Edward.C Tutor Interview

Q. Hi, Edward.C. please introduce yourself!: A. Hello! Well, my name is Edward and I’m an ESL instructor—but that much you probably already knew… I’ve been working in ESL for ten years, most recently as the manager for a language school in South Korea.  After plenty of traveling and moving around, I returned to Canada last September, and recently got married at a traditional French Canadian sugar shack (where maple syrup is made). Our wedding day happened to be the coldest day of 2016, so it quickly became very memorable for everyone in attendance. In addition to teaching, I am also a speaking examiner, and I do a lot of work as a freelance editor and proofreader.  When I’m not working, I like to spend (waste?) my time making music and writing. My mom put me in cello lessons when I was six years old, so I’ve really had music in my life for as long as I can remember. These days, I mostly make music on my computer, but I have an ever-growing collection of real instruments, including several guitars, an accordion, keyboards, harmonicas, xylophones, noisemakers, and—perhaps my most prized possession—a Yamaha Tenori-on. In the colder months, I usually rediscover the joys of knitting. I’ve always loved the look of handmade winter hats (known as ‘tuques’ in Québec), and I think knitting is a great hobby for practicing patience, creativity, and multi-tasking.
Q. I want to know where you live. Could you please tell us about your current city?: A. I’m from Montréal but currently live in Toronto, which happens to be Montréal’s rival in sports (especially ice hockey), culture, and everything else.  My wife’s family lives in Toronto, and we’ve spent most of our time here since returning to Canada.  It’s pretty common for people from Montréal to grow up disliking Toronto, but I’ve made an effort to stay open-minded and have discovered that there are lots of great things about this city. For one thing, Toronto is huge—by far Canada’s largest city—and it has many different neighborhoods offering plenty of international flavor. While Montréal has a great atmosphere with its mixing of French and English, Toronto is even richer in multiculturalism and diversity. Toronto also has the Blue Jays, and we’ve been able to enjoy some great MLB games this season!
Q. How do you spend your days off? Is there anything you’ve gotten into lately?: A. I like going for bike rides and exploring new places. My wife and I moved to a new neighborhood a few months ago, and we are still having fun discovering new parks and shops in the area. We often just go for walks and try to get a little lost or disoriented (in a good way!). We’ve also started cooking and preparing our own meals a lot more since returning from Korea. A few months ago, I started brewing my own kombucha tea. I’m now on my third batch, and anyone who has tried to make kombucha knows how strange the adventure can be.
Q. Have you studied a foreign language before? Do you think it’s hard to adapt to a different culture without learning its language?: A. I have been lucky enough to study several languages throughout my life. While my family always spoke English at home, I attended French school from a very early age and ended up learning the language without even noticing. Later on, I was enrolled in the International Program at my high school, and this included four years of Spanish courses. I’ve also studied Korean and Japanese, and am currently studying Vietnamese online. Having lived abroad, I’ve found that it’s crucial to learn at least a bit of the local language if you want to form a connection with a country’s culture and people. Though I never expected to speak Korean fluently, I always made the effort to study and learn as much as I could because I recognized that the language opened up many doors and granted me terrific opportunities. Without the conversational Korean that I picked up, I never would have made so many great friends and memories over the years. All of these experiences have helped me to better understand what my students are going through in their own language learning, and this has made me a more effective teacher.
Q. Please tell us about the main feature of your lessons.: A. I am offering a few different core lessons on Cafetalk. First off, as a certified speaking examiner, I can help students who are preparing for English exams. I’ve developed my own testing materials to match the test-taking experience and offer students the opportunity to practice with a real examiner who can provide them with meaningful feedback and accurate grading. The other lesson I’d like to promote is my Edward’s ESL Edge course. This is a communication-focused class that takes on the flow of a natural conversation. It incorporates episodes and topics from my podcast, and students are given a full transcript of each episode that we discuss as part of their lesson package. They can also join me for weekly online discussions with other students.
Q. What are you most careful of when you teach your students?: A. I always make sure to learn about my students’ interests and motivations for learning English. If I can keep them engaged in our conversations, then I think it makes it easier for them to stay motivated and start enjoying their language learning. I do my best to create a stress-free, comfortable learning environment where students know that they are free to make mistakes and share their opinions. As a speaking examiner, I’ve also learned the importance of limiting my own speaking time and giving the students as much time as possible to express their thoughts and ideas.  Students are paying me to help them learn, and their time is just as valuable as my own.
Q. Finally, would you like to leave a message for our students?: A. Yes. I’d most like to say ‘thank you’ for reading this interview and for taking the time to learn a bit about me. I hope I can return the favor sometime! I tell all of my students that confidence in speaking is an essential part of learning English.  Send me a message and let’s start building your confidence as an English speaker today (or tomorrow)!