Here is the shorter version of my language life. I have been working in language training since 2002, when I started teaching developmental composition to non-native speakers at St. Augustine College in Chicago. I was an adult education ESL instructor at several City Colleges of Chicago for twelve years in addition to teaching ESL, TOEFL & IELTS prep, and business communications at a private language school for more than ten years.  As an administrator I have been an adult education / ESL manager for Malcolm X College, Oakton Community College, and Daley College - Arturo Velasquez Institute.  In the middle of all that I earned a master's degree in linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University.  Currently I am the Adult Education and Literacy Manager at Trellus (formerly Asian Human Services) in Chicago. I am always active in the classroom and well as training corporate language clients on evenings and weekends. 

 

Over the past few years I have presented on my language training approach at conferences nationwide, which include the Illinois TESOL-Bilingual Education Conference, New York TESOL Conference, Alabama-Mississippi TESOL Conference, and IACEA Conference (Illinois Adult and Continuing Educators Association.)

 

Being the son of a non-native English speaker and the husband of a non-native English speaker, I feel an obligation to give my best in order to maximize the precious time that English language learners entrust to me so that they can have more opportunities for success.  I recently added the middle two initials to my professional name, which are the first letters of parents' names.

 

It has been immensely rewarding for me to see students and clients notice a dramatic improvement in their speaking skills and a major boost in their confidence after providing them with highly effective, functional language training.

 

With over 10,000 classroom hours developing my approach, I excel at helping English language instructors transform into language trainers and coaching English language programs to better serve their students.