Passionate & Fun French Prof Offers Tutoring and Classes in Chicago & West Suburbs

Find out more about Elizabeth

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

  My desire to live and to study in France inspired my ability to speak French fluently. I enjoyed it so much that it evolved from being a tool to being a passion.

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

  Amelie is a great representative of French culture. She is quirky and profound and charming with a keen eye for simple beauty and pleasure.

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

  Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll!
  
  The French love to feast and to celebrate, so this phrase, which is also a favorite in New Orleans, captures that sense of celebration and translates into American culture as well.

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Speaking and reading French allow me to encounter some of the world's greatest art and literature in its original language.

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

  Exposure is the best help to the process of learning French. French pronunciation can be intimidating, so it is especially important to listen to as much French as possible to tune the ear.

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

  I had a professor at UIC who rarely corrected us in discussion, because he wanted us to focus on trying our best to converse instead of being stalled by a necessity for perfection. He taught us confidence as well as an understanding that language is about communicating and being understood much more than it is about grammar.

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

  My first semester in Paris, we had a homestay and signed a pledge never to speak English there or on campus at all. That immersion took me from struggling through homework to fluency, so I insist on full-immersion with my students.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  My passion is my superpower. It takes a desire and a determination to learn a language. I teach to inspire and to foster that desire in others.