Learner Profile:

Student Name: Geraldine Quiroz

Age: 25 years old
Nationality: Colombian
L1 (First Language): Spanish
Language Level: Intermediate (B1) – Based on the Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR)

Geraldine is enrolled in a personalized English course aimed at

enhancing her fluency for both academic and professional purposes. This
course is designed to help her prepare for the TOEFL exam, while also
boosting her communication skills in business contexts. She attends
face-to-face classes twice a week, with each session lasting 60 minutes,
where she receives individualized attention tailored to her specific
needs. Geraldine’s extrinsic motivation is driven by her career
aspirations, as she seeks to improve her English for better job
opportunities, international communication with clients, and eventual
promotion in her marketing role. Her intrinsic motivation stems from a
genuine passion for language learning and personal growth, as she
values mastering English as a key step in pursuing her long-term dream
of studying abroad and achieving fluency in a second language.

Geraldine began learning English in high school, where she had the
opportunity to study it for three years. However, her high school
experience was not ideal: the classes were not very engaging, and there
was little emphasis on speaking and communication. After graduation,
she continued her English studies on her own by using language learning
apps and watching English-language movies and TV shows with
subtitles. This self-directed approach helped her improve her vocabulary,
but her speaking and writing skills remain underdeveloped.

Geraldine took an English proficiency test about a year ago and was
rated at a B1 level. She feels that her listening and reading skills are
stronger than her speaking and writing abilities. Despite her strengths in
understanding written and spoken English, she feels less confident
expressing herself, especially in professional settings.

Geraldine is highly motivated to improve her English for both personal

and professional reasons. She is currently working in the International
Commerce department as a freelance shopping advisor and has been
encouraged to improve her English to better communicate with
international clients. Her primary goal is to enhance her speaking and
writing skills to advance in her career. Geraldine also dreams of pursuing
a master's degree abroad in the future, and she knows that achieving a
higher level of English is a key requirement for that.

Strengths:

 Geraldine has strong reading comprehension skills, allowing her to

easily understand a wide variety of texts, including academic
articles, news reports, and professional documents in English. She
is particularly adept at reading material related to international
commerce, such as global trade regulations, consumer behavior
studies, and product market trends, which directly aligns with her
role as a freelance shopping advisor.
 She excels in understanding spoken English, whether in podcasts,
movies, or interviews. Her listening skills are especially useful for
understanding discussions relevant to her work as a freelance
shopping advisor in international commerce. She can easily follow
conversations on topics such as market analysis, cross-border
shopping trends, and international retail strategies, which
enhances her ability to advise clients effectively.
 She is highly independent and proactive in her language learning.
She regularly engages with self-study tools such as language
learning apps, online exercises, and English-language media to
stay current and improve her skills. Her focus on continuous
learning helps her expand her vocabulary and refine her listening
and speaking abilities, which are crucial for her career as a
freelance shopping advisor in the global marketplace.

Weaknesses/Challenges:

 Speaking: Geraldine often struggles with speaking fluently,

especially in spontaneous or professional conversations. She
sometimes finds it difficult to express her ideas clearly and
confidently.

 Writing: She finds writing complex texts, such as reports or emails,

challenging. She is unsure about sentence structure and often
struggles with grammar in written communication.

 Vocabulary: While she has a good vocabulary in everyday English,

she sometimes lacks the specialized vocabulary needed for her
work in marketing and business communication.

Learning Needs:

“Effective language teaching takes into account the specific learning

needs and preferences of learners, recognizing that their linguistic
background and learning experiences shape the way they approach new
language acquisition.”
(Swan, M., & Smith, B. (Eds.), 2001, Learner English, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, p. 15)

Geraldine needs structured guidance to refine her writing skills,

especially in professional correspondence. Her writing needs
improvement in areas such as structuring clear and concise emails,
crafting detailed reports, and developing business proposals that meet
international standards. She would benefit from support with tone,
formality, and clarity in her written communications, which are essential
for her role in advising clients and presenting shopping solutions.

Geraldine requires regular opportunities to practice speaking in real-life

contexts to enhance both her fluency and confidence. As a freelance
shopping advisor in international commerce, effective verbal
communication is essential for interacting with clients, understanding
their needs, and discussing product options. She needs more focused
practice in professional scenarios, such as virtual meetings, phone calls,
and negotiations, to improve her ability to speak spontaneously and
articulately in business settings.

