About Me

Christoph P. Dusenbery

Welcome! I'm a professional language tutor with more than 15,000 hours of experience teaching English, Hindi, and Urdu. I continuously adapt to each learner’s needs, ensuring the material is presented in the most effective way and providing the appropriate type and frequency of practice work.

Specializations

In addition to general English, Hindi and Urdu language teaching, I specialize in test preparation classes for the TOEFL and IELTS English proficiency tests. I also work with Hindi and Urdu students preparing for foreign service exams in the US or abroad. My extensive experience allows me to tailor my approach to help each student achieve their specific goals.

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Education

I earned my TESOL certification from Seattle University in 2008 and completed several master’s level courses in teaching and language learning. My journey with Hindi and Urdu began in 2006 at the University of Washington. After four intensive quarters of study, I continued my language education at the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) Advanced Hindi Language Program in Jaipur, India, completing two advanced-level programs back-to-back. In 2008, AIIS hired me as the first-ever non-native speaker to teach in their Basic Hindi Program.

Experience

In 2009, I cofounded Zabaan, a language school in New Delhi, India, which has become a world-class institution for language learning. At Zabaan, I gained over 10,000 hours of in-class language instruction experience, working with students of all ages and backgrounds from dozens of countries. This experience also helped me develop valuable administrative and teacher training skills. After eight years of living and teaching in India, I returned to Seattle to study teaching and established myself as a professional tutor.

Philosophy

I strongly believe in a structured approach in which the student has sufficient opportunity to practice the structures and vocabulary of the language as well as use the language more spontaneously. Authentic materials are important but materials made for learners also have their place. In short, I believe in a balanced approach to language teaching and learning.

One thing that sets me apart as a language teacher is my firsthand experience of becoming fluent in second languages and living in an entirely different culture. This perspective allows me to anticipate the challenges students face and make the learning process as smooth and organized as possible.

Availability

I travel back and forth between Seattle, USA and Jaipur, India with my wife and two kids. I am generally available for online classes between 6 - 10 am and 4:30 - 10 pm (PST).

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