Italian Instructor

Francesca L is an Italian native, born and raised in Friuli Venezia Giulia, the most North Eastern region of Italy, right on the border with Slovenia and Austria. Living along the borders means to live in a very multicultural environment, exposed to different influences not only in the language, but also in the food, in the way of life and in every cultural expression. After studying Latin and Ancient Greek at the liceo classico, she received a Master’s Degree with honors in Modern Languages and Literature from the University of Trieste. In Italy she worked both as a German teacher and as an Administrative Assistant, while enjoying her children and family. It was probably not only her husband’s job, but also her love of traveling and meeting other cultures that brought her to California in 2011. After moving to the Bay Area with her whole family, she started teaching Italian to adults at Bechtel International Center at Stanford; this experience as a volunteer inspired her to start a new career as an Italian teacher. Since then, she has been teaching Italian both to children and adults in many Bay Area schools, keeping herself updated with many webinars and courses, such as those offered by ICON (Italian Culture on the Net). Recently she completed an annual Masterclass offered by Università Ca’ Foscari, Venezia, specializing in teaching Italian as a foreign or second language. She believes that learning a language means learning a different culture and enriches you as a person, helping broaden your horizons and your perspective. Teaching her language has become for her a mission. She believes that there is no learning without engagement and involvement and she does everything she can to keep her students motivated facilitating their learning process.

Spanish and Italian Instructor

Arianna Contreras, a second generation Mexican-American, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Since childhood, Arianna has spent part of her summers every year in Sonora, Mexico with family. Arianna holds an M.A. in Italian Studies from Florida State University where she taught and studied Italian in the Department of Modern Languages & Linguistics and is currently working on her second Masters in Italian Literature at Middlebury College. She has also taught as an Instructor of Italian at Saint Louis University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a published translator of the work of contemporary Italian poet, Guido Caserza (Rivista di Studi Italiani, 2021). It was through learning about the Italian language and culture where her desire to learn more about her own Mexican heritage grew, living in Mexico for part of a summer to reconnect with her own heritage.

Spanish Instructor

Marcelo studied History and Law in his native country of Uruguay, where he graduated from Universidad de la República with a JD in Law and Social Sciences. He also became a historian and participated in numerous research projects. He is a published author with books and articles on History topics. As an educator, Marcelo started his career at Universidad de la República in 1989. In 1999 he moved to the United States, where he has worked as a Spanish instructor teaching Spanish language and culture at all levels (Spanish I-IV and above) and ages (from middle school to adult students) in one-to-one and group settings. He is a certified ELE (Spanish as a Foreign Language) Teacher and his experience includes designing workshops and teaching special programs (Immersion, Intensive, Traveling, Business, and others).

German and ESL Instructor

Carolyn holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in German from UC Berkeley and a B.Mus. (Bachelor of Music) from McGill University. Her research in the German Department at UC Berkeley focused on the development of German noun inflection since 1350, and, more generally, on frequency effects in language change. Before moving to Berkeley in 2006, she spent two years in Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany, studying German and Scandinavian Linguistics and Literature at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität and exploring the Black Forest. She has been teaching German continuously since 2008 at various institutions in the Bay Area, including UC Berkeley, the German School of Fremont, the Bay Area Kinderstube (BAKS+, an after-school full immersion program for children who speak German at home), and, of course, PLA (since 2019), and has worked with both children and adults at all levels of proficiency. She has also taught English — both ESL/EFL and composition classes for native speakers — and has done a fair amount of proofreading and translating. Since 2018, she has held a part-time position at McGraw Hill Higher Education in the World Languages department, where her duties include creating and editing online activities to accompany McGraw Hill’s many college language textbooks. When she’s not teaching or tinkering with language textbooks, she enjoys taking long walks in the Berkeley hills, singing, playing the piano, watching German detective series, and making things out of yarn.

Mandarin Instructor

Chenchen Liu is a first generation Taiwanese-American, born and raised in Taiwan. Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese are Chenchen’s native languages. Chenchen has a Bachelor’s Degree in Chinese Literature from Soochow university in Taiwan, a Master’s Degree in Education from Syracuse University and a Master’s Degree in Linguistics from San Jose State University. Chenchen has had a passion for literature and language since her teen years. After completing her first Master's, Chenchen went back to Taiwan and worked for Far Eastern Economic Review in Taipei as a journalist and translator. Then, she relocated to the Bay Area with her husband and worked as an interpreter at National Hispanic University in San Jose. It was at this time that she began to pursue her second Master’s and realized that teaching Mandarin Chinese and culture to different groups of people was her calling, with  her love of being a bridge between English and Chinese languages. In the past 3 years, she has also been a Mandarin Chinese language contractor in Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. With more than two decades of teaching experience, she has worked with a variety of students of different backgrounds, ages and levels of language mastery. Chenchen herself enjoys reading, writing, listening, and speaking Chinese and English very much. In her free time, she loves translating and analyzing the two languages. Besides languages, Chenchen likes to spend her time hiking in nature, watching documentaries, gardening, playing piano, spending time with her family, and playing with her dog.

