakers tend to “clip” their words and also not have much emphasis. For these students we practice during each lesson. I have some YouTube videos that students can watch while they read text that I provide. Then, I suggest they make little videos on their mobile phones, of themselves reading the text. They can compare their pronunciation and emphasis to my native American English.

For many students, I do grammar exercises, from the respected OWL site from Purdue University, in the United States. On each lesson, I keep a written record, so I can continue where we left off, in the next lesson. For all students, I gently correct their grammar as they speak.

First, I have a conversation with the student. I ask if they had any problems using English since the last lesson. Then I have many students read on a shared screen, especially from the New York Times. As they read, I note mis-pronunciations and correct the students when they finish a paragraph or two. Then I ask if there are any words or concepts they do not understand, in the article. I explain and discuss the new words with the student.