Miss Karla Barrera - Teaching Portfolio
Miss Karla Barrera - Teaching Portfolio
Professional Experience
University teacher
FESC - Comfanorte Higher Education Foundation
📍Cúcuta, Norte de Santander - Colombia 🇨🇴
As an English instructor at FESC, I have had the opportunity to teach students across all academic programs, guiding them through various proficiency levels, from A1.1 (beginner) to B2 (advanced). My approach to language instruction is deeply rooted in innovation and gamification, ensuring that learning is dynamic, engaging, and relevant to each student’s professional field.
One of my key teaching strategies involves customizing language learning based on students’ career paths. By integrating industry-specific vocabulary and practical communication skills, I help students develop the linguistic competence necessary to excel in their respective fields, enhancing their professional preparedness and global opportunities upon graduation.
Beyond the classroom, I have actively contributed to the university’s cultural and linguistic enrichment by organizing and promoting interactive events such as International Fairs, English Game Festivals, Multicultural Bazaars, Karaoke Nights, and Scavenger Hunts, all designed to foster an immersive English-speaking environment for students, faculty, and staff alike.
My teaching methodology is centered on real-world language application, ensuring that students engage with English through listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities that mirror authentic communication scenarios. By incorporating technology, active learning techniques, and cultural exchange, I strive to create a dynamic and student-centered learning experience that empowers individuals to use English confidently in academic, professional, and everyday settings.
Spanish Language Teaching Intern
Spanish Immersion Learning Center
📍Allentown, Pennsylvania-USA 🇺🇸
During my international internship at the Spanish Immersion Learning Center, I worked as a Spanish as a Foreign Language Instructor, teaching native English-speaking children through an immersive and dynamic approach. The center specializes in early childhood bilingual education, providing an environment where children acquire Spanish naturally while maintaining their proficiency in English at home.
I had the opportunity to design and implement lesson plans and activities that fostered language acquisition through play, music, literacy, and motor skills development. My students ranged from infants to preschoolers (ages 1-6), and I utilized interactive methods to introduce Spanish vocabulary, phonetics, and cultural elements, ensuring an engaging and effective learning experience.
Beyond teaching, I gained firsthand experience in early childhood care within a regulated U.S. child care setting, assisting with children’s daily routines, supervision, and holistic development. The center provided a well-structured learning environment, including indoor and outdoor activity areas, rest spaces, and designated meal areas, ensuring a safe and nurturing atmosphere for young learners.
This experience strengthened my expertise in bilingual education, early childhood development, and immersive language methodologies, reinforcing my passion for creating engaging, real-world language learning experiences.
Early Childhood Education Intern
NCC Reibman Hall Children’s Center
📍Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-USA 🇺🇸
During my internship at Northampton Community College’s Reibman Hall Children’s Center, I worked with preschool children (ages 3-5), focusing on fostering their holistic development through an arts-based emergent curriculum. I collaborated with qualified educators to design and implement engaging, developmentally appropriate lesson plans that integrated literature, science, arts, and math, ensuring a well-rounded early learning experience.
Understanding the importance of multilingual exposure, I incorporated Spanish language elements into daily activities, introducing children to new vocabulary and cultural concepts through songs, storytelling, and interactive play. As a native Spanish speaker, I provided opportunities for natural language acquisition, enriching their linguistic and cognitive development within an immersive, play-based setting.
Beyond lesson planning, I gained experience in early childhood classroom management, adapting activities to meet individual learning needs within a universally designed learning (UDL) environment. The center’s high-quality educational standards, accredited by NAEYC and rated as a four-star Keystone STARS facility, provided me with invaluable insights into early childhood education best practices in the United States.
This experience enhanced my ability to create dynamic, inclusive, and engaging learning environments, reinforcing my commitment to innovative and culturally responsive teaching methodologies in early childhood education.
English Teacher
La Salle School
📍Cúcuta, Norte de Santander - Colombia 🇨🇴
The Congregation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, widely known as the De La Salle Brothers, is one of the largest and most prestigious educational networks worldwide. With a presence in more than 80 countries and a tradition spanning over three centuries, the Lasallian community is recognized for its commitment to comprehensive education, academic excellence, human values, pedagogical innovation, and social responsibility. In Colombia, La Salle schools are considered a national benchmark in education, and in the city of Cúcuta, the institution stands out as one of the most renowned, particularly for its implementation of bilingualism programs that aim to prepare students as competent individuals with a global outlook.
During my experience at La Salle Cúcuta, I served as a homeroom teacher in the kindergarten level within the bilingualism program. My role involved the planning, design, and delivery of the entire preschool curriculum (including mathematics, natural sciences, communication, arts, music, socio-emotional development, and motor skills) using English as the language of instruction. This position allowed me to foster bilingualism from the earliest stages of education, supporting the natural acquisition of the English language through playful, artistic, and pedagogical experiences tailored to children’s needs.
Working at La Salle represented a remarkable stage of professional growth, as it enabled me to strengthen my expertise in bilingual curriculum planning while developing innovative methodologies that integrated art, music, and play as fundamental tools in the teaching and learning process. Moreover, I was able to support children’s holistic development across all dimensions (cognitive, communicative, socio-emotional, artistic, and physical) within a high-quality, dynamic, and integral educational environment.
Being part of the Lasallian community in Cúcuta not only allowed me to contribute to the education of young learners, but also gave me the opportunity to become part of a worldwide educational network renowned for its academic and social impact. Contributing to the strengthening of bilingual education in this context was an experience that deeply enriched my teaching career and reaffirmed my commitment to innovative and excellent education.
English Teacher
Inglés para Todos (English for Everyone)
📍Cúcuta, Norte de Santander - Colombia 🇨🇴
At Inglés para Todos, one of the leading English academies in Cúcuta, Colombia, I served as an English teacher for students ranging from preschoolers (age 3) to young adults (age 18), guiding them from beginner levels (Starters, Movers, A1.1, A1.2) to more advanced proficiency stages. My role involved curriculum planning, lesson development, and the implementation of interactive teaching strategies to enhance language acquisition in both in-person and virtual learning environments.
In my position, I actively contributed to the design of class plans, learning guides, and engaging activities that aligned with communicative and gamified methodologies, ensuring a dynamic, student-centered learning experience. Additionally, I was involved in virtual instruction, effectively utilizing educational technology, digital platforms, and interactive tools to deliver high-quality online lessons for students across different regions of Colombia.
I also participated as an instructor and guide in conversational clubs, where I supported students in developing listening and speaking skills through interactive discussions, role-playing activities, and real-world language exercises. These sessions helped learners gain confidence in oral communication while expanding their vocabulary and fluency in a structured, engaging environment.
This experience strengthened my ability to adapt teaching methodologies to diverse learning styles, effectively integrate technology into language education, and create engaging, student-driven learning experiences that facilitate meaningful English language acquisition.