Friendly, Fun and Private English Tutor (American and British) CHOOSE ME :P

Find out more about Elisabeth Rain

• 1) Apakah Anda berbicara bahasa ini dengan lancar karena latar belakang Anda atau karena ada seorang guru atau tokoh yang menginspirasi Anda untuk mempelajari bahasa ini?

  I speak English every day, whether with friends, business colleagues, or family. I have a lot of friends from outside of Indonesia. Some of them are from the USA, Australia, Spain, England, Italy, and Venezuela. Not only that but being a private English teacher is also one of the reasons. One of my methods of learning English and sharpening my English skills is to use it every day. Right now, it is more comfortable and easier for me to speak English instead of Bahasa. I have always been interested in and loved English since I was still in kindergarten. I believe it started when I watched my first ever movie, which is Looney Tunes back in 1997-1998.

• 2) Dapatkah Anda menyebutkan karakter atau tokoh yang hidup, historis atau fiktif yang menurut Anda merupakan representasi simbolik dari sebuah budaya bahasa yang anda ajarkan?

  All I can think about right now is Walt Disney. An animation pioneer, a 22-time Oscar-winning producer, and miner of childhood magic. Few individuals in this world have had a greater impact on both the entertainment industry and the popular culture of the 20th century than Walter Elias Disney. His creations have taught us a lot, not just as an audience but also as human beings, and those creations, from Mickey Mouse, and Snow White, to Lion King and the other Disney Princesses, shaped our childhoods. They have given us this sense of magical fairy tale lives with happy endings that we always dreamed of without forgetting the truth that sometimes in life there will be problems and obstacles. I have learned a lot from his creations, not only about how to be a good person but also about vocabulary and grammar from watching the movies.

• 3) Apakah ada kata khas, frasa, tradisi, atau perilaku dalam bahasa yang Anda sukai?

  I love English because not only it is the most spoken language in the world but also because it is flexible. It is easy to learn even though it has its own challenges. It is a huge entity of vocabulary and is constantly absorbing new words. You can use so many different words to describe things, you should never be short of synonyms. If you understand at least the basics of English you will be understood in most corners of the world. The role that English plays in popular culture is unparalleled. Music, films, and TV series are huge parts of most people's lives, meaning that the vast majority of entertainment is originally produced in English. Entertainment consumption is arguably one of the biggest language learning techniques. And then, there is English Literature. It opens up a world of inspiration and creativity, while also developing skills that are essential for today's global environment.

• 4) Mengapa berbicara bahasa ini penting bagi Anda?

  Speaking English is important for me because it relaxes my mind. It helps me to express myself freely and beautifully. It makes it easier for me to travel around the world, do business, socialize, and it helps me to have more opportunities in life. Having a good command of English has given me great access to multiple cultures.

• 5) Apa kesulitan utama dalam mempelajari bahasa ini dan apa yang dapat membantu Anda dalam proses pembelajaran?

  English is easy to learn but difficult to master. There are many grammatical rules that we should pay attention to but not too obsessed with and sometimes can be broken. There are spelling and pronunciation irregularities that perplex even native speakers. For example, words with the same spelling can have different pronunciations. English uses a lot of idioms. Sometimes, for new speakers, it can be quite difficult to find the right words to say what you are trying to say. Next, English has writing rules, e.g. shortening words, and punctuation rules. There is also word order. For example, in Bahasa we would say, "Ini adalah buah apel berwarna merah.", but when we translate it into English, the word order will change completely into "This is a red apple." In addition to this, English has a mixed vocabulary. Every day, there are multiple new words added to the dictionary and to our daily lives.

• 6) Ceritakan pengalaman unik atau menarik Anda yang pernah terjadi selama pengalaman Anda mengajar bahasa.

  I have met a lot of people with different occupations, ages, characters, and personalities. One thing I noticed from my long experience in teaching English is age can't tell your English skills. I have a lot of students between the age of 9 to 15 who are more skillful and fluent compared to those who are older and even already work in an International company.

• 7) Bagaimana pengalaman Anda dapat membantu Anda meningkatkan keterampilan dan pengetahuan Anda tentang bahasa?

  Whenever I teach English, I always say, "Hand in hand we learn" which means we learn together. So, it is not just about me teaching my students, but they also help me to be a much better and more skillful teacher for them as well; to share my knowledge with them. In one hour we will have the opportunity to learn more about the English language together. As time goes by, days to weeks to months and to years, I have had all these opportunities to sharpen my English skills by teaching people and helping them learn.

• 8) Apa yang membuat Anda menjadi seorang Guru teladan dalam hal bahasa?

  I never considered myself an exemplary teacher in teaching language. I prefer to call myself a fun, informal, and friendly teacher. I do not like being too formal or too strict because I believe it will not help me to help my students to learn. It will only make them feel nervous, afraid to make mistakes, awkward, and too stiff which are all the things I do not want to happen. I want my students to be able to feel relaxed and to feel like they are talking and learning with their friends. I also love to use simple methods to teach my students. I do not like to use complicated explanations when I help them learn. I use brief and clear descriptions and lots of examples that I have proven to be more effective.