Personal philosophy
I believe languages are best learned through communication and practical language application. In addition, lessons should be geared toward your specific level and interests. I have worked with a variety of language learners including middle school, high school, and college students, online students, and professionals.
With 10 years of experience of teaching and tutoring, 2 years living in and traveling to Spain, and 17 years of studying Spanish, I have a strong grasp of the language and the best ways to learn it as an English speaker.
For those truly interested in learning a second language, motivation and self-study are required. Outside of our sessions, it is important for my students to spend some time reviewing on their own.
Prices
Tutoring rate starts at $25 per hour. My base price is currently for tutoring sessions online via via Google Meet or Zoom. Payments must be paid in advance through PayPal or Venmo.
To make sure that you are up-to-date on your progress, I will send out a report every two sessions. This comes at no additional cost; it is my way to help you stay on track.
Testimonials
"Matthew is an excellent Spanish tutor. He is very knowledgeable of the Spanish language and culture. He is helpful and always comes prepared for sessions. Matthew gave my son the support and confidence he needed to get through level four of a subject that does not come easily to him. Matthew is warm, approachable and easy to relate to. My son always looked forward to their sessions together, and we felt very lucky to have found him. Highly recommended!" - Parent of former high school tutee
"Matthew is not only knowledgeable in Spanish, he is an incredibly effective teacher. He is dedicated to ensuring his students are learning, which as a student is incredibly important. He has a passion for teaching, obvious in the work he put in to prepare for our class and this in turn further motivated me as a student." - Former Second Semester Spanish (SPA 102) student
"Professor Griffin is quite easily the best teacher I have ever had. He makes real and personal connections with the students, has a passion for what he teaches and learns, and his teaching broke all previous expectations I had for learning a language: class was entertaining, engaging, and I never felt as though I was attending a boring lecture or just trying to get class credit, I truly enjoyed his class more than any other that I have taken." - Former Fourth Semester Spanish (SPA 204) student
"Your class was great! It was really nice to see [your students], on the whole, happily speaking Spanish and staying engaged with the material. It was very obvious that you have established a really good rapport with this group and that they felt comfortable and safe in your classroom. You made material that could be very dry into something that generated a good deal of smiles and laughter, which is always a good sign!" - Review from Director of Spanish Program at UW-Madison
In addition to Spanish language lessons, I provide the following services:
- Thai tutor sessions (novice to beginner)
- Spanish interpreting and translation