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Who is Axl?
My name is Axl T. Ernst and I've been helping students learn English since 2018. I'm a native English speaker from and have TEFL and TESOL certificates for teaching English as a second language. I actually have an arts background: I studied fine arts in university and then worked for many years as an administrator and grant writer for a non-profit organization here in Canada. In my professional life, I spent a lot of time doing the same tasks you need to do on your exams or in your jobs, such as writing formal letters, reports, proposals, blog posts, academic essays and more.
My language-learning journey
It was only around 2016 when I actually became interested in language learning and (eventually) teaching English. I started first with Italian and then added a few more over time (although Italian has been the only one I've progressed far with). I found the process to be both incredibly frustrating yet also rewarding, and it led me down a fascinating journey into how we actually learn languages and effective methods of doing so.
After all these years, hours of dedication, and lots of experimentation, I can safely say that I understand:
a) how frustrating it can be to learn a foreign language, especially as an adult with limited free time and other commitments,
c) how difficult it can be to find quality, low-cost materials to learn with, and
d) how hard it can be to find good teachers (or language partners) that will actually let you talk while also giving you useful corrections and advice.
So why teach English?
Learning a language put me in touch with a lot of other language learners when I began doing language exchanges. It opened my eyes to just how life-changing English could be, and it seemed more rewarding than working in the arts sector.
I was also rather impressed by the students' knowledge of English and the questions they had which sent me on a mission to learn all about English (mainly the grammar). After creating my own curriculum and experimenting with teaching various levels, I discovered I prefer working with advanced-level students and enjoyed exam preparation in particular.
Why I'm different
I am very dedicated to the success of my students which is why I work so hard to provide them with a range of activities to learn from. When working one-on-one, I carefully curate lesson material to address the specific needs of my students. On social media, I offer students an in depth look into Exam topics by providing lots of resources and daily speaking activities, and I organize affordable classes and group activities to make learning affordable and accessible to all.
One of the keys to fluency is repetition which is why I often look at topics for an extended period of time with students. I also know it takes a while to get comfortable with new information, which is why I move slowly through material, giving lots of opportunity for practice.
It takes more than one or two lessons a week to become proficient in a language which is why I share activities 365 days a year on social media so students can practice daily.
To reach a high level of proficiency, it's important to have lots of quality feedback and strategies for fixing the errors holding us back. My aim is to make my students aware of their errors so they are empowered to fix them.
Not everyone can afford private lessons, so that's why I try to offer a variety of ways for people to engage with me to make learning accessible.
Studying alone can be boring and demotivating, which is why I try to encourage students to connect to one another and find study partners or people to practice with.
I believe my own professional development is also key to my students' success, so I dedicate time each week to improving my own skills as well.
If you think working with me is something you'd enjoy, feel free to either book a trial lesson, join one of my social media groups, or attend any of the group events I organize.