Foreign Language

Luiza Maia was born in Curitiba, in the State of Paraná, Brazil. She has lived in the United States of America, in Japan, in South Africa and in Rio de Janeiro.  She did most of her studies in Brazil: she graduated from UERJ with a degree in English; she also has a degree in Education from Notre Dame College in Rio de Janeiro.  Ms. Luiza has a Master’s in Applied Linguistics from the University of Southern California, USA, and she has also studied for a Ph.D. in Education, at the same American university, but she stopped at the beginning of her dissertation. Before she came to EARJ, she worked at other international schools in Rio and abroad; she also worked at language institutes.  She has been a language teacher in Middle and High schools as well as in colleges; she has also been an elementary teacher for a good part of her career.Ms. Luiza is in her sixth year here at the EARJ as an ESL specialist at the Middle and Upper schools. She said that she has chosen teaching ESL because English is her second language too and because she has always enjoyed being a teacher. Ms. Luiza also helps teachers to learn more about ESL and Differentiated Instruction; and she is part of the teachers’ social committee.

Teaching is not the only thing that Ms. Luiza does in her life. She likes to watch movies and she enjoys reading, but her favorite activity is traveling. Ms. Luiza wants all parents and students to know that “Speaking several languages and learning about other cultures is very important to make the world a friendlier place.”

Written by Beatriz Teixeira

Revised by Luiza Maia

E-mail Ms. Angela

Ms. Mariana Valim was born in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, and has lived in the city her whole life. She studied at Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), where she earned her degree in Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature. Currently, Ms. Mariana is working on her Masters in Spanish Literature at UFF and is planning to complete her doctorate in Comparative Literature. Before she came to teach at EARJ, Ms. Mariana taught Spanish for children for four years.

Ms. Mariana believes that learning a new language is a very important step in beginning to understand and respect other cultures. She loves working with children and young people and brings her enthusiasm into the classroom.

In her free time Ms. Mariana loves to go to the movies, read, dance at samba schools, and spend time with loved one.  She loves art, music, literature, and making new friends. The last which she hopes to do while working at EARJ.

Written by Mariana Valim

E-mail Ms. Mariana