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Hola! My name is Esteban La Paz. I am a Uruguayan teacher of Spanish as a foreign language. I have a
4-year background in Linguistics from the Facultad
de Humanidades y Ciencias
de la Educación, Universidad de la República, the principal
national
I have been teaching
foreigners visiting
In 1994, I received a
scholarship in the Amity Institute Program through the Fulbright Commission. I was a teacher’s aid in Spanish for a semester
in a senior high school in
Having learned English as a
foreign language myself and lived abroad, I have a better understanding of the
challenges facing my students, not only in terms of language, but also of
cross-cultural issues.
The classes I offer
stress communication in real settings. They can take place in my apartment in
downtown
Rather than sticking
to a single textbook, my classes focus on the specific needs and interests of
each individual student. Local newspapers, TV programs, songs, pieces of
literature and games are some commonly used tools to make our meetings
effective and fun. Native Spanish speakers from different parts of the country
are occasionally asked to join us as well. Students are encouraged to
play an active role in the learning process and in evaluating their own
progress.
Last but not least,
I am able to offer my services at a very competitive rate compared to the other
schools for foreigners in the area.
Regarding your
arrival and stay here, I can also be of assistance with your transportation and
accommodations.
Looking forward to
meeting you! J
Esteban
"Studying with
Esteban in
Kelly Andrew
"Esteban is a
fun, dedicated, and extremely knowledgeable teacher of Spanish. I often joked
that he even knew English better than I did. As someone that has studied language
inside and out (he is a linguist), Esteban brings his curiosity and dedication
of the study of languages to his one-on-one Spanish lessons. He is one of those
unique teachers that makes you want to learn because
it is exciting to learn. Anyone that has
studied Spanish will appreciate his ability to teach the language beyond the
textbook. Whether it is different connotations of words from different dialects
of Spanish, a useful phrase for conversation, slang, or the origins and uses of
certain words, Esteban makes Spanish practical and fun. He understands the
importance of practicing outside the typical arena of repetitive fill in the
blank worksheets. He uses music, movies, and formal and informal field trips
and meetings to help students along the way. Esteban believes rightfully that
anytime is a good time to practice Spanish; going to a movie, a café, or just
taking a conversational walk through the peaceful streets of
Carlos Romo
Policy Analyst
ex-Fulbright Scholar in
"I am delighted
to comment on the excellent language instruction I received from Esteban La
Paz. I worked intensively with him for
four weeks, having almost no speaking ability upon my arrival, and only a
semester's worth of basic background in grammar. (Esteban's English, by the way, is extremely
fluent--in fact, he teaches English as well.) As a teacher of literature at the
University of Florida, I was pleased and impressed with Esteban's lesson plan
and creative use of reading materials and cultural events (theater, news, art
exhibits) to create a coherent learning experience tailored to my needs and
interests. I was also impressed with his
level of investment in my learning; Esteban really *cared* that my Spanish
improved--and it did. My friends who
were native Spanish speakers and university-level teachers of Spanish were
amazed at my progress; by the time I left I was able to read, to generally
follow a conversation, and even to participate.
Additionally, I learned a good deal about the unique culture of this
intriguing country, and enjoyed myself, too!"
Pamela K. Gilbert
Associate Professor of English
"With
this course, I was able to learn a lot. Esteban was a great teacher, and
because of what I learned in two weeks of classes with him, I was able to skip
a full year of Spanish in school and advance to the next level! We didn't just
learn, we also went out to the plaza, bought food, sat in the sun, ate and chat
while learning Spanish. I hope to attend them again in the future!"
Emanuel Cavalieri
New York
USA