Teaching/Tutoring
I am a foreign language specialist with 30 years experience helping children, teenagers and adults develop and enhance their skills in speaking, reading, and writing French and Spanish. My passion for the study and teaching of foreign language began in my high school years and continued as I pursued a B.A. in French; went to study for a semester at the Institute des Etudiants Etrangers in Aix-en-Provence, France; lived for a year in Mexico City where I worked as a teacher and translator and more recently, lived in Sevilla and Jerez de la Frontera, Spain where I conducted academic research on Spanish Flamenco in preparation for my doctoral degree in Ethnomusicology from UCLA.
Music class, Nicaragua
I have traveled extensively throughout Mexico and have traveled in Perú and Bolivia, conducting research in Andean music. I spent one summer as a volunteer in Nicaragua, working with children teaching music in the public schools in León. I have also traveled and studied in France and Morocco.
As a result of my years of living and working and traveling in these countries, I bring personal experience, cultural understanding and enrichment to the study of both languages. I teach in a variety of settings from public and private school classrooms, to business and institutional groups. I offer private instruction as a tutor for individuals and small groups. I bring enthusiasm, expertise, experience and patience to my teaching, as I share my love of French and Spanish study with students of all ages. I am a California State Certified teacher and have a Single Subject Credential in both French and Spanish. I also hold a Spanish-English Bi-Lingual, Bi-cultural Certification for state of California.
In addition to my teaching, I am an experienced interpreter and translator and have worked in medical facilities, hospitals and educational settings providing Spanish and French interpretation and translation in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Los Angeles. I provide skill, experience, patience and cultural understanding to my work as an interpreter, in medical, educational and business settings.
Comments from Clients
Private Tutoring Students
“Loren is a great tutor who has worked with me for many years in my life goal of trying to be fluent in Spanish. Not only does she have experience as a tutor, but also as a teacher at the Junior High and High School levels. Perhaps most importantly, she has lived in Mexico and Spain which adds deep understanding of the cultures which we spoke of and read about in our sessions. She has made our weekly sessions productive and enjoyable.”
– Dan F, Advanced student, Oakland.
“Loren has really helped my daughter understand French grammar concepts and vocabulary. In fact, her French grade has improved substantially since Loren has been helping us. We also find Loren to be an encouraging teacher that we look forward to having come to our home. Highly recommended.”s
– L. W., Lafayette, CA.
“Loren is a wonderful teacher who is patient and teaches at a comfortable pace. She is professional and provides a quality learning experience.”
– Kamika Dunlap, first year student, Spanish.
“ My teenage son had very good experiences with one-on-one Spanish tutoring with Loren Chuse. Loren came highly recommended by the head of languages at Berkeley High. She was reliable, good natured, patient, reasonably priced and she came to our house! After Loren’s help, my son’s Spanish improved considerably, and he’s done much better in his high school Spanish class this past year.”
– Monolingual mom, Berkeley Parents of Teens Network.
School Administrators
– Andrea Hayes, Assistant Principal, Hayward High School. June 2009.
“I would like to recommend Ms. Loren Chuse as an effective and dedicated educator who would serve as an asset to any organization fortunate enough to hire her.”
– Thomas J. Merritt, Assistant Principal, San Lorenzo High School, 2011.
“As Loren’s evaluator I found her efforts are good. She works hard to make sure that her lessons are interesting and informative. She worked with a diverse group of students, crafting her curriculum in a way that kept content interesting. Loren exhibits the type of professional approach that you expect in quality educators. I recommend her most highly.”
Loren Chuse Language Services 