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| What my
students say... |
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"I thought I would write to tell you how much
my Spanish classes have meant to me. As a small business owner in New
York with a Latin wife, my desire to learn Spanish is both personal and
professional. Before coming to you I tried a half-dozen other
approaches to learning the language. I attended evening classes,
retained private tutors, worked in small groups, and even enlisted the
aid of my Spanish speaking co-workers. All to no avail.
The situation changed radically after a mere three months under your
tutelage. Your off beat, interesting presentation style and rigorous
study schedule gave me the first real successes in my ongoing quest to
"hablo espanol". I found the character acting and role-play
particularly useful in helping get over my extreme fear of speaking in
front of others. The pacing of your classes showed a well-practiced
rhythm that, although ambitious, was not impossible. The study schedule
forced me to learn quickly without forgetting between lessons. As an
added bonus, your prices were reasonable, even inexpensive.
So thank you for the time and effort you put into helping make me a
more integrated member of my family and professional community.
Although I did not get the opportunity to complete the training, you
provided me with the basis to continue learning. I am forever in your
debt."
Mr. Amram E. Dworkin,
President Avish Enterprises, Inc. New York, NY |
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"In the nearly two years I have studied
Spanish with Adrián, my facility in Spanish
conversation has improved greatly. He is always prepared for my class
to help me focus and resolve problem areas. Moreover, Adrián
is constantly looking for ways of improving his already strong teaching
abilities. I would recommend him to anyone who is serious about
learning Spanish."
Mr. Daniel Huang,
EMI Music Manager of International
Royalties, New York, NY |
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"Adrián has the patience
of a saint. After a long day of work, it is difficult for me to stay
focused in class. It is Adrián's patience with me
that keeps me coming back every week for over a year. My reason for
learning Spanish is my job entails daily communication with factories
in Mexico. I have finally gathered the courage to call Mexico and ask
in Spanish "Hola, quiero hablar con…"
Ms. Wendy D. Cohen,
Product Manager of TOMMY HILFIGER, New York,
NY |
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"Adrián makes learning
Spanish more than just a "class". He uses a good balance of grammar and
vocabulary with interactive conversation and role play in real life
situations. It's fun as well as leaning. Adrian is
very patient and he speaks Spanish for 95% of the class. This is an
excellent way for leaning Spanish."
Mr. Joe Dung,
Partner, DELOITTE & TOUCHE, New
York, NY |
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"Adrián is a terrific
teacher. He's animated, focused, well organized, and very dynamic. He
also has a terrific sense of humor and is very professional and
thorough in his approach. Lessons are both intense and fun at the same
time, a winning combination. Also Adrián never
seems to get tired or look at his watch. Two excellent qualities worth
noting."
Mr. Rob Liebman,
Salesman, Garment District , New York, NY |
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"I studied Spanish with Adrián
for nearly a year, and can honestly say that I got more from his
teachings than from any other foreign language class I have taken. I
came to Adrián as a virtual beginner, and left
being able to communicate freely in Spanish. My reason for beginning my
study was a pending trip to South America. After a few short months
with Adrián, I was able to converse easily on my
trip. I enjoyed the classes so much that I continued on with him for
nearly a year. I cannot vouch more strongly for his professionalism and
his knowledge. He is always prepared and thorough- and I still retain
much of what he taught me. I have studied previously at Berlitz, and I
can honestly say that Adrián's lessons were far
superior, and MUCH less expensive."
Mr. Sam Reep,
Art Director, NEW YORK TIMES, New York, NY |
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"I studied Spanish with Prof.
González for a little more than one year. I have taken
private language lessons with various professors over the past five
years in San Francisco and New York with independent professors and
established institutions such as Berlitz. Professor González
is extremely professional, and I can sincerely say that he was the most
organized, energetic, and motivating professor out of all of them. He
was excellent at conducting the class at a level appropriate for my
abilities and introducing vocabulary and course work specific to my
needs."
Ms. Rebecca Gordon,
Accountant, MET LIFE, New York, NY |
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"I enjoyed my classes with Adrián
more than other's that I had previously taken, because Adrián
teaches Spanish in the best possible way. He integrates real life
situations into the lessons and allows the student to speak as if they
were in Spain or another Spanish speaking country. In addition, Adrián
identifies a students weaknesses and crafts lesson plans and homework
assignments to help the student overcome them. All in all, I found that
I learned more in a quicker period of time using Adrian's methods."
Mr. Claude Pappas,
Project Leader, Change Initiatives, CREDIT SUISSE
ASSET MANAGEMENT, Tokyo, Japan |
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"Learning a language is not like taking
another ordinary class. It is learning something new altogether from
A-Z. Professor González can teach you
without making you feel intimidated at the same time having fun is
important. I found Adrián through the
Internet, and he has not made me regret the decision of learning
Spanish. I want to keep at it since I am having so much fun."
Mr. Mahesh Bhupathi,
Professional Tennis Player, Winner 1999 Doubles Roland Garros and
Wimbledon, India. |
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"I started taking Adrián's
class about two years ago. I have thoroughly enjoyed the learning
process. Adrián manages to combine an academic and
intuitive approach to his teaching and he is extremely enthusiastic and
energetic. I always feel as if he is giving 100% towads making sure
that I learn the language correctly, while at the same time enjoying
it. As a result I can now speak, write and understand Spanish and I
look forward to all my lessons!"
Ms. Pauline Mason,
Production Supervisor of OXYGEN MEDIA, England. |
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"When I came to Adrián, I
was worried because my graduate school required me to pass a Spanish
literary exam before I could get my degree. I hadn't taken Spanish in
twenty years, and was sure I'd fail. But Adrian
worked with me for just three months--and then I passed the exam!! I'd
always been terrible with languages before, but Adrián
is extremely patient and sweet. He makes learning fun. If it weren't
for Adrián, I wouldn't be getting my Masters
degree!"
Ms. Patricia A. Hendrix,
Summa Cum Laude M.A.(c)-- Seton Hall University |
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"When I moved from Amsterdam to New York
almost two years ago, I wanted to learn Spanish. I am still very happy
I made the decision to do so with Adrián.
His methods and way of teaching are very effective, and the atmosphere
is always great. I recommend him to anyone interested in learning
Spanish. I shall be traveling through Ecuador this summer with a lot
more confidence than I would otherwise have had.
¡Adrián, gracias!"
Ms. Eline van der Vlist,
Lawyer, DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL, New York, NY |
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"I have only been taking
lessons from Adrián for a few months, but I feel
that I have learned a great deal and am certain that I will continue to
learn at the same speed. Much of the credit is owed to Adrián,
who does an excellent job of preparing and presenting each
lesson. I am taking Spanish lessons, because I am fond of
languages and find Spanish to be not only useful, but also
beautiful. It is important to find a professor like Adrián,
who can give you the proper attention with a good level of
enthusiasm. In no time, you will be speaking comfortably."
Mr. Robert
Howard
Offerings Specialist, CRAVATH, SWAINE & MOORE, New York,
NY |
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"Let me start off by thanking you for one of
the best educational experiences of my life. When I began, I honestly
had no idea how much Spanish I would learn. When we were finished, I
couldn't believe how much we had accomplished. I will not go on to
long, however, because I will just start repeating my
testimonial, which is written below.
When I walked into Adrian's classroom on my first
day, I knew absolutely no Spanish. I was nervous because I had recently
taken a job as an English teacher in Ecuador and I needed to learn as
much as possible before traveling to South America. In addition, I was
accustomed to boring and unproductive
language instruction throughout my years in school. Adrian's
classes, however, were both productive and stimulating. He used a
variety of activities and assignments that allowed me to develop strong
reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Class was always fun
and exciting and Adrian always seemed to know where
I needed the most help and how to assist me in those areas. Not only
has Adrian helped me develop the ability to
communicate in Spanish, he has also helped me unlock my ability to
learn a new language. I am headed off to Ecuador shortly, and I am more
excited than ever to be fully immersed in a new way of speaking.
Thanks again for providing such a wonderful learning experience."
Mr. Brian Yates
English Teacher, Loja, Ecuador |
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"Hi Adrian,
Guatemala has been a lot of fun! I don't know what we would
have done without the Spanish lessons, because many people, especially
at hotels, surprisingly, speak no English.
My friend has been a little Spanish traumatized, since her teachers in
the language school were not bilingual and she had a hard time making
progress. She felt somewhat isolated.
I intend to continue with Spanish when I return, definitely. This has
also inspired me to take up French again, because I have a strong
foundation there that I just have to round off with spoken and
listening skills.
Thank you very much for the classes. I really feel that they were
effective in giving us useful Spanish for our trip!
Best Wishes,"
Mr. Chris Rose
Software developer, New York, NY |
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"I began
studying Spanish with Adrian Gonzalez-Martinez
after having worked in Colombia with interpreters and having taken two
weeks of elementary grammar there. I had found that traveling
through rural areas with my rudimentary Spanish was like wearing a
t-shirt with “Take advantage of me” printed on it, so I set up a
regular schedule of classes here in New York with Adrian.
Having
already acquired a healthy respect for the intricacies of Spanish
grammar and vocabulary, I needed intensive study to overcome the
pitfalls of “picking up” a language informally.
Adrian was very exacting in his lessons and had to endure my
lapsing into bits and pieces of bad Italian, German and French from my
distant past, as well as the problem of intuitively sensing things
beyond my grasp. I believe the truism that the mark of good
education in a foreign language is an improved understanding of one’s
mother tongue. I have learned more about language in general
from three years of one-on-one struggle with Spanish than from years of
university language study, which never pierces the most superficial
level.
One reason I
wanted to learn Spanish was a desire to stay up to date in a
fast-changing USA in which Spanish is quickly becoming a second
official language. Thanks to our intensive work I no longer
speak one less language than so-called “bilingual” children of
immigrants, and I recently met a Colombian-American “bilingual”
co-worker who told my boss I speak Spanish better than she
does.
The world may
be getting smaller, but speaking English does not take one any further
in this hemisphere than it did a generation ago. Since my
lessons with Adrian I have been able to venture out
of the banal coastal resorts of Mexico to enjoy some of what that
country has to offer, and now when I open my mouth what I have to say
is greeted with respect and friendly chat instead of non-comprehension,
disdain and/or opportunism.
Another
fringe benefit of my study with Adrian is that I
can read foreign newspapers (Spain, Venezuela, Argentina) and get a
different perspective on current events involving the USA, as well as
more in-depth news about what’s happening in those countries.
A few quick and dirty lessons in “habla espanol” are not sufficient to
comprehend the written language. It takes discipline, time
and an intelligent teacher who’s quick on his feet."
James W.
Johnson
Freelance Court Reporter/Stenographer
New York City
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"Adrian, Happy New Year!
Just wanted to let you know that I started my new job and am unsure of
my schedule for the next few months. I'll let you know when I'll be
able to continue my classes. I also wanted to let you know that the 3
weeks we spent together were excellent and I feel like I really learned
a lot. I'll try to practice so I don't forget everything!"
Ms. Lisa
Heller
Vice President,
CDC IXIS Financial Guaranty,
New York, NY |
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"Hola Adrian,
I wanted to write and tell you that I had a wonderful time in
Argentina. The time I spent working with you was helpful.
After I returned, I finished my master's degree at the New School and
then moved to San Francisco. I am also thinking a lot about continuing
to work on my Spanish.
I did want to say that I think you are a great teacher and I learned a
lot. If I were still in NYC I'd be taking more lessons from you.
Hope you are well."
Mr. Max Maddock
Senior Production Manager for Landor Associates, New
York, NY |
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"Hi Adrian,
How is it going? This is Sam Walsh. I took classes with you about a
year ago. After I finished up with you, I went to Ecuador for a year to
teach English as a foreign language. First, I lived in Quito for a
month, and then I started my work in a town called Limoncocha, which is
in the Amazon rain forest, near the borders with Peru and Colombia. I
taught the Kichwa speaking students there for about 10 months. As you
predicted, it was very difficult, but I learned a ton. Due to
everyone's lack of familiarity with English, I gave my classes in
Spanish, and spoke Spanish constantly. I was the only Gringo in the
town, and probably one of like 10 Gringos in the whole province.
Needless to say I was a celebrity.
Anyway, now I'm back in the states. Ideally, I'd continue taking
classes with you, but unfortunately, I'm living in Boston right now.
I cannot thank you enough for the work you did with me. I was able to
get so much more out of my experience in Ecuador than I would have
gotten without your lessons. My Spanish really opened a lot of doors
for me down there. After the first two months in Ecuador, my listening
got a lot better, and I could speak very rapidly. People were really
impressed.
Take Care,"
Sam Walsh
English Teacher |
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"Hola Adrian,
I hope you will remember that you talked with me in Rehoboth Delaware
by phone for 2 weeks; I just wanted to share with you that I finally
got my results today from the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching
of Foreign Languages) people and, thanks to you, I passed with the
"advanced low" score that I needed to be certified. My certification
process included passing 2 Praxis tests, studying for 5 weeks in Spain,
and then this oral exam. Muchisimas gracias...estoy muy feliz hoy!"
Gayle Fitzgerald
High School Teacher-French & Spanish, Rehoboth, Delaware |
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"Adrian,
Hello! I just wanted to let you know that I passed my Oral Proficiency
Interview, required by NJDOE for those wishing to be certified to teach
a language. Thank you for all your time and help in preparing for my
test. I really appreciate it. I hope you and your family enjoy the
holidays. Take some time off!"
Lisa Lampariello
Spanish
Teacher, Round Valley Middle School in Lebanon, New Jersey |
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"I am writing the
testimonial in support of my Spanish teacher Adrian
Gonzalez-Martinez.
My goal for Mr. Gonzalez's class was not only to
learn to speak and read Spanish, but to be able to effectively
communicate with Spanish speaking people, confidently.
Mr. Gonzalez's classes were
structured to learn every aspect of the Spanish language element
through exercises. When these exercises were mastered, the classes
progressed to reading stories and newspaper articles with simultaneous
translation.
The final aspect of Mr. Gonzalez's class was to encourage dialogue
between us. I thus gained confidence speaking, listening and
interpreting the material presented at each class.
The Spanish speaking people I meet can not believe I learned Spanish in
the US. Speaking with a good accent and with such expression.
I would recommend Mr. Gonzalez if you want to
confidently speak Spanish without fear."
P.S. My patients compliment my command of
Spanish thanks to you.
Avram Abramowitz
Oncologist and Hematologist,
New
York, NY |
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"Hola Adrian,
I just wanted you to know that tomorrow will be my last class. I am
moving next week to a different apt. for the month of November then I
will be leaving New York. Taking your classes has been so rewarding and
one of the most important things in my life and I appreciate all your
help, encouragement and your laughter during our classes. I know I was
far from your best student, but I really care about learning Spanish
and always looked forward to your classes. I will keep in touch with
you to let you know where I am at and where I will be teaching.
Once again---Thank You!! See you tomorrow."
Scott Petche
English Teacher, Brooklyn, NY |
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"Hi Adrian,
I thoroughly enjoyed each and every class I took with Adrian. I learned
a great deal, had a great time and felt empowered by his instruction. I
look forward to using my new language skills for years to come and know
that I would not have learned nearly as much with any other program in
New York City.”
Christine Rontal, M.S.S.W.
Director of Marketing and Grant writing
Powered
by Professionals, Your
Charity Connection, New
York, NY
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| "If you are intimidated by the thought of
trying to learn a new language, I would highly recommend going to Adrian
as he successfully creates an environment where any type of student can
feel comfortable to make mistakes and ultimately become better Spanish
speakers.”
Ryan Taylor
President Cirios Ventures, San Diego, CA
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"Hola Adrian,
Hoy es el ultimo dia de mi viaje por America Del Sur. Visité
Peru, Bolivia, Chile, y Argentina...y casi tres semanas en Buenos
Aires...ha sido una experiencia muy buena. Estoy escribiendo
porque quiero decirte que podia hablar español con la gente en todas
partes y te digo muchas gracias por todo.
Espero que todo este bien en Nueva York... saluda a Hunter y Lisa de mi
parte."
Clinton Piper
Medical Student at Tulane University School
of Medicine in New Orleans, LA |
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These
letters, and many more like them, are on file at SpanishNewYork.com
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