I am pleased to recommend Darren's without reservation. I have participated in Darren's  Online…read moreSmall, Intensive Accent Modification Class.  I was thoroughly impressed by how this course was put together. I have been looking for this class type for a long time; there is nothing similar in the market. Darren is an M.S., CCC/SLP  speech-language pathologist specializing in the communication skills of non-native English speakers.  PLEASE also don't hesitate to get the Online Communication Assessment. If you are a professional working in a corporate environment and having difficulties with business presentations, intonation, please reach out to Packard Communications

I was charged for an assessment, then the business owner stopped communicating with me and I was…read morenot able to take any classes or recover the cost. I received the assessment report, but the metrics proposed for measuring improvement were not clearly defined. In addition, this person has tried to convince me that speech therapists are not supported by health insurance when there are at least two such providers in my zip code.

Love this place. Waltor is an amazing teacher who is ver passionate about what he does. There is no…read morereal schedual as far as what you'll be learning, he kind of ebs and flows with the class. He takes great care and interest in his students and will literally remember everything that you say about yourself (LITERALLY). He also let's students pick the day that works best for them to learn, so if you can't make your intended class you don't have to miss ghat whole week, which is really nice, but can lead to some mixed up classes. Overall love it. Oh, almost forgot, he offers wine to help people loosen up and be willing to try more spanish, which has been a very effective technique for me.

I had a gift certificate to this school and confirmed they could do classes via zoom. Their website…read morealso says they can do zoom classes. All of my communication with Walter has been in writing, via email or text. Walter has no-showed me twice and the other lessons was consistently late 10-15 minutes. Most times I had to ask for a zoom link, only once was it provided in advance and he no showed anyway. He did our zoom meetings from outside of what looked like a cafe which was dropping service and after two drops texted me to complete a page we were working on. Next meeting he asked/implied I didn't do my homework and I repeated to him that I did the pages requested, he did our meeting from a bakery that time and wrapped up because they were closing. The last time he no showed I responded to the zoom email invite saying I had waited 20 minutes. I've never heard back. So I'd sum this up as consistently late and unreliable. I'd be pretty angry had I spent my own money for these lessons but I did let the person who gave me the gift certificate know what was going on. They did;however, waste my time which I consider valuable. I don't recommend this school.

This place is a gift to anyone that has taken Spanish in school and yet never learned it. After 4…read moreyears of Spanish in high school and not absorbing any of it, I was skeptical that I could be taught. My instructor taught us so much, and broke it down into lessons that made the transition so much easier that I'm not only learning Spanish, but I'm enjoying understanding the how's and the why's of the language. All classes are very small (usually no more than 8) which makes it easy to learn, grow, and laugh with each other. I never felt that I couldn't make a mistake or ask a question. The homework is minimal and doesn't usually take more than an hour a week. (Though it's good to make vocab flash cards as you go and keep practicing). Wonderful teachers, quick responces to emails and phone calls.

I have been attending group spanish classes at Tierra for over 2 years. I started with no spanish…read moreknowledge other than what I learned on Sesame Street as a kid. They are very affordable compared to others, and they have great native speakers for teachers. I have had 3 teachers for different levels, and some others as substitutes. And all their teachers are dynamic and energetic and PATIENT! Especially good for me, because I memorize vocabulary v e r y s l o w l y. The classes are no larger than 8 people so you get really personal attention compared to the universities and colleges. Our class has been studying together for several months and we are now all friends and have attended foreign films together around town and we sometimes bring in snacks for celebrations or special occasions like birthdays etc. I have attended their social celebrations like Day of the Dead and Mexican Independence Day and feel like its a great little community and family at Tierra.

We have been customers of the Mandarin Learning Center for several years now. We love Steve and his…read morestaff. My daughter has learned so much in a short period of time. I hope to continue to use the school for many more years to come. I highly recommend this program for all ages. You will not be disappointed.

Excellent centre. My son has been attending for a couple of years now and absolutely loves the home…read moreclass service. MLC team has been very supportive on his journey learning mandarin and bring a lot of innovation including role play and games to help kids learn the language in a comfortable manner. Definitely recommend them for anybody looking to learn Mandarin.

I've been studying at Sepia Language School for about a year, starting with French 1 group lessons…read moreand working my way through French 2 and French 3 with Chelsi. I'm now taking private lessons with her and can't wait to start Intermediate French. Chelsi is an excellent teacher--she's knowledgeable, patient, and makes learning French engaging and approachable. I recently traveled to France and was thrilled to feel confident speaking French in everyday situations.

I have had another Spanish teacher and it was so very confusing! The teachers at sepia made me feel…read moreso very welcome and were patient and very explanatory with my studies!!

Abby tutored my HS Senior daughter in preparation of her ACT test this last December 2016 with the…read moregoal of raising her overall score, especially her math. Abby relates very well to young adults, my daughter said she covered a lot of information, explained it very well and kept the pace right at what she could integrate (given our short timeframe.) She was familiar with both SAT & ACT testing formats and gave her valuable tips which assisted her in raising her ACT score 3 points which put my daughter in scholarship range. I would recommend Abby to any student or parent needing assistance-particulary our experience with math. THANK YOU Abby!