Geraldine must expand her business-related vocabulary, particularly in

areas like international trade, consumer behavior, and market analysis.
She also needs to improve her understanding and use of phrasal verbs
and idiomatic expressions that are common in professional settings,
especially those used in cross-cultural communications and client interactions. A
richer vocabulary will help her speak and write with more precision, making her a more
effective and confident advisor in the global marketplace.

Learning Preferences:

 Geraldine is a visual learner, she prefers learning through visual

aids such as charts, infographics, and videos. She also benefits
from seeing written examples of vocabulary and sentence
structures.

“Visual stimuli can be incredibly engaging and can often help to

clarify meaning in a way that words alone may not achieve.”
(Harmer, J., 2007, The Practice of English Language Teaching, 4th
ed., Pearson Longman, p. 134)

 She prefers Task-based learning, Geraldine is motivated by

practical tasks and real-life scenarios, such as role-playing
business meetings, writing emails, or participating in discussions
on current events.

“Task-based learning offers students opportunities to use

language communicatively in order to achieve a specific goal.
Tasks focus on meaning and outcome, encouraging authentic use
 of language in realistic contexts.”
(Harmer, J., 2007, The Practice of English Language Teaching, 4th
ed., Pearson Longman, p. 70)

Goals and Expectations:

Geraldine aims to reach a B2 (upper-intermediate) level in English by the

end of her course. She hopes that this improvement will allow her to
communicate more effectively at work and in social situations. Her long-
term goal is to score high enough on the TOEFL exam to be accepted
into a master's program in international business in an English-speaking
country.

Language Problems and Activities:

Grammar:

Geraldine struggles with the present perfect, in Spanish (he comido) is

often used to talk about recent past actions or experiences, overlapping
with contexts where English might prefer the simple past (I ate).
Additionally, Geraldine overuses the present perfect or form it incorrectly
due to differences in how it’s used in the two languages. The present
perfect tense is crucial because it connects past actions or experiences
with the present.

Focusing on teaching Geraldine the present perfect tense is essential

because it allows her to express actions or experiences that started in
the past but are still relevant to the present, which is key in her role as a
freelance shopping advisor in international commerce. It helps her
discuss recent tasks, client interactions, and ongoing responsibilities,
while avoiding overuse or misuse of the tense, which is common due to
differences in how the tense is used in Spanish. Mastering the present
perfect will improve her fluency, enabling clearer communication about
past achievements, experiences, and current impacts, thus enhancing
her professional credibility and ability to interact effectively with clients
and suppliers.

 Suggested Activity: National Geographic Learning (p. 35-37)

Use timelines from the web source:

https://www.eltngl.com/assets/downloads/grex_pro0000000538/grex3_su
2.pdf
to help Geraldine understand when to use the present perfect (for
actions related to the present or actions that have relevance to the
present) versus the simple past (for actions completed at a specific point
in the past). The goal is to reduce confusion between the two tenses and
ensure correct usage in both spoken and written contexts (Appendix 1).
"Timelines are very useful for teaching tenses. They provide a visual
way of representing the relationship between time and actions, helping
students understand the difference between tenses such as the present
perfect and the simple past."
— Harmer, J. (2001). The Practice of English Language Teaching (3rd
ed.). Pearson Longman.

Geraldine practiced distinguishing between present perfect and simple

past in both written and spoken exercises. (Appendix 2).

Vocabulary Gaps (Business English):

A limited exposure to business-specific vocabulary and idiomatic

expressions commonly used in international commerce and professional
settings causes Geraldine's lack of vocabulary, while adequate for casual
conversations, is insufficient for her professional work in international
commerce. She struggles with using specialized terminology related to
international trade, consumer behavior, and marketing (Appendix 3).

Speaking Fluency and Confidence:

Geraldine struggles with fluency and confidence when speaking in real-

time, especially in spontaneous professional settings. As a freelance
shopping advisor in international commerce, she needs to be able to
respond quickly and effectively to client inquiries and requests.
However, she often hesitates or struggles to articulate her ideas clearly
when communicating in English, especially when discussing complex
topics such as product recommendations or cross-border logistics.

