KTDC IELTS Trainers

Nationality: US

– M.A in International studies with focus on human securities in SE Asia“ at Concordia University Irvine

– Bachelor’s Degree in English with a focus on Contemporary Literature, Portland State University

– CELTA – 2009

Before coming to Vietnam, Tony Giusti worked in Aerospace while living in Southern California. And prior to that, he earned his degree in English with a focus on literature from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, where he spent time working as an editorial assistant for The Portland Review, a literary quarterly, and a station hand for KPSU Radio.

Portland is known for both its social awareness and the arts, often times finding connections between the two considering art has historically been expressions of social consciousness.

So it was during his time in Portland that Tony learned the invaluable lesson of being an individual, of asking questions and challenging conventional wisdoms in order to come to one’s own conclusions. This philosophy is also what brought Tony to KTDC Group, an intimate organization that fosters an independent spirit as well as a progressiveness to challenge conventional ways of teaching in order to discover what is best for its students.

Tony’s past experiences have helped form his approach in the classroom, where the value of asking questions are balanced with the value of providing answers. If students are able to think of questions to ask, he believes, then they should naturally be able to predict questions (along with answers) that will be asked of them. It is also Tony’s belief that, with a strong focus placed on effort and guidance, the desired results will naturally follow, not only in academics, but in life beyond academics.

Nationality: UK

– Bachelor of Economic Science (BSc.Econ with Honours) in Politics, University of Wales, Swansea, UK

– Master of Arts in (MA) in European Politics, from University of Lund, Sweden.

– Master of Education (M.Ed) Elementary Education and English Immersion. University of Phoenix, Arizona, US.

– TEFL – 2006

– Teaching License (Elementary full curriculum K-9) and English Language Immersion for English Language Learners (K-12), 2010, Department of Education Certification Departments, Arizona, US.”

Andy Robertson M.Ed, MA, is a fully certified K-12 classroom teacher with 18 years of international teaching experience. He has been examination preparation instructor for IELTS, SAT and TOEFL iBT since 2007, and has also served as a senior exam prep instructor and head teacher both in Korea and in Vietnam.

Andy has a Master of Arts in Education from Universiry of Phoenix, Arizona, USA and Master European Politics from the University of Lund, which is one of the Europe oldest and Scandinavia’s largest universities. It is the house of many notable people in various fields, highlighted in Humanities and economic, Biology and Medicine, Mathematical and Technical, Politicals and laws, Literature and Culture, Business and Entrepreneurs. He received his BA in Economics from University of Wales.

He originally comes from the UK but has lived, worked and studied in six other countries. He enjoys mountain climbing, movie festivals and in his younger days was a corporate sales manager for British Airways, the UK’s national airline.’

Nationality: UK

– Bachelor of arts in History and polictis, Durham University, UK

– CELTA – 2009

– TKT Band 4 – 2015

Hamish was born in Colchester, Britain’s oldest recorded town, and graduated from Durham, one of its most prestigious universities. In 2001, Hamish embarked on a successful spell as a writer and editor, overseeing the launch of and editing SVI magazine, an electronics publication which still thrives today. As a professional writer, Hamish has published articles on many subjects from interior design to travel. He retains a keen eye for writing and has been able to help IELTS students in Vietnam accordingly.

In 2007 Hamish moved to Asia, where he feel in love with teaching. Following two years in Japan, his certification and a year in South Korea, Hamish moved to Hanoi. As Apollo’s Senior Teacher for Teenagers and Adults, Hamish taught a succession of high-profile clients including the Ministry of Labour and Piaggio. He also became a certified Cambridge speaking examiner, conducting PET and KET tests across Hanoi.

Between 2012 and 2015, Hamish was the Academic Manager of Apollo Danang, where he successfully launched IELTS, CAE and FCE preparation courses in this rapidly growing centre. However, in 2015, to fully engage with his love of teaching, Hamish became an IELTS instructor at ELI, a collaboration between the Universities of Queensland and Danang. Here students commended his fun, engaging and collaborative approach.

