We do seem to have a lot of teachers at Lingoda called Laura! You’ve already met our German teacher, Laura. And Laura who writes a lot of our English blogs. Now it’s time for an English teacher!
Laura, please tell us a little about yourself!
I live near Frankfurt, Germany and I come from the north of England. In my free time I love walking, swimming and baking. I started teaching English over ten years ago in Estonia, where I lived for about two years before I moved to Germany. I studied Linguistics and Phonetics at university, which piqued my interest in languages.
What does the average day look like for you as a Lingoda teacher?
Most of my Lingoda classes are in the evenings or at weekends. Before I start teaching, I like to prepare the lessons, then have something to eat before my classes. As I teach a few lessons in a row, I bring a bottle of water to my office so that I can stay hydrated!
What is it that you like the most about the platform?
The Lingoda platform is so incredibly intuitive, making it easy to book classes, find the information about your students as well as access the materials and write the post-lesson notes. Zoom is also incredibly easy to use, too.
What is it about learning and speaking other languages that you enjoy?
Languages and learning fascinate me. I love the “code-breaking” aspect of learning languages. For example, when I was living in Estonia, being able to buy a bus ticket in Estonian was a huge achievement. I love teaching English because it is a joy to see people learn and become more confident with the language.
Why do you think people should learn languages?
Learning a language can help you understand another culture as well as be a rewarding challenge for yourself. Being able to speak another language opens possibilities, such as travelling, doing business and meeting new people.
What do you like most about the English language?
The English language is so rich. I especially like that spelling and pronunciation are totally unrelated! Unlike other languages, English can be really difficult to master in terms of spelling and pronunciation. My favourite example of this is the poem “The Chaos” by Gerard Nolst Trenite.
Why do you think people should visit, or even live in an English speaking country?
If you are learning English, a great way to practise is to visit an English speaking country. It will help develop your confidence and gives you an opportunity to use English very intensively. Being surrounded by the language could mean that you learn more vocabulary and typical phrases, as you would hear English all the time.
If you had any tips or advice for a language learner, what would they be?
The thing that helped me most when learning German was to not focus on mistakes. It is more important to say something than say nothing, so although it can be difficult, just try to use English. Once you realise the other person understood you, you will get more confident.
What words of wisdom do you have for anyone who may be thinking about taking the leap into language learning?
Go for it! There is nothing to lose and a lot to gain. You will surprise yourself when you start to learn and you will meet extremely friendly students and teachers at Lingoda who will support you throughout your learning.