Russian and French Instructor

Olga was born and educated in Belarus. She got her Bachelor’s Degree in French and English Languages at the University of Mogilev in Belarus in 2008, Master’s Degree in pedagogical sciences at Minsk Linguistic University in 2009. She holds ABD in Belarusian Language and Literature (Dissertation title: „Actual style traditions of women’s Russian-speaking literature of Belarus (late 20th – early 21st centuries) “). Olga speaks Russian, Belarusian, French, English and she also studied Latin. She has been teaching English and French to non-native speakers since 2008 at various educational environments and several language universities in Belarus. Her areas of research interests include Russian Language, Belarusian Language and Literature and foreign languages. Possessing a wide experience in traveling and working with different cultures and backgrounds, Olga is motivated, energetic and enthusiastic person.  

Mandarin Instructor

Xin has his bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from Yanbian University of Science and Technology where he taught College English Reading and Writing Courses, the first master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he taught Academic English Writing Courses, and the second master’s degree in Chinese Language Pedagogy from Indiana University at Bloomington where he taught Integrated Chinese Courses. As a native speaker of Mandarin Chinese with more than 10 years of language teaching experience and a linguistic and pedagogical researcher, he believes that pedagogical approaches such as linguistic comparison and Task-Based Language Teaching can empower language learners to achieve a high language proficiency.

ESL Instructor

Reese started teaching English as a second language to students in Bogota, Colombia and currently holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, a minor in linguistics, and a TESOL certificate from the University of Michigan. His teaching experience continued as an English teaching assistant at the University’s Writing Center, where he worked extensively with international students. In his research assistantship, he examined the impact of the Flint Water Crisis on immigrant populations and their relationship with English health literacy. Reese’s passion for linguistics and anthropology led him to pursue studies in Central and South America where his interests included indigenous languages and their representations in cultural and global contexts. He has also taught English to university students, business professionals, and politicians interested in advancing their English language skills through conversational practice and intensive grammatical instruction in Costa Rica. In his free time, Reese enjoys traveling and writing about his experiences immersing in new cultures.

Thai Instructor

Warangkana (Leah) is a Thai instructor from Bangkok, Thailand, with a Bachelor's degree in Communication Arts from Bangkok University International, Thailand. She has studied in an international environment, which provided her with the opportunity to immerse herself in multiculturalism and different languages. These experiences have fueled her passion for becoming a language instructor. Currently, Warangkana teaches Thai to Thai students who were born and raised in the UK and the US. Her role involves educating them about Thai culture and ensuring they use Thai as a second language correctly. She firmly believes that individuals possess limitless learning abilities, regardless of their age. She takes great pride in being part of Polyglottist, where she educates and represents her mother tongue to people across the globe.

German Instructor

Anja, a German native from Münster, started her teaching career in Germany after completing her BA. and M.A. degrees in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. In 2005, she moved to North Carolina and completed her Ph.D. in German Literature. Since then, she has stayed in the academic world and taught German language, literature and culture classes. Anja believes in a communicative, student-centered approach to teaching, in which students not only feel comfortable using the target language but also engage with the language creatively. Anja enjoys designing personalized lesson plans in which humoristic elements always find their way. In her free time, Anja enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures, especially trying and replicating specific cuisines. Since she loves mountains and lakes, Austria is frequently on her travel list. One of her favorite holidays was a hiking tour through the Wachau area, which she topped off with a visit to Vienna. On her travel bucket list is her newfound passion for Montenegro. She hopes to visit the old town of Kotor and Budva and indulge in the original produce at the weekly farmer’s markets. 

French and Italian Instructor

Francesca B holds Italian BA and MA in Languages and Literature. Her story is one of adventure and passion for language and culture. Born and raised in the picturesque city of Florence, Italy, she was immersed in a world of beauty, art, and history from a young age. Her family encouraged her to learn and explore, which led her to attend both an Italian and French High School in Florence. Eager to expand her horizons even further, Francesca moved to Paris for several years to pursue her studies. There, she discovered a deep love for Russian literature, which led her to major in it at university. Returning to her native Italy, Francesca began her career in education as a French teacher in the public school system. She was dedicated to helping her students learn not just the language, but also the rich cultural traditions of France. She often shared her own experiences of living in Paris, encouraging her students to explore the world and embrace new experiences. After moving to the United States, Francesca has been able to teach small groups and individuals of various ages and levels, enjoying the challenge of tailoring her lessons to each student's unique needs and interests. Whether teaching young children their first French words or helping adults perfect their language skills, Francesca approaches each class with enthusiasm and a deep commitment to her students' success.

