For the past 18 years, Natasha Isadora Ala has been working in the TESOL/TEFL field.
After obtaining a Master’s Degree from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, Natasha began teaching academic reading and writing at the American University of Beirut. She also taught business English and public speaking at Haigazian University. With the assistance of two of her co-workers, she created a custom published textbook, When Silence Speaks, for AUB. Later, Natasha became a Senior English Language Fellow with U.S. Department of State and Georgetown University. In this role, she trained 100 K-12 English language teachers in schools throughout Lebanon. She continued her work as a Senior English Language Fellow in Kazan, Russia. During this time, she taught English courses at Kazan State University, trained English language teachers in Kazan and in neighbouring villages, and worked on a project known as Picturing America: Teaching American Culture and Language Through Art. For this project, Natasha worked with Russian teachers to create a series of lesson plans related to American art. Later she taught IELTS preparation and academic skills courses at Higher Colleges of Technology in Sharjah, UAE.
When Natasha returned to the United States, she became the director of a summer language program sponsored by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and Salve Regina University. She then became the regional director for Bridge Education Group located in Denver, Colorado. In this capacity she helped launch new language centres, design curricula, manage teachers and teach classes.
When Natasha’s son was born, she shifted her work online in order to spend more time with him. Thus, she taught at VIP Kids, Zebra English and Red English. She also worked on curriculum development projects such as writing six micro-credential courses for Bridge Education Group. In 2017 Natasha and her family moved to Vancouver and then to Castlegar. In Castlegar, she earned her EACSW Certificate from Selkirk College. She is delighted to return to the college as an instructor in the International Department.
In her free time, Natasha enjoys hanging out with family and friends, running, hiking, skiing, ice skating and swimming. She also loves creative writing, reading novels and watching movies.