Inese Zvirgzdins, Experienced English teacher

About

I am a qualified and experienced English teacher with more than 30 years experience teaching mainly primary students. I have worked in Australia, Canada, Portugal, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. I have been in management but prefer working with students more as I enjoy seeing them progress on their learning journey. I try to plan fun, engaging lessons based on student interests and ability. I love reading and believe that engaging with literature is a positive way to develop successful understanding of the language. My teaching experience has been mainly with primary age students but I have worked with students both older and younger. I have also worked specifically with EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students both online and in person.

Experience

Singapore International School Bangkok

Oct 2016 – Jul 2022

Bangkok, Thailand

Teacher-Primary-English, Science, Social Studies, Pastoral care/ESL

Home room teacher for Primary grade 1 and 2, teaching English, Science, Social Studies, ESL teacher for grade 1 and 2

Concordian International School

Aug 2010 – Aug 2016

Bangkok, Thailand

IBPYP ( International Baccalaureate Primary Year Programme) Coordinator, Grade 5 Home room teacher, ESL support teacher

Develop and increase staff understanding of the programme (PYP) present in-school professional development for staff and parent community, organise and support teachers in planning, teaching and assessing inquiry-based learning, help prepare documentation for school accreditation visit. Home room teacher teaching all subjects in English through inquiry.

Younghoon Elementary School

Mar 2008 – Jul 2010

Seoul, South Korea

Assistant Director English Section

Assisting English Director of Bi-lingual school (Korean and English) in all duties:- interviewing and hiring staff, training teachers to teach effectively in a bi-lingual situation, recommending and purchasing appropriate teaching materials, providing in-school professional development for teachers, supervising and appraising English teaching staff, organising and supervising 2 week English Summer camp for students, mediating between English staff and Korean management regarding expectations.

Tokyo International School

Jul 2005 – Mar 2008

Tokyo, Japan

IB PYP (International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme) Coordinator

Develop and increase staff understanding of the programme (PYP) , present in-school professional development for staff and school community, organise and support teachers in planning, teaching and assessing inquiry-based learning, help prepare documentation for school accreditation visit.

St Dominic's International School

Aug 1997 – Jun 2005

Lisbon, Portugal

Teacher- Primary-all subjects, IB PYP Coordinator

Homeroom teacher grade 5-teaching English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, ESL support

South Australian Department of Education

Feb 1980 – Jun 1997

Various locations in South Australia, Australia

Teacher-Primary

Home-room teacher Primary grades 3-7, teaching all subjects

Education

University of South Australia-RSA/Cambridge CELTA

Sep 1996 – Dec 1996

Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults, English

University of Adelaide, Murray Park/Hartley campus

Feb 1977 – Dec 1979

Diploma of Teaching, Education, Music, Psychology

Inese Zvirgzdins

Experienced English teacher

Skills