Elsewhere, Hamish has appeared as a football and education expert for VTV, featured on Olympia and Khi Toi 18 and was the face of Anantara Hoi An’s video marketing and Color Me Run Hanoi’s online advertising. Hamish’s interests include trying new foods, football and exploring Vietnam by motorbike. He’s presently working hard on his Vietnamese and in training to compete in Danang’s International Marathon 2016. He can’t wait to begin helping the students of Ho Chi Minh City reach their IELTS-related goals.

Nationality: US

– Bachelor of English – University of Montana – USA

– CELTA – 2009,

– DELTA Module 1 – 2014

After growing up on the east coast of the United States in Connecticut, Aaron studied and graduated from The University of Montana – Missoula with a Bachelor’s of English, with an emphasis in Applied Linguistics.  Founded in 1893, the university ranks 5th among public universities in producing Rhodes Scholars, a prestigious award which allows recipients to study a Master’s program at Oxford University in England. It is also renowned for its Creative Writing and Wildlife Biology programs, both of which are considered among the very best in the nation. Notable alumni include Jeannette Rankin, the first female elected to the U.S. Congress and Jim Messina, who was White House Deputy Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama from 2009-2011.

He first came to Vietnam in 2009 to complete his CELTA certificate and began his teaching career shortly thereafter. He has taught Academic English and IELTS at ACET over the last several years and realized that preparing students for success in the IELTS exam is what he is most passionate about when it comes to teaching English.

Outside of work, he enjoys listening to audiophile-quality music and occasionally writes reviews of new audio products on headfi.org, the most popular audiophile forum in the world. He also enjoys travelling in SE Asia and seeking out the best coffee in HCMC.

Nationality: American

Degree:

– Bachelor of Economics at the University of California, USA

– CELTA (2019)

I worked for 3 years at Wall Street English as a Center Head of Teaching where I was able to create new and engaging methods for the students’ English language learning journey as well as help career-minded teachers further develop professionally. Prior to moving to Vietnam, I worked and managed in the hospitality industry in Las Vegas, Nevada for several major corporations including the MGM Mirage Corporation.

I decided to move abroad to Vietnam to find a career that would allow me to help others reach their goals and achieve new heights while also expanding my own horizons and experience. I am truly passionate about mentoring students and consider it to be a privilege to be a part of their path to success.

Outside of the classroom, I focus a lot on improving my physical health through exercise and martial arts. Also, I take on pro bono projects to further help the Vietnamese student community through academic counseling, interview and CV preparation, and general business advice.

Nationality: Ireland

– BA in English and History 1996, MA in History 1998

– CELTA – 2013

Dominic Ryan has been living in Vietnam since 2013. He arrived in HCMC shortly after completing his CELTA in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He decided to move to Vietnam because of its rich history, culture and cuisine.

Dominic is an experienced IELTS teacher and has taught General English as well as Business and Professional English to students of all levels at Wall Street English and VATC. He is passionate about helping students to reach their goals. Dominic believes that teaching is both an art and a science. His teaching philosophy is centred on enabling his students and motivating their desire to learn. He aims to deliver a remarkable IELTS learning experience that focuses on learning in a systematic and fun way.

Besides his teaching experience, Dominic has extensive training experience from working in the service and retail sectors for more than a decade. During this time he trained legal professionals and co-workers in research methods, how to use databases and customer service procedures.

Dominic graduated from the National University of Ireland Maynooth in 1998 with a Master’s Degree in History. NUI Maynooth is not only Ireland’s second oldest university, but it is also the country’s fastest growing university.
Renowned alumni and distinguished scholars include the Nobel Laureate John Hume who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998, Tony and Olivier Award winning playwright Brian Friel and astrophysicist Professor Susan McKenna-Lawlor who has worked on projects with NASA, the European Space Agency and the Russian Space Agency.

In his free time Dominic loves to read and to listen to music. He enjoys hanging out at Vietnamese street cafes, drinking Ca phe sua da and people watching. He is a passionate traveller who loves visiting and exploring new cultures.

Dominic is very excited about joining the KTDC family and believes in its absolute commitment and dedication to students.

