Category: Language tutors

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Getting excited for study abroad with Vincent!

Leilani: First, could you tell me about your background and how long you’ve been speaking French?

Vincent: Yeah! I first started taking French classes in high school, and then I placed into second-year level French when I came to Reed. I lived in the French House last year, and I’m living in Farm House this year. So those are the French experiences I’ve had here.

L: What has your experience been like as a French tutor?

V: It’s been pretty interesting to get a sense of how other people learn a language in ways that are different from what I’m more used to. And I think that’s a way of helping me to understand the language better and get more practice with it by working with other people.

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Tutor interviews: Sara Tapalova (Russian)

D: Hi Sara! Please introduce yourself to those who don’t know you.

S: My name is Sara and I’m a junior physics major. I’m a native Russian speaker, which is the main reason why I ended up as a Russian tutor. I was born and raised in Central Asia, so I was brought up in a very bilingual environment – I’ve been speaking Russian and Kazakh since I was a little baby, and if you asked me to choose a “first language” I wouldn’t be able to tell you… I started learning English when I was 6, so I know how to empathise with language-learners. If you feel nervous or embarrassed about mistakes, don’t be! I’ve been there too and I know how hard it is.

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Is Culture Shock Inevitable When Abroad?

Find out in the interview with Henry, the Chinese tutor!

Patricio: Can you tell me about what made you want to learn Chinese?

Henry: It was actually kind of random. I was taking a gap year between highschool and college and I didn’t have a lot going on, so I picked up a bunch of hobbies such as archery and Chinese. I found a really good Chinese teacher and I really enjoyed learning a language in my free time. I was learning French in high school, but I really struggled with that because I was being forced to learn it, but it was a completely different story when I started learning Chinese because I actually wanted to learn it. 

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Meet Sabrina! (Latin)

Salve! I’m a senior English major and Greek and Latin minor, and I have taken Latin classes from Alice, Ellen, and Sonia. I’m especially interested in the intersections between Latin and English literature, and am currently writing my thesis on the influence of Apuleius’s The Golden Ass on Early Modern English comedy and romance. I am eager to help with all kinds of Latin study, such as vocab memorization, preparing for exams, practicing forms, or talking through translations. Whatever it may be, I am here to support you, and I will do my best to cater to your specific needs.

LangLabbie note: Visit the Language Lab for Sabrina’s drop-in hours!