Current TEFL-certified native English tutor with experience in Business English, accent reduction and IELTS exam preparation

Find out more about Jason

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I speak English fluently because of my background; I have lived most of my life in the United States but I originally learned it in the Philippines where English is a co-official language. Although I speak more than one language, English has always been my best language due to my background living in English-speaking countries. Having lived in 2 different countries has helped me appreciate how languages can differ due to their geography.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  The film Airplane! is filled with wordplay and memorable quotes. Another would have to be Spongebob Squarepants since it is a treasure mine of memes which adds to its cultural value.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behaviour in the language that you particularly like?

  I would not say I like it but it is often fun talking about the difficult spelling rules of English which reveals its complex history. Pacific Ocean? All of the c's are pronounced differently. How about through, tough, thorough, thought, though? All of these were pronounced more phonetically but they drifted away drastically from their original form as vowels underwent unforeseen changes as English became less Germanic. How about the word 'queue'? It has 5 words but only 1 letter is sounded. We can thank the French for these kinds of words. Acquiesce? A bunch of vowel letters which we can blame on our adoption of Latin words and their rules to "regulate" our spelling. Onomatopoeia? Another cluster of vowels that frequently sound like 'aww' or 'uh' but alas it is of Greek origin where there are plenty of them in our language. Isn't it great to learn this odd language called English?

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  English is a very important language nowadays due to its status as an official language in many countries and as a lingua franca. Therefore it has its use in the business world but also from a cultural perspective because the grasp of this language can lead to avenues to meeting new people, learning important artistic works, or further immersing yourself in a different culture. Personally, it has helped me to learn and meet people from other English-speaking countries and engage in their culture or enjoy their artistic works.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  The things that pop up would be the phrasal words, the tenses, the conditionals, and the prepositions. Many of them seem abstract with annoying exceptions but there are patterns to ease the pain of learning them immediately. Prepositions do have patterns in many cases and it often takes repetition to grasp them with consistent accuracy. As for phrasal verbs, I prefer to focus on those particles like 'up' such as in 'come up', and then further analyze the numerous examples of those to find patterns in their meaning. In many cases, there are patterns in their usage and definitions that one can develop to build an intuition in order to use them properly. Since phrasal verbs often lack a literal meaning to them, it is best to develop a 'feel' for them instead. Conditionals and tenses like the perfect often are difficult because one needs to be mindful of the intricate use of their expression of intent or time but many of them do have signal words or phrases which make it more intuitive. By practicing them frequently with these signals, it is possible to understand them with better context. Of course, frequent practice is needed to make sure the brain is aware of when to use it.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  Although this anecdote occurred in my German class, I still find it valuable because I learned that a teacher who can relate or be personable to a student can do wonders in learning. He was funny, passionate and creative who always found a way to keep us talking about anything that happened inside the class even if it went off-task from the planned grammar lesson. Learning from this, the frequent purpose of learning a language is to communicate with other humans and therefore if one is personable with another, this process of communicating, and therefore learning or practicing the target language, becomes a much smoother process than ever before. It is important to remember that many dislike learning another language because it involves engaging in an everyday activity that is no longer natural to them since they are unable to speak their mother tongue. However, when this barrier of frustration is removed by simply having a good time, many things can happen positively.

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  I speak intermediate Spanish and I have traveled to a few parts of Latin America and let me tell you, it was a humbling experience to know how language acquisition can be difficult. Not everyone spoke the same speed that I was accustomed to, not everyone used the same words that I was taught, and not everyone understood me well. It reinforced that learning a language is a lifelong endeavor and that one can learn something new every day as a learner, even as a native speaker. It is indeed a daunting challenge knowing this but with a proper mindset it becomes a personal test of patience, acceptance, and determination; skills that pertain to language learning but also to find success and wisdom in life itself.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  I love teaching and it has always been a part of my career. Apart from one job, I have always been a part of the educational field. I even went so far as to learn to be a high school teacher in History. Although it has not worked out as well as I had hoped for due to high supply and low demand, I still am involved in teaching as a tutor. With my background as a tutor in business English, and general English for teenagers and adults, I certainly have experience and the desire to further improve my craft.