Meet Elina: Teacher profile of the month

We go behind the scenes with Elina, our multi-lingual member of The Language Academy team.

Read her interview below to find out how many languages she can speak, her favourite Confucius quote, plus her hidden talent.

Name: Elina
Hometown: Crete, Greece
Currently teaching: German and English

(Update from 2019: Elina is now our Academic Manager – congratulations Elina!)

 

➱ LIFE AS A LANGUAGE TEACHER

🅠 Who or what inspired you to start teaching?

Ⓐ “I’ve been studying foreign languages since I was 6 or 7. My aunty had a foreign language school. They took me early on, first learning English. And then German at age 8, up until I was 18. After that I studied the German language further, as well as teaching.

At first I wanted to use it as a tool to travel, but then when I graduated from university, I started teaching and got good feedback. It’s something that I love doing, and it’s a plus that I get paid. Not many people get this, you know, it’s a privilege.”

 

🅠 What prompted you to learn English?

Ⓐ “Greece is a very touristic country. Languages are seen as an important prerequisite – you can get important jobs related to tourism, so it was inevitable. Parents also invest in children learning a language. I guess it was extrinsic motivation initially, and then later on intrinsic (Elina laughs).

 

🅠 Why did you to move to the Gold Coast?

Ⓐ “At first it was to study – a Master’s degree in TESOL at Bond. But I stayed here to work.”

 

🅠 What is your favourite thing about teaching English and German?

Ⓐ “There’s a few things I love. Mostly, interacting with students – learning more about them and their cultures; learning about the differences. And I love that I can be as creative as I want. I can tailor the classes to how I want them – no two lessons are the same.

I also like students to leave the classroom feeling they have learnt something not only related to grammar, but also something about life. About culture, or the people. For example, this week we learnt about Easter in Australia, as a lot of students didn’t know about it, and people come here not only to learn the language but to also have the whole experience of being in another country.”

 

🅠 What do you find is the most challenging thing about teaching?

Ⓐ “It would have to be teaching beginners. But what’s interesting is that you can experiment by teaching the same thing many different ways. You can show it, draw it or act it out. It’s challenging finding the best way, but it brings a lots of laughs sometimes (Elina laughs).

Teaching phonology is also quite challenging sometimes, like teaching the difference between ‘R’ and ‘L’ to Japanese students as it doesn’t exist in their language, and also teaching the ‘T-H’ sound to French students.”

 

🅠 What is your teaching motto or philosophy?

Ⓐ “I believe in personal growth, so I try to incorporate lots of questions into materials about them, so that students can relate to their personal life and experiences. If you can create emotions and feelings, they will not forget that. So I guess my teaching motto would be similar to a quote by Confucius: “Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand.”

 

🅠 Describe a successful lesson. Tell us why it would be successful.

Ⓐ “Everyone looking happy and not tired (Elina laughs). It doesn’t necessarily mean that they have learned something perfectly, but that they feel satisfied and have communicated well with each other.”

 

🅠 What is the next language that you want to learn, and why?

Ⓐ “I can also speak French, so I was learning that up until last year. But in the future I would probably like to learn Japanese, I like the staccato pronunciation, it’s very clean.”

 

➱ UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

🅠 Where have you travelled?

Ⓐ “Mostly in Europe. I’ve been to Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Australia, and New York.

 

🅠 Do you have any hidden talents?

Ⓐ “(Elina laughs) I can do Greek dancing – and Salsa…Rumba. I love it. I grew up dancing, you know, we would dance whenever there was a celebration. Oh, and I can cook well.”

 

🅠 What is your favourite food?

Ⓐ “Greek Food – the best restaurant on the Gold Coast is my house (Elina laughs). My favourite dish is Moussaka.”

 

🅠 How would you describe yourself in three words?

Ⓐ “Realistic, a good friend, and I’d like to say adventurous…but not the swimming with sharks kind of adventurous. I like trying new things. That’s not really three words is it? (Elina laughs).”

 

🅠 If you could be any animal in the world, what animal would you be and why?

Ⓐ “I know which animal I wouldn’t be, a crow (Elina laughs). Even though they’re the smartest birds, they wake me up in the morning. Some kind of bird, so I could fly. Maybe an Eagle…that chases crows (Elina laughs).

 

🅠 Describe your perfect day. What would it look like?

Ⓐ “A day outdoors, somewhere out hiking. Discovering a new place.”

 

➱ LAST BUT NOT LEAST…

🅠 What is one thing you want your students to remember about you?

Ⓐ “That they are capable to communicate efficiently. I want them to feel they have enjoyed learning with me, and have had fun.”

 

If you want to learn English, German, or one of the many other languages we offer here at The Language Academy, call us on (07) 5578 6838 to find our more. Get in quick – spaces are limited.