The Hello House Language & Learning Center

Sweet friends on the first day back at The Hello House! ✨️💙

There are so many ways to teach kids a new language. At The Hello House, one of our main goals is to make sure learning is FUN! As our semester comes to a close this week, we're reflecting on all of the creative activities our students have enjoyed these past few months. We're so happy not just to be Athens' language learning center, but Athens' ✨️creative✨️ language learning center!

For this week's 🌟Staff Spotlight🌟 please enjoy this interview with Lisette! Lisette is highly intelligent, warm, and friendly, and her presence makes The Hello House a wonderful place to be! We are so lucky to have her!

Q: In which Hello House programs do you teach?

A: I teach in the kids' English tutoring program and the kids' Spanish classes!

Q: How many languages do you speak?

A: My native language is Spanish, but I am fluent in English and have an intermediate understanding of Portuguese. I would love to speak Italian fluently, so I might start learning it soon!

Q: If you could teleport to any country for lunch, where are you going?

A: I’d definitely teleport to Italy! I love pasta and pizza, and of course, gelato!!

Q: What is the next travel destination on your list?

A: I’m heading to Easter Island with my husband this summer to see my brother and his family — they recently moved there. I’m so excited!!!

Q: What’s your favorite part about teaching at The Hello House?

A: My favorite part about teaching at The Hello House is the amazing diversity of my students’ backgrounds! I have explored cultures from Asia to Latin America through speaking practice and other activities, which has greatly enriched both my professional and personal development. I also love having the freedom to teach creatively, giving my students the chance to travel through their imaginations and create their own and awesome unique writings!!!

Q: What do you wish more people knew about learning a language?

A: I wish people knew that learning a language is not just about grammar or phonetics; it is also about culture and social forms. While learning a new language, you are engaging with different cultural codes, which may differ from your own — and that is precisely the point: to open yourself to new ways of coexisting!! Likewise, I wish people agreed that the main objective of learning a language is communication: you don’t need to sound like a native speaker to express yourself freely or be understood. Accents are part of who we are, and that’s beautiful!!