 Activity: Role-Playing Professional Scenarios:

Every Tuesday at 5 PM, Geraldine will send an email to the tutor

pretending to be one simulating a client’s inquiry in a real business
scenario. These texts exchanges will involve inquiries regarding product
selection, shipping logistics, customer complaints, or other related
professional matters. This allows Geraldine to practice professional
dialogue in a realistic context, helping her improve her communication
skills and gain confidence.

This activity allows Geraldine to practice responding to customer

requests, explain product features clearly, discuss logistics, and handle
queries about prices, availability, and delivery schedules. The goal is to
build her ability to engage in meaningful, spontaneous business
conversations without hesitations. (appendix 3)

 Activity: Timed Speaking Drills:

Geraldine finds it challenging to maintain fluency during conversations
that require extended speaking on a particular topic. She struggles with
keeping the conversation flowing naturally, particularly in discussions
involving complex topics like international sourcing, product details, and
logistics.

Geraldine will be timed for 2-3 minutes, where she must talk about a
particular aspect of her job without pausing. This exercise focuses on
improving her ability to formulate sentences quickly and organize her
thoughts in real-time. This activity will help Geraldine practice speaking
fluidly on complex topics and improve her ability to elaborate on ideas
and concepts related to international commerce without overthinking or
hesitating.

Written Communication:

Geraldine finds it challenging to structure business emails, reports, and

other professional documents effectively. Her writing often lacks clarity
and precision, especially when conveying complex information or
recommendations to clients. The limited practice with formal writing
structures, especially in the context of international business
communication, and a lack of exposure to business-specific writing
conventions is the cause of this problem.

 Activity: Email Writing Practice with Peer Feedback:

Geraldine finds it difficult to structure her business emails and reports

clearly and professionally, often struggling with tone, grammar, and
coherence in written communication.

Geraldine will write business emails based on given scenarios, which are
common in her line of work (product recommendations, follow-ups,
shipping queries, etc.). After writing, she will receive feedback, structure,
and clarity. This activity will help Geraldine practice crafting emails with
clear, professional language, ensuring that she uses the appropriate
tone and structure in business communications. Geraldine read short
articles related to her profession and identified new business terms.
Then, she will practice using these terms in context, either by speaking
or writing about them (Appendix 4).

Pronunciation (Phonemes and Sounds):

When teaching pronunciation and addressing phoneme issues for
Geraldine, particularly in the context of the present perfect tense,
several challenges arise due to the differences between English and
Spanish phonology. The distinct sound systems in both languages can
cause difficulties in accurately pronouncing key sounds in the present
perfect, affecting both fluency and intelligibility. In particular, the
differences between Spanish and English phonological systems, as
Spanish lacks these specific sounds or sound clusters, making them
unfamiliar and challenging to produce accurately for native Spanish
speakers (appendix 5).

References:
Scrivener, J. (2011). Learning Teaching: The Essential Guide to English
Language Teaching (3rd ed.). Macmillan Education.

Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching (4th ed.). Pearson
Longman.

(Swan, M., & Smith, B. (Eds.), 2001, Learner English, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press)

Bibliography

National Geographic Learning

https://www.eltngl.com/assets/downloads/grex_pro0000000538/grex3_su
2.pdf

Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching (4th ed.).

Pearson Longman.
Appendix 1.
Appendix 2
Appendix 3

Business-Specific Vocabulary:
 1. Supply Chain: The network of organizations, people, and
activities involved in the creation and distribution of products.

2. Logistics: The detailed coordination of the movement and storage

of goods, services, and information.

3. Market Penetration: The strategy of increasing the market share

of a product or service in a specific market.

4. Tariff: A tax imposed on imported goods or services, often used to

protect domestic industries.

5. Customs Clearance: The process of passing goods through

customs authorities to allow them to be imported or exported.

Idiomatic Expressions:

6. Cutting-edge: Refers to the most advanced or innovative

products, technologies, or methods.

7. Get the ball rolling: To start a project or process, especially in a

business context.

8. In the pipeline: Referring to something that is being developed or

worked on but not yet completed.

9. Bottom line: The final result, or the most important point,

especially in financial or business contexts.

10. Think outside the box: To think creatively, beyond

traditional ideas or solutions, in solving problems.

Appendix 4
Appendix 5