The Challenge
Andrea’s originally from Spain, which is where she began her English-speaking journey. She’d hired an English tutor, before, but her writing had still not improved. She was working as an au pair, which she loved, as she was able to generate income while stably working with children. She planned to work as a substitute teacher to help determine if being a fulltime teacher would be something she enjoyed. Additionally, she wanted to improve her English communication abilities because she wanted, with absolute confidence and competence, to be able to operate in English-language-driven spaces. Because returning to Spain was something she and her husband were considering, she wanted to make herself as competitive as possible in markets open to English speakers in Spain.
In Andrea’s words (from the initial query she’d made on May 24, 2020):
Hi Kenisha, my name is Andrea I am an ESL student. I need to pass the CBEST writing part which is being a struggle for me, I tried three times and I had a 26 score. I am looking for someone who can help me to get better with my [e]ssays.
The Process
Andrea and I met for her diagnostic session on May 30, 2020, which lasted 2.25 hours; our first official learning session took place June 2, 2020. For the 10 months we worked together, we met 1 to 3 times each week for 60 to 120 minutes per session.
We tackled punctuation, homonyms, homophones, prescriptive writing grammar, vocabulary augmentation, organization, personalized persuasive writing strategies, detail inclusion, considering ostensibly varying viewpoints. and personalized testing strategies.
Our last session date was February 11, 2018.
Results
February 14, 2021, Andrea sat for and passed CBEST Writing with a scaled score of 41.
- Passed CBEST Writing
- Scaled Score: 41
- Hours Purchased: 39.25
Reduced Anxiety
Andrea is relieved at finally passing and is less anxious about her employment prospects. She’s mentally free to tackle other life-building tasks.
Financial Security
Through working as a substitute teacher, Andrea and her family can enjoy an additional stream of income.
Increased US English Language Acumen
Andrea’s confidence in her ability to aptly communicate in English has increased. Now that she has a substantial roadmap, she can study independently and continue sharpening her English-communication skills.
“Hi Kenisha.
How can I put this together??? I f****** passed the test!!!!!! A 41, but idk I am here screaming and thankful for you!!
I need to send you [a] gift, so please send me your address! We did it Joeeeee hahahahahahahaha!!!”-Andrea Perez, Student of English Language, Au Pair & Aspiring Teacher, San Diego, CA