Vietnamese Instructor

Hao received her Master’s Degree in Linguistics from San Jose State University and a certification in TESOL. As a native Vietnamese speaker with a deep understanding of all linguistic aspects as well as her experience teaching Vietnamese for over 5 years, Hao demonstrates her ability to share knowledge and provide attentive guidance based on the individual needs of her students. Hao’s hobbies include admiring nature, reading, and learning about other languages and cultures. Hao is fluent in Vietnamese, English, and has basic speaking skills in Spanish. She believes that everyone is capable of learning at least a foreign language. Studying a foreign language not only helps us connect with others but also better understand our own language and culture.

Portuguese and Spanish Instructor

Michelle was born and raised in the Caribbean and developed a passion for languages at a young age. She continued to dedicate her studies to Spanish and Portuguese in college. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and studied abroad in both Brazil and Portugal. She then went on to pursue her Master’s Degree in Spanish and Portuguese Linguistics from UCLA, where she also taught Spanish and Portuguese college courses. She has worked with many different students at different levels while teaching and tutoring, to help them achieve their learning goals. She loves to travel and learn about different cultures. In her spare time, she likes to read, cook, watch movies, go to the gym, and travel when she gets the chance.

Japanese Instructor

Kayo was born and raised in Tokyo and earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. degrees in English in Tokyo. In 1995, she moved to the United States to earn her Master’s degree in English at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut, where she also taught Japanese language while concurrently pursuing a teaching certificate in Japanese. While at Southern, she redesigned the Japanese curriculum to reflect current pedagogy on the intersection of language and culture. She taught at Southern for more than 20 years. Kayo has also taught university-level English composition and literature in New Haven, mostly recently at Gateway Community College where she has taught for 15 years. Her literary area of interest is twentieth-century poetics, and she has written and published on the topic.  In her teaching, Kayo is a firm believer that art, food, and music connect a diverse student population in the language classroom. She looks forward to sharing and exploring the rich language and culture of her native Japan.  

Korean and Japanese Instructor

Jenna received an M.A in Korean Studies, Teaching Korean as a Foreign Language and a B.A. in Japanese Language and Literature. Throughout her career as a language teaching professional for over 10 years, she was fortunate to deepen her insight in language education and meet learners with diverse backgrounds and needs.  She is also a co-author of Korean language textbooks. She believes that learning a new language opens doors to new possibilities. These could be career opportunities, travel possibilities, making friends, learning about cultures, expanding a student’s horizons. She is excited to guide each student on their own language learning journey.

Tagalog Instructor

Joy was born, raised, and educated in the Southern part of the Philippines, where she got her bachelor’s degree, majoring in Communication Arts in Filipino, and was a Language Teacher in a public school before moving here in the USA. Since then, she became a sub-contractor (and sometimes an independent contractor) to Language Services companies on the East Coast, serving military officers as well as Foreign Service Officers. Joy has passion! With more than a decade of experience in Tagalog Language Training, whether it is teaching/training Tagalog to diplomats heading to the Philippines, developing language curriculums for contracting government agencies or companies, or creating standardized test materials for language testing, she does it all with enthusiasm, perfection, and love for her work. She believes that language is a tool to understand a culture, and culture is what connects people.

Spanish Instructor

Vanessa was born in Colombia and lived in Venezuela during her first years. She returned to Bogota, Colombia where she got her Bachelor in Social and Cultural Anthropology at the National University of Colombia. During the years of study she traveled and researched all over South America and the Caribbean. She worked as anthropologist and writer for some years but when she moved to the United State, she dedicated mostly to her literature and poetry work. Since 2008 her work has been a combination of teaching and research, combining Anthropology and Spanish / Latin American Literature.

She got her international Master’s in Salamanca Spain to Teach Spanish Language and Culture. She is also a journalist, during the past five years she directed a Podcast radio program dedicated to promote latin american poetry. She had been collaborating for Magazines in Spain and Colombia interviewing writers and talking about her perspective in poetry. She has published two books of poetry, her last bilingual collection of poetry was published in NYC for ArtePoetica Press in 2020.

She is an expert on developing, designing activities and planning programs for Spanish Language classes from Beginner Level to Advance Level (A1 - C2/3 European standard). She has been working for DELE Programs – (Spanish as a Second Language) in Language Institutes in Houston Texas and Salamanca Spain. Also she has been working for more than seven years in High School teaching Spanish I- IV in Houston and San Francisco Bay Area.

Spanish and Arabic Instructor

Nadia is a highly skilled and experienced Spanish teacher with a diverse linguistic background. Born and raised in a Kabyle town in Algeria, she is fluent in Berber, French, and Arabic, and her enthusiasm for languages has helped her quickly learn Spanish and English since moving to the United States. After attending the University of California, Davis, where she studied Law and Society and International Relations, Nadia gained extensive experience in legal projects and programs, particularly in criminal defense. Her interest in language teaching and tutoring also led her to teach Spanish to preschoolers and kindergartners and currently, middle schoolers. Nadia believes that learning languages is crucial to understanding and communicating with people from diverse backgrounds, and she uses her language skills to help those who struggle with Spanish. Her passion for travel and experiencing different cultures further enhances her ability to bring a global perspective to her teaching.