Meet your English teacher: Descriptions and Comparatives Course

Do you want to practice reading in English? This blog post will give you a chance to practice reading and you will also get to know a wonderful teacher.

Jaime recorded the Basic English: Descriptions and Comparisons course. Have you seen it?

I am sure you will love it!

I asked Jaime some questions for us to get to know him better 😃

Where were you born?

I was born in a very hot city in the south of Colombia, named Neiva.

Where have you traveled or lived?

I have lived in Bogotá all my life, but I do love travelling. I have visited 15 different countries.

What is your favorite place in the world?

My favorite place is Barcelona. I have been there both in the winter and summer, and it feels like two different cities. Both are wonderful!

What languages do you speak and how did you learn them?

Spanish is my first language and I speak English. I must say I was very bad at English when I was a child. I had private teachers, went to different academies and yet used to do poorly on English tests at school. I learned a couple of things from that experience:

• If you think you are bad at English, it will be very difficult for you to learn. The expectations we have about our own performance play a very important role in the results we achieve. I first had to convince myself that I could learn the language before I actually did.
• I realized that too much focus on grammar can become an obstacle to learn the language. It is better to learn it in practical ways, trying to understand what phrases can be used in specific contexts and situations. On this blogpost I talk about some of the myths around English learning.

How has speaking English helped you?

Being able to speak English really changed my life. First, it allowed me to become and English teacher. This is how I got into education which is nowadays my biggest passion. Second, this has given me great work opportunities, including working at Platzi, of course. And last, but not least, speaking English opened a door to new cultures, places and people.

When you were little, what would you say you wanted to be?

I wanted to be a magician and to work at a circus. I took lessons on acrobatics, juggling and magic. This is me doing some magic.

How long have you been a teacher and what is your favorite thing about being a teacher?

I have been a teacher since 2006. What I enjoy the most about teaching is to guide students to figure things out by themselves. I like to believe that I don’t teach, I only try to promote spaces where students can learn.

Tell us about your course and how was your experience recording courses in Platzi?

This is a course where students will learn the use of descriptions and comparatives. Even though it is a basic course, it can help students at different levels by providing them with several opportunities to practice and consolidate these common structures of the language. Recording this course was an incredible experience.

I have been a teacher for several years but I hadn’t had the chance to record a class or to teach with Platzi’s methodology. I had the opportunity to work with very talented professionals who guided me along the way and I learned a lot.

What are your top 3 tips to improve English speaking skills?

• Be patient. We all want quick results, but learning a language takes time. You might not see any progress today, but you will certainly see progress after a few months of constant practice.
• Read in English. There are many books that have been adapted to different levels, so choose a level that is appropriate for your abilities and start reading in English as soon as possible.
• Take risks and make mistakes. Speak in English in every opportunity you have. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes as they are an important part of the learning process and can help other people guide you in the right direction.

Now that you have gotten to know Jaime a little better, is there any other question you would like to ask him? Write your questions in the comments section below. It would also be great to know what you though of his course.

Thank you for reading 💚