In my own way: “I’ve gone from learning a foreign language to teaching it.”

Welcome to How IDidIt, a weekly professional travel series.

This week we will talk to language teacher Esteban Tuma, who offers live lessons on the Babbel language learning platform.

Your job is not just to stand in front of the classroom, but to create innovative content online. As a result, many videos and media avoid his teachings. Even costumes can be part of the ensemble.

Esteban from Ecuador came to the United States when he decided to study the language seriously.

Outside of education, he is also a comedian.

Talking to her she says:

This is your path.

Esteban, how long have you been in this business?

I have been teaching languages ​​for more than 10 years.

I studied communication and literature in my home country, Ecuador, and initially planned to be a literature teacher, but shortly before graduating from college, I decided to teach some Spanish to international students.

I loved seeing the lightbulb moments when someone could learn a new phrase or request something for themselves. Almost literally, you can see the student’s brain by clicking.

Let’s be a part of that proud moment when you can finally say “Where’s the bathroom?” Oh that was good.

What happened from there?

When I went to the United States, I took it seriously, earning a master’s degree in Spanish and furthering my passion for general foreign language education.

Teaching also turned me into a monologue: I soon discovered that humor is a very powerful tool for language teaching, as learning a language can be frustrating, but it helps when you can tell that they made a mistake in language learning too.

Therefore, I started teaching stand-up comedy and content production while teaching in my spare time.

How difficult was the transition from learning English to teaching English speakers?

I have been learning English since I was a child in Ecuador, but using English as a teacher to ignore professional standards is a huge leap.

I also made the incredible decision to marry an English teacher.

Do you really want to learn a language? Marry a strict and fair instructor who corrects every word you say 24/7.

How much did you train for this job? Is there a route defined?

A higher education degree is much needed to understand the nuances of language learning.

Being a media producer is a bit different. It is a practical experience, because it is a very practical profession, so you have to participate.

I think the job is very rewarding.

It is great to see the progress of the students.

Seeing non-Spanish speaking students having real conversations with them in the classroom, they are writing new sentences, expressing themselves and sharing information with me in Spanish. Seeing that creates a real human connection with them. Participating in your process of learning my language…it’s really great.

Learning a language is not easy, so I have a lot of respect for those who challenge it.

What do you like most about your job?

I love how creative it is.

Language learning is about human connections. That is why we focus on genuine communication and the creation of creative products.

What do not you like?

Working remotely in tight spaces can be difficult.

The worst part is that you probably need to turn off the lights, remove the green screen, remove the kit, and put everything back the next day after shooting all day.