Learner Testimonials

Paola

Hello, my name is Paola, I’m from Mexico.

I arrive to USA 3 years ago.

When I arrive at this country I felt really frustrated because it’s a new language, new culture and I didn’t speak English at all, so I needed to find a solution, I started learning English almost immediately, when I arrived here torus helped me a lot with my English. I started taking classes on line with teacher Greg he’s a great teacher, we worked hard together and I could improve my English.

I kept looking for more clases, and I found face to face clases at my library with teacher Ramin he’s a great teacher really patient with all of us. I’m feel so grateful for the big opportunity. I’m still working hard in my English skills, and also working hard for becoming in a torus volunteer. I’m really grateful for that big opportunities that torus offers for us.

Thanks for everything that you all share with us 😊.

7/15/2024

Mariela

I have had the pleasure of participating in conversation classes and one-on-one tutoring focused on pronunciation with a fantastic nonprofit English teaching organization called Torus. The experience has been truly exceptional! The instructors are dedicated and attentive, caring about every detail to ensure the improvement of my English skills effectively. The one-on-one sessions with particularly impactful; my teacher, Allex Faber, tailored each lesson to my needs and made learning enjoyable and productive. I highly recommend this organization to anyone looking to enhance their English language skills—it's a wonderful opportunity to learn in a supportive and nurturing environment!

11/5/2024

Ligia

Hi, my name is Ligia, I’m from Venezuela. I relocated to Portland, OR six years ago. Although I came here many times as a tourist to visit my son, six years ago, I realized that I barely spoke English. Communication in English with my daughter-in-law’s family was one of the main goals. I have been working as a nanny since I moved here, and it means accurate communication in English with the parents is crucial. It has been another important goal. In 2023 I was looking for Zoom classes and my teacher Laura from Tigard Tiella group talked in class about the Torus Organization. I contacted Torus immediately, and I feel grateful! Sara helped me with individual classes with Eden on Zoom. Then, Daniel and Connal have been teaching me and my classmates about American history and American culture besides improving our vocabulary and pronunciation. What I like the most about Torus and the teachers’ volunteers is the dedication, patience, and commitment to their students. Recently, I got my citizenship and it was a huge milestone to me. I have enhanced my English skills while talking every Saturday with Daniel and Connal and my classmates. I study English daily. I speak English all day. Nowadays, I have trust in my English. It is my second language. Thanks so much!

11/07/2024

Yeseul

Hi, I’m Yeseul from South Korea. I think it’s safe to say that one of the many challenges you face when staying in a foreign country is dealing with a different language. As an adult, it can be very confusing and challenging to figure out where to start and where to find good resources. I’m glad that I found Torus and their amazing programs. Through it, I’ve met nice people. The volunteer coordinators and the teacher are very sincere and work hard to not only help me with my English but also make me feel engaged. I really appreciate that they understand how important it is for people like me to learn English and that they strive to create a great curriculum.

9/27/2024

Aika

Hi! My name is Aika, and I’m from Japan. I came to America as an Au pair and I needed to learn English to communicate with my host family and host kids. I’ve been learning English with Torus for about a year now. I have practiced with several teachers to strengthen my speaking, reading, and writing skills. At first, I was afraid to speak English, but my teachers were patient and help me a lot. My teachers taught me English with different topics that interest me. In addition, they also introduced me to American history, culture and sometimes fun events. These experiences have made my time here more enjoyable and gave me a lot of fun experiences.

I really appreciate my teachers and Torus community for understanding my goals and helping me improve my English.

9/9/2024

Yulia

Hello! My name is Yulia and I'm from Russia. I have been studying English with Torus for 3 years. I started with group classes on the weekends, which gave me more confidence in communication and immersed me in American culture. We talked about history, culture, holidays, and discussed upcoming events. The teachers Daniel and Conall are incredibly positive and patient! Then, when my goal changed to finding a job in an American company, Torus teachers helped me create a resume and prepared me for an job interview. Now I have a good job in a big American company and I speak English all day long. But even now, when I speak English confidently, I still continue to study. I am improving my pronunciation and working on a more natural sound with a Torus volunteer. Thank you for tailoring your learning based on your student's goals! Thank you for your incredible help, I am happy to recommend you to all my friends.

6/4/2024

Fawzia

Hello, my name is Fawzia and I’m from Afghanistan. Six years ago I came to the US with my four kids. I felt like a new born baby not being able to speak the language and not knowing the culture. I faced a lot of challenges adapting to the new environment with my family. I started taking classes with Torus and it helped me immensely. I learned to improve my spelling, writing, speaking and English over all. I loved all my teachers. I want to thank the teachers from the bottom of my heart for the encouragement and support they give us.

12/26/2022

Yuliia

Hello! My name is Yuliia, I'm from Ukraine. My English was not really good, I couldn't fully understand people when they talked to me amd I started attending English courses in Torus. In three months I thoroughly learned the alphabet and I can easily write my first name, last name and my address (now it's not scary at all :)), in our lessons I learned a lot of new things, since each of them was unique with a specific topic. Each of the teachers gave us the lesson 100%. Also, each of them became a great friend, with whom it’s not scary to learn new things. Thanks to my English classes, I have made many new friends, and now it’s easy for me to adapt to a new country. Thank you Torus team!

12/26/2022

Jaqueline

Hey guys! My name is Jaqueline and I'