Teacher Feature: Mayra Alves

Mayra Alves became an English teacher after the school where she originally learned English asked her to work there. She worked at the school for three years before going on to teach at a local university.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Mayra decided to open her own business and teach online.

Since 2020, Mayra has been teaching remotely from her home in São Paulo, Brazil. She primarily teaches adults at the A1 to B2 (Beg – High Int) levels.

“I decided to become a teacher because I love the fact that I can inspire other people and teach them a language that changed my life,” said Mayra. “I always say that I didn't choose to be a teacher. Being a teacher chose me.”

Mayra Alves is pictured here.

For Mayra, a typical week begins with preparation.

On Mondays, she plans out her classes for the week. Once planned, she sends her students all the information they need for their upcoming classes. The rest of the week, Mayra is busy teaching from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, Tuesday through Friday. She also teaches Saturday mornings from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm.

“The most rewarding part for me is when my students tell me they have achieved their goals because they started learning English with me,” Mayra said proudly.

How Mayra Uses Ellii to Teach Virtually

Mayra is a big fan of Ellii.

One of her favorite lessons is our Procrastination lesson from our Discussion Starters section because it includes grammar practice with the future perfect tense.

Check out Mayra's video response below to learn more about why she loves Ellii and how she uses it with her students.

When asked if she had any advice for aspiring teachers, Mayra said it’s important to never stop learning. 

“Never stop learning and improving your English and your teaching techniques. Your development is as important as your students’ development.”

Want to be featured in our Teacher Feature series? Visit our 20th Anniversary Giveaway blog post to tell us why you love Ellii and how you use it in your classroom.