Interview:

1. How long have you been teaching ESL?

-Approximately 4 years
2. How did you get started working in this area?
- My father was a professor at Frostburg State University
and there was an opening for an ESL teacher in the after
school program, so I decided to give it a try. I really
enjoyed working in the program and the students that I
worked with were great. I eventually decided to travel
out of the country to teach English, so I went to Ecuador.
It was a beautiful place and I considered staying and
living there permanently, but I missed my family so I
came back to the US.
3. What problems do you see with the program?
Sometimes it is difficult to determine what academic level
a student is on and how to communicate with them. The
classes can be sporadic with grammar and vocabulary
levels, so it is difficult for me to get them all on the same
page. Especially since different students have different
backgrounds.
4. What is something you particularly enjoy about your
job?
I really like meeting different people and learning about
where they are from. It is almost like traveling myself
when I get to talk to students about their culture and
history. I am truly a people person and fairly patient by
nature.

5. Is there anything you would change about the

program?
Yes, I would like to find a way to get earlier intervention in
place for some of these students, the sooner you can
start teaching them reading, grammar and vocabulary
skills, the better off they are and the easier it is for them
to advance.