Case Studies: Teachers

Hello Carlota! We’re delighted to have you here today. Why don’t you start telling us what language you teach and why you chose a career in teaching?

I am currently teaching Catalan. I chose a career in teaching my native tongue because it is a minority language that represents the spirit of a great culture: the Catalan culture. As a part of it, I can say that most Catalan speakers feel very attached to our language and see it as a very important part of our identity.

It is indeed! And how did your career teaching Catalan start?

Language Trainers reached out to me in August 2020. By that time, I had been teaching for a couple of years and following the conventional teaching system. I used to teach English, French, and Catalan. From the moment I started working with Language Trainers, I have focused on teaching Catalan and I have met amazing people who are willing to learn and feel extremely motivated.

That’s a great experience! What attracted you to teach with Language Trainers?

I loved the idea of teaching customized courses for each student since each one of them has different starting levels and expectations. As a result, my job as a Catalan teacher is never boring because every lesson feels like a new adventure.

It sounds very fulfilling. What is your favorite thing about working with Language Trainers?

I am very pleased with the work of Language Trainers because I am constantly in touch with the Course Coordinators, who are always willing to help and lead me through the administrative chores. Plus, they are brilliantly organized, which makes me feel confident because I know that I will always receive support in case I need it.

I’m glad to hear that our staff makes feel so comfortable. Before you start a new course, what do you look for in a student?

What I look for in a student is a strong commitment to making progress. Commitment is always followed by motivation, enthusiasm, and just a little bit of the students’ free time to put on this new challenge. The student that collects all of these traits will experience a beautiful and successful journey of not only learning a language, but also discovering a new culture.

That sounds fantastic! And what about the other way around? What should students expect from you as their teacher?

Students should expect fun and interactive lessons with a lot of different activities, as well as an affectionate teacher. One of the reasons why I love teaching Catalan is that the courses aren’t only about grammar, since I always try to fill them with stories and experiences.

Those lessons sound like a lot of fun! So far, which has been your most memorable teaching experience with Language Trainers?

I know I will never forget a course in which the student started as a complete beginner, not knowing a single word in Catalan, and by the fourth lesson, he was already using complex words and sentences that I didn’t expect to hear from him. I was extremely surprised by how fast he had learned and how much effort he was putting in immersing himself in Catalan.

That’s inspiring! Thank you for sharing that experience with us. And why do you think students should enroll in a language course with Language Trainers?

Those who want to learn a new language should absolutely enroll in a course with Language Trainers because they offer everything that a student can wish for: personalized courses and the opportunity to connect with amazing teachers from all over the world. The lessons can take place from the comfort of our homes and include all the materials and activities that the students will need.

Thank you for your time, Carlota! To finish our chat, could you tell us a favorite expression you ask your students to learn?

Most of the people who want to learn Catalan do so because they want to travel to Catalonia, or because maybe they have done it in the past and they loved it so much that they want to repeat the experience. And all of us know that a very important part of traveling is the food. In Catalonia, before starting a meal we use a great expression with the people we are sharing the table with, which expresses a wish for everyone to enjoy the meal: BON PROFIT!