Nationality: UK

– Master’s in Mechanical Engineering – Newcastle University – UK

– CELTA – 2010

– DELTA – 2013

Paul graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in England with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering and promptly decided that he wanted to live abroad and experience new cultures. He first taught in South Korea in 2007, after which he moved to HCMC and taught for 3 years, followed by a year of teaching in China. The desire to return to Vietnam was too strong and in 2013 returned to HCMC to continue teaching IELTS preparation courses.

Paul worked for the British Council and ACET teaching IELTS before coming to KTDC. He has taught adults and young learners of all levels but now exclusively teaches adults only, qualifying in this area further by completing his Cambridge Delta in Bangkok last year. He has taught general English, business English and exam preparation courses in a range of establishments, including language centers, public schools and universities.

Paul describes himself as approachable and relaxed in the classroom, believing that creating a relaxed environment will create relaxed students, which in turn aids learning and language acquisition. His personal interests revolve around fitness, particularly enjoying boxing, Thai boxing and running.

Nationality: English

Bachelor of Science: Management, University of Warwick, England.

CELTA: British Study Centre, Oxford, England.

Martin is a proud Yorkshireman (Yorkshire is the largest country in England, situated in the North-East of England) although he spent many years living close to Oxford in the South. He has 3 adult children, 2 of whom are following in his footsteps as teachers in England. He is a keen sailor, although whilst living in HCMC he has to content himself with his other passion; watching his favourite football team (Arsenal) on the TV.

Following his graduation from the University of Warwick Business School (one of the top-ranked business schools in the UK), Martin had a very successful 30 year career in international Information Technology sales and marketing. During this time he worked at Director level for several companies including a multi-billion Dollar US Corporation and start-ups in Asia, America and Europe. He also spent 3.5 years living and working in Bahrain in the Arabian Gulf as General Manager of a local IT distributor. A highlight of this career was managing a network of IT distributors in 50 countries which involved him in developing and delivering product and soft-skills training for local staff.

In 2016, he decided on a change of career and studied for his CELTA in Oxford. Shortly after completing it he moved to Vietnam and was immediately enchanted by the people and culture. Martin has been teaching IELTS in HCMC for 4 years. He is currently an IELTS lecturer at Bach Khoa University (HCM University of Technology) and was previously a senior IELTS teacher at Wall Street English. He tries to create a welcoming and relaxed learning environment in his classroom, whilst recognising the demanding nature of IELTS exam preparation.

Nationality: US

– Active California attorney (since 1999) licensed as a legal consultant in Vietnam.

– Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of North Dakota.

– Bachelor of Science Degree in History and Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

– TEFL Certificate – 2007 and IELTS Educator since 2016.

Prior to becoming a full time educator in Vietnam, Chad Meek began his educational journey in the Midwest of the United States, eventually moving to California to begin his legal career. An active litigation attorney for 12 years in Los Angeles, Chad honed his abilities and critical thinking skills while representing numerous clients in trials, arbitrations, mediations and counseling. Presently, in his free time he contributes legal articles on developments of the law in Vietnam to an online forum. The most valuable takeaway from Chad’s legal experiences, however, was the realization that gaining knowledge is a life-long process that requires hard work, dedication and, most importantly, patience.

Arriving in Vietnam for the first time in 2005, Chad was immediately enthralled by the culture, customs, and cuisine of this beautiful nation. However, it was the friendliness of the people that left an indelible mark on his memory, resulting in his permanent move to the country in 2012. Traveling extensively throughout the country, he developed a further appreciation for the depth and beauty of its culture, from the mountain vistas of the North to the street food of Ho Chi Minh City. As he does his best to acquire the rudiments of the language, Chad considers Vietnam is home and is honored to be a part of enabling students to achieve their educational and life goals.

Today, Chad utilizes his background in the legal field to assist his students to successfully prepare for the IELTS examination. In fact, advocating a legal position, both in writing and in oral arguments, is directly applicable to the thought process of the IELTS examination. Similar to the courtroom, having a clear and concise structure and supporting your ideas with well-reasoned detail are two of the keys to effectively unlocking a higher band score on the exam. Chad assists students to build their IELTS test-taking abilities from the ground-up and offers a personalized approach for each student. Developing a candidates’ examination skills and boosting their confidence at the same time are the fundamental objectives of his courses.