Profile

Education (2008-2013)

2008 - 2011 English and French teaching, Faculty of Education, Comenius University Bratislava. Bachelor's degree

2011 - 2013 English and French teaching, Faculty of Education, Comenius University Bratislava. Master's degree

The bachelor and the diploma theses were focused on teaching English language. The first was predominantly concerned with teaching through communicative approach and the second one with teaching English through American popular culture.

Approach & methodology

My studies and diverse experience have led me to believe that a really decent and very effective way is a communicative approach.  It is used in English as well as in French classes. The goal is to facilitate mastering speaking skills through boosting confidence and learning various necessary tools to be an effective and elegant communicator. The main focus is on acquiring communicative competence. There are 4 subcompetencies - grammar (unfortunately still the only used by many teachers), discurse, sociolinguistic and strategic). Student is able to communicate in a more effective and sophisticated manner. They adjust their verbal communication to a given social situation. What is more, they are able to be resourceful and inventive when facing a communication crisis . Apart from this, many  elements from other modern (and sometimes traditional) approaches are employed.

The teacher also makes effort to aid learners to internalise business, administrative, work-related and so-called  corporate English, or French. 

In teaching English the teacher leans more towards American culture and literature in which he is more educated. In teaching French the focus is almost solely on one Francophone country, France. Especially Paris as a epicentre of culture and trends in the modern Francophone world.

Experience and results (2006-2015) 

Started in early 2006 when still in high school. I worked minor private tutoring gigs. So I have been working on and off as a foreign language teacher and tutor for almost 10 years now. 

2008-2013 During university studies I worked as a private tutor for mostly students and also working adults. Besides private tutoring I was also hired by an education centre and taught English mostly to working adults.

2013 - After uiversity studies I started teaching part time (50 %) as a private high school English teacher. After 5 months I decided to change my working status to only 16 classes per month. My only focus was on the final year students whom I led to succesfully pass the final exams. All of my students. I was also a member of the Final Examination Committe.

In February 2014,at the same time as I started working 16 classes per month in the high school, I also started my own business as a soloprenuer.

From September 2014 to May 2015 I taught people from the Certifying authority dealing with EU funds at the  Ministry of Finance of Slovak Republic.

I have plentiful experience with private regular and intensive courses. The clients are primarily working adults - often leaders or in high position jobs. I have taught or I currently teach high school and college students too. Thanks to the language classes the clients succeed in their new job, perform better in their current job, communicate more easily abroad or were accepted to various programmes abroad requiring language skills. The subjects taught are  English - general, business, legal, financial,   and general and business French.

I've helped many people with translations or proofreading of their cover letters, CVs or other school-related or work-related documents and leisure-related things as well. I am also a co-author of a book on teaching methodology , website and many other texts.

Apart from interpreting in common social situations such as on holiday I worked as an interpreter at a medical conference on laser surgeries and skin esthetics.

A few times I was employed by The National Institue for Education. I was responsible for test administration, summarisation and control at The Technical University in Košice. The level was B1. The tested learners were teachers from elementary school because of Training of primary school teachers in foreign languages regarding the conception of teaching foreign languages in primary and secondary education.

Continual professional development is guaranteed. What is more, liasions with native speakers and  activity on teaching, transalting and interpreting forumsoffers room for mutual inspiration. Dobrým príkladom. A good example would be attending and international English Language Teaching conference, which was held in June 2015. The expansion of the range and the diversity of teaching materials is guaranteed as well.

In terms of career, economic and entrepreneurial development I am always learning and also in touch  with people from different lines of business such as finance, HR, management, sales, marketing, IT or psychology.

August 2015 - As a contnuation of a succesful language teaching and translating business a new business subject "A - Languages & Refinement", s.r.o. was created. New services include classes on communication skills or career advice and the portfolio keeps expanding.

Experience abroad

(2006 & 2007) A short-term stay in a Belgian family in a small town in Belgium. Attending school classes, workshops and experiencing their social life. Necessity to use English every day

(2006) A short-term stay in Luxemburgh at a relative's house. Using French. 

(6-9/2011) Lived in New York City. Succesfully handled all the hassle with respective authorities and also landed a few jobs. Went to see virtually all the neighborhoods in Manhattan. I brought back not only experiences for life, but a somewhat large reservoir of knowledge and materials useful for teaching.

(6-7/2014) lived about a month in Paris, 5e arrondissement near Panthéon, the heart of Paris, as called by locals. Saw and documented all the major sites and quite a few minor sites and relevant places. Able to pass some know-how, give practical info on life and tourism in Paris.

(6,7/2018) traveled and interpreted for several weeks in Peru, South America with the family of my second cousin, who have lived there with a native Peruvian.
(11,12/2018) business trip, interpreting in Dubai, UAE. Especially business negotiation (explaining product and business relations details) during the exposition The Big 5. Me in the few moments in this cca 1-minute video. (53s , 1:09s)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmyKXMj3sGc

Associations and credentials

(6/2014) Succesfully became a member of The Slovak Assosiaciation of Translators and Interpreters.

(1/2015) Succesfully become a member of The Slovak Chamber of English Teachers.

(1/2015) Succesfully become a member of the international organisation Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.

Andrej - personal info

Intersted in what is going on in the world, especially USA. Like psychology, history, rethoric, romance, hanging out with friends, walks, preparation of the lesson plans, working and providing high-quality services to my clients, the world of business and personal development. I like green tea. I am a decent chess player.