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<p>Hello, my name is Jessica. I have been teaching English for several years, and I really enjoy editing papers for my colleagues. I will elaborate on my background as a student and instructor of English. My interest in language began at Portland State University (PSU) in Portland, Oregon, where I completed my B.A. in Applied Linguistics and a Tesl (teaching English as a second language) Certificate in 2010. As a requirement for my Tesl teaching portfolio, I taught two eight week community ESL classes to adult emigrants from Mexico, and tutored for the Native American Youth Association and the Intensive English Language Program at PSU.</p>
<p>After graduating, I moved to Taipei, Taiwan where I taught ESL to approximately a hundred students per week, for two years at a cram school called Joy English. At Joy, I followed a set curriculum that implemented thirteen different levels in the Joy English series and three levels in the Super Joy English series. For one term, I taught three levels of ESL to my adult colleagues at Joy to help them enhance their English. The most advanced level read a novel, and wrote and discussed answers to discussion questions (that I created) based on each chapter.</p>
<p>After two years in Taiwan, I went to Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, Arizona and started the M.A. TESOL program to further my professional development. I learned a lot from the articles read and discussed in my classes, and found that although my undergraduate major was in the same field there was still considerable room for growth. I participated in several practicum assignments in Flagstaff, such as conducting baseline assessments and team teaching a Citizenship class at the The Literacy Center.</p>
<p>During my second year at NAU, I also worked as a graduate teaching assistant in the University's program for intensive English language (PIE). In the first semester, I taught a listening and speaking class to intermediate level students, and in the second semester, I taught a reading and writing class to beginning level students from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. During the summer, I taught an intermediate reading and writing class that focused on summary writing and compare/contrast essays.&nbsp; During my time at NAU, I not only enjoyed editing and giving feedback to my students, but to my classmates and colleagues as well. Many of my classmates and workmates were from Asia, and they really appreciated my taking the time to edit their work. I edited papers for graduate students from Italy, China, and Korea.</p>
<p>Last year, I taught at the Community College of Qatar in Doha, Qatar. I taught young Qatari women who were improving their English, in order to study at the college level. I taught all levels of grammar and writing. In my classes, I focused on making grammar as engaging as possible by bringing in games and interactive activities, and I gave individualized feedback on writing assignments to all students. My most advanced students wrote descriptive essays, comparative essays, and persuasive essays.</p>
<p>Today, I am still in touch with several of my friends from graduate school. I still offer to look over any writing that they do for work, and one of my friends sends me writing on a regular basis. Working with students and colleagues from different backgrounds has opened my eyes to the types of mistakes that are common from people with various first language backgrounds. I hope to edit your papers soon!</p>
<p>Jessica Guarrera</p>