Welcome!

Let’s be honest. You can speak English. That’s partly why you are here. You may wonder if you ‘need ‘ this workshop. You may be here because you are convinced you ‘can’t speak’ or you feel that you must ‘do something’ with the English skills you have already acquired. Whatever reason brought you to this workshop, I’m glad you are here. I have found that the people who participate in this workshop enjoy speaking English and are invested in their own development. One of the assumptions that will guide my activities in this workshop is that learning should be interactive and stimulating, so I’m committed to make sure this workshop is not just a repetitive review of the English that you’ve learned up till now, but rather a culmination of creative activities to help you become an even more fluent speaker of English.

I began my teaching career in Southern California, USA, at the Orange County Outdoor School where I was introduced to experiential learning. I devised and orchestrated hands-on learning activities while teaching outdoor classes in the San Bernardino Mountains.

In 1988, I immigrated to Greece at which time I began teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). I worked at a local, private language school and as a private tutor to both children and adults, yet soon discovered that such teaching mandated a prescriptive strategy of exam preparation rather than nuanced oral communication skills. This work gave me new passion for language learning. I began deviating from course books while simultaneously employing more interactive, learner-centered activities into the program.  Learners applied themselves more, participated with greater confidence, and ultimately developed their oral communication skills in English.

The Living English Studio was the manifestation of a desire to broaden the scope of foreign language learning methodology. My belief that a vibrant, encouraging, stimulating community of learners allowed to explore the language in ways that would benefit them both professionally and personally would alter the script of language learning.

Since then, I have created an elaborate repertoire of vigorous activities to enrich my projects and workshops. I have also cultivated an all-encompassing approach to teaching, in which English is used as a tool to encourage greater self expression and leadership.