The human side of learning English - interview with Joann Colon

Welcome back to the Elevate blog. I'm here with Joanne Colon. Where are you at the moment in the world? 

Right now I'm in Jacksonville, Florida 

And it's quite warm?

Yes, I'm I'm I've been living here about, All together about five years within, several gaps in between, but now four years uninterrupted and I'm still not accustomed to the summers.

So you're an English teacher. Can you tell me a bit about the people that you teach at the moment? 

So I focus on adults, though I'm starting to branch out to teenagers as well. And I basically help them speak English more confidently and just provide a safe, calm, fun environment for them to practice and improve their English. And I guess show that English can be fun without without ever expecting it. 

Do you find a lot of your learners are a bit, they've come from the school system and they know they need English? they not really in love with English? 

Some, Some do, especially the teenagers. They, they're going through the school system as we speak and they just want to, well, speak and so in my sessions this is when they have the space and the opportunity to speak of whatever they like. I usually have something planned but sometimes we go off topic and I tell them as long as it's in English we're good. 

Yeah, exactly. It's that safe space where you can just speak. 

Yeah, exactly. And same with adults as well. 

Do you find that they are happy to speak? Do they have particular wants with their English, the adults especially? 

Yes, some want to improve their grammar, and I don't offer grammar lessons. I feel that if they want to study grammar, they don't necessarily need me, but if they have a grammar question, I'll happily answer for them and give them examples. And then usually when they have a, "oh, OK," response then, OK, they got it. 

Yeah, that's satisfying, isn't it? 

Yeah. 

Have you got any moments or learners in particular that have made a, you know, a big breakthrough with you, or you can see their progress? 

Yes, I remember one in particular, a lady from Poland that, she did not like speaking English and with time she started to enjoy it and not only that but there was one time that during one of our sessions there was a very big thunderstorm. I heard the thunder like like it was right here I thought like oh my goodness this is very loud. And she was, and I felt very touched that she, she admitted to me that she is scared to death of thunderstorms. But she, she wanted to stay with me until our session was done or until the electricity went off, whichever came first. And, and, like, I told her that, if you want to get up that's okay I completely understand and she said no I I want you to stay with me please it's very scary. I was very very touched yeah 

That's really it's it's really important isn't it with your English because you make a plan like you're studying business English but then something like this comes along, you have to tell people how you're feeling. 

Yes, and fortunately we finished the entire session and by that time the storm had died down quite a bit. So, phew!

You got through it. 

Yeah. So, so I feel that in a way this, this can, this can serve as a, as an analogy that I and other teachers I'm sure we're here to hold your hand if it's necessary. 

Yeah, sometimes it is, it is, and it's a safe space as well. 

Exactly. Definitely. 

Yeah, and that's really interesting that it makes me think, living in Japan, and I have my Japanese lessons, and you know, we follow the book, we do the grammar, but then something like a big thunderstorm comes along, and it's not in the book. This is why we need teachers, the human contact, to fill in the gaps. 

And I feel that that's, that's my niche, I guess, because so many other people can give great service for business English and for how to use AI, how to use chat GPT properly. and mindset as well. And all of those things are important. I just feel that, for me especially, I try to serve the human element. I myself am an introvert, so I do much better one -on -one. And I also have a bit of a speech impediment myself. So, it's helpful for me to speak with English learners slowly because that helps me speak better. And so, if there's anyone looking for this type of niche, then hi, here I am.

Yeah, and I'm sure there are, because that's the thing about learning a language, it's the personal connection. It's unlike any other, it's not like science or maths or whatever it is. When you're learning a language, you need to like the people that you're speaking to. 

Yes. And I am a linguophile, like I love languages. Ever since I could remember, I've always been fascinated about other countries, other cultures, their individual histories. I've always been fascinated by that. And I myself have studied several languages. I say I speak about two and three quarters, divided amongst five languages. And so when I meet a client or a student from, let's say, Poland, I'll use my limited Polish as an icebreaker and they usually have this, oh, you know my language, or at least enough to try to speak. And feel that, at least in my experience, I feel that has translated into, I'm willing to embarrass myself with your language, then you are completely safe making mistakes in English with me. 

Yeah, that's so, yeah, it's so important to like break down that barrier of being a teacher and learner and, yeah, okay. So, I think I have the idea, but what do you love about being an English teacher? Why do you keep being an English teacher? 

I love meeting people from all over the world, learning about their culture, like their values, and seeing how much we have in common, how similar we all are. I've told a few students, especially those who love learning other languages too, that it's so fascinating how we say the same things, but in many different ways. And, and being someone who, who struggles with communicating myself, I, I feel very, how can I say it, yeah struggles with communication, trying to think of words. There's just something so deeply rewarding about helping someone be able to communicate. And English is the language I know the best. It's, I feel it's the tool I can use, like the language tool I can use the best. And so if I knew, for example, Spanish better, then I would do the same thing with Spanish. It's just that English is, I guess, my best language, my most fluent language, and so English is my vehicle to serve the world as best as I can.

Excellent. That's great. Yeah, I understand what you mean that it's, it's amazing to help someone communicate their thoughts and their feelings to the world. 

Yes. And, and it's also very rewarding when, when a client is trying to, to express themselves and grammatically, it's not correct, or it's not quite right. But, but then I try to say it for them. Like I, I would say, so are you saying, duh, duh, duh, duh. And then, and And if I'm right, they'd say, yes, that, that. Gotcha. 

Yeah. We understand. It's very satisfying in that way. 

Yes. Just seeing that relief that, oh, someone understands. 

Yes. Yes, and finally they can know that that is the right way to say whatever it was, yeah. 

Exactly, and I'll always type it for them in the chat or on the whiteboard or whatever we're using so they can have it there.

Okay, Joanne, thank you very much. It was great to talk to you today. 

But I really enjoyed this conversation with you. And also I'm very grateful that you've built this directory. I've been looking for something like this for years. So, so glad that you came along. 

Oh, thank you for joining.

You can connect with Joann at the Elevate directory of English language teachers