Tutor's Profile

Hi! My name is Salma! I completed my BA in English and Psychology in 2011 and I believe that these two subjects are such a powerful combination. Essentially, they are the only two ways we communicate (verbally and non-verbally). I have always been fascinated by human behaviour and communication and I like to think that it has really opened my eyes to the way we learn and the sheer power of our unconscious mind. I am a native English teacher born and raised in Canada, however, my parents were immigrants and English was not their first language. I believe that this gives me an edge because I understand how difficult it can be to learn a new language. Although I was able to understand my parents' first language because this is how they communicated with me, I was never very good at speaking, reading or writing it. I set myself the challenge of becoming fluent in all three skills and I was able to understand firsthand the strategies needed to achieve my goals. Now I use those strategies to support my students in achieving their goals, whether it is to increase fluency, become better writers, or pass a language exam.

Not only am I passionate about teaching and watching my students grow in front of my eyes, but I truly enjoy two things about teaching the most. First, is the connections I build with my students (learning should never feel like a chore). I feel like it is my duty that my students enjoy gaining knowledge and becoming more empowered. Building rapport is super important when it comes to working one-on-one with students, whether it is online or in person. Second, is understanding that as a teacher, I am always learning and looking for opportunities to learn. As humans, we never stop learning and this is something that excites me because I know that as long as I am learning, I am growing and I get to pass this knowledge that I gain to others. I have spent over ten years teaching a variety of ages and levels. Additionally, I have also worked as an Instructional Designer for almost four years. As an instructional designer, my focus was on the design of online content. I have learned how to develop and deliver engaging, online courses to students and have used a detailed model that includes analyzing learning objectives and developing a structured set of lessons that meet those objectives. Finally, I have been able to evaluate the success of a given course based on analytics used to gather data on the performance of students. I look forward to making new friends and adding something valuable to someone else's life. If you are reading this, feel free to say hi and I genuinely wish you the best of luck in your journey!