Michael
Hello!
Hi, my name is Michael Gartrell. I was raised in Atlanta, GA, until I was in high school. I now live in Sorocaba, Brazil, where I am getting my PhD in Linguistics and Philosophy of Mind (University of São Paulo). I have been teaching English as a private tutor since 2011, ever since I graduated college. I teach students from both ends of the spectrum: from beginners up to fluent speakers who just want to practice English and keep their conversational skills crisp.
I was raised in Atlanta, GA. I went to high school in Asheville, NC, before coming back to Brazil to go to college. I studied philosophy of language and literature at the University of São Paulo and took an English teaching course at Pontifícia Universidade Católica (PUC) - another college - for two years. I have been teaching English as a private tutor for 12 years.
About
Student Preferences
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Teaching Style
I try to shape my curriculum or course to the student's needs. If he or she is just starting out, we can focus on a workbook (I used to teach with Cambridge Essential Grammar textbooks) and beginner's level reading (short news articles or children's books). However, if he or she already knows English and is preparing for a proficiency test, then we can concentrate on TOEFL, IELTS etc. exercises. Again, it all depends on ths student's main goals and demands.