TEACHER CASE STUDIES

Listen & Learn: Hi, Leema! To begin, can you tell us which language you teach?
Leema: I teach Bangla, which some people call Bengali.

Listen & Learn: Why did you want to teach Bangla? What do you love about the career?
Leema: I chose to teach Bangla because, as a Bangladeshi, I am proud of my language. In Bangladesh, Bangla is a primary language and a mandatory subject, so I am not only a native speaker, but familiar with its grammar structure and other aspects. In my country, it is great to see the new generation speaking, reading, and understanding Bangla. This is the first step to learning our indigenous culture. Sadly, still relatively few kids can do this, and most parents don't realize the importance of teaching their children the Bangla Language while they are still young. So, I like to teach kids to talk in their parents’ language. Young children can learn multiple languages at a time and it only isn’t done more because of a lack of effort. To me, it is a joy to share my beautiful culture with others by teaching Bangla. I am experienced teaching both children and adults from all around the world.

Listen & Learn: You have been teaching with Listen & Learn for a few months now. What is your favorite thing about working with us?
Leema: Listen & Learn is a professional language course provider that works hard to connect students with the right teacher. At the same time, it supports teachers, providing all the necessary information to help trainers organize their lesson plans, syllabus, and resources. However, my favorite thing about working with Listen & Learn is the excellent communication. I always feel supported and really appreciate their fast responses. Also, the company’s response to the pandemic has been excellent. I started in-person classes with my students, but Listen & Learn helped us to rearrange our lessons to be on Skype instead.

Listen & Learn: It seems you really value your students, which is wonderful. What do you hope for when being asked to teach a student?
Leema: I want my students to be attentive and focused.

Listen & Learn: So they learn quickly, right? That makes sense! And what should students expect from you as their teacher?
Leema: That I will teach them the most appropriate syllabus and use the best learning tools to help them achieve their goals.

Listen & Learn: Lastly, can you tell us about one of your most memorable moments with Listen & Learn?
Leema: I was teaching two students the Bangla names for body parts in an online class. When I finished, I asked if they had understood everything. Without asking them, they both held up drawings of skeletons each of them had done, with the names labeling the appropriate parts. It was such a strange coincidence and really made me laugh.