From the owner: Hello neighbors! My name is Abby Larson and I am a professional tutor in Multnomah Village. I offer…read morespecialized, effective tutoring in math, the sciences, Spanish language, and SAT/ACT prep. As a tutor, I not only prepare students to reach their academic goals, but also serve as a mentor, helping them to discover their own ability to learn, persevere, and grow. I also provide strategies for academic success beyond high school, focusing on study habits, organization, and personal goal setting. Lessons with me are comprehensive, interactive, and fun. I understand that different learners need different modes of teaching; therefore, I tailor my lessons to students' specific needs. I am experienced in teaching for different modes of learning and learning disabilities. Lastly, I work with the student and their family, keeping parents informed (via weekly email updates) on their child's goals, progress, and homework, as well as our plan for upcoming lessons.

You get what you pay for. Bodhi Tree's adult languages classes are affordable and scheduled…read moreconveniently for working people. They are not university classes and don't pretend to be. They're not even high school classes. They're "community" classes which attract learners with a very wide variety of abilities, backgrounds, and motivations. The public assumption that being a native speaker of a language somehow qualifies a person to teach that language seems to rule here. Before a scheduled sojourn in a foreign land, I was delighted to find an available class in the language of that land, and cheerfully signed up. I did the homework and attended every session. My teacher was not a credentialed language instructor but this person was generally punctual, knowledgeable and sincere. The textbook was good. My overall disappointing results were not due to any lack of good will on the part of students or teacher. The issue was that because the instructors are not trained in how to handle mixed-level classes, my teacher wasted a great deal of time (my time) in trying to cater to those unprepared (didn't do the homework) or those who have no idea how to learn a language (most Americans). For example, one woman student, in her thirties, leapt up from her seat at least three times during every class to answer voice calls, and texted constantly throughout. Having missed the instruction, she would ask the teacher to repeat the point, which he politely did. Another older man apparently had never studied a language before (perhaps had never studied anything before). He filled the class hour with random questions about basic grammar (what is a noun? what do you mean, noun?) history, and politics -- all of which the teacher politely answered, sometimes at length. Due to the teacher's lack of training in mixed-level classroom management, the pace of instruction was extremely slow and disorderly. In eight weeks I learned very little. I would not go back. Still, with so much variation among individual teachers and the possibility of a better mix of adult students, your mileage may vary. Bodhi tree is the only place in Portland to get formal instruction in Mongolian, for example -- and it's affordable. By all means give it a try, but I'd recommend to keep expectations low.

I actually only had the opportunity to take one class at this center because after someone dropping…read moreout, the class size was too small to continue. I was deeply disappointed, but I thought I would still share my experience. The only thing that really bothered me was how warm the room was. Maybe I just have a high tolerance for things, but I wasn't put off by anything. I was there to learn Cantonese Level 1. The instructor was very kind and friendly, and I hate that I forgot her name. If you're going in there expecting to be taught, then go somewhere else. This is a place to talk about the language, go through dialogue, and familiarize yourself with the way it sounds and how to speak it. But there weren't drills, memorizing or starting with the basics like tones. And that was fine for me because my memory is excellent and I can clearly remember how the instructor says it and I can repeat it. I'm thinking about doing one-on-one tutoring there, but the distance is a little out of my way. These are community classes and I had a good time.

I've been studying Spanish with Gail for the past few years, focusing on conversational classes,…read moreand I can't recommend her highly enough. What sets Gail apart is her ability to tailor each session to your specific needs, interests, and level. She doesn't follow a one-size-fits-all approach, which makes the learning experience feel both relevant and engaging. Gail creates a comfortable, supportive environment that builds confidence in speaking, which is often the hardest part of learning a language. She is incredibly reliable, always prepared, and consistent--something that really matters when you're committing to long-term learning. Beyond that, she has a great ability to challenge you in the right ways, pushing your skills forward while still making the process enjoyable. After three years, I've seen meaningful progress in my fluency and comfort level, which is a direct reflection of her thoughtful, personalized approach.

I've been learning Spanish with Gail for years now. Specifically, she has helped me gain confidence…read morein speaking and now we meet once a week for conversation so I can continue learning and speaking with someone. When I started with her, I could barely string words together, now, we have real conversations about life. Gail is a fantastic teacher and has the patience of a saint! She also meets you where you're at and tailors her teaching to your needs and goals. I HIGHLY recommend Gail for private Spanish tutoring. I can't speak highly enough of her!!!!!

This is a great school with an amazing staff that cares about my child's development. Lower school…read more(PS-5th grade) is French language immersion but the middle school has 5 language tracks, including English only, French (obviously), German, Chinese, and Spanish. The student-teacher ratio is purposefully low and my kid is eager to come to school every day. The campus is big and the other parents are so welcoming. Go visit the campus if you want to learn more about this amazing program.

When your kids have historically not liked school, and then you switch to a different school (FAIS)…read moreand they repeatedly tell you how much they love their school and how they are glad they don't go anywhere else.....you thank your lucky stars that a school like FAIS exists! This school gives kids the wiggle room, the outdoor connection, a Global perspective and basis of information for learning, a rigorous and enriching IB program, amazing art/music/PE that is woven into their everyday subjects beautifully, caring faculty, a small teacher:student ratio, and it instills a love of learning that, based on what I hear from alumni, carries on into their higher education. And let's be real, hearing your child carry on a conversation with their teachers and friends in French is pretty darn cool. Especially when neither parent at home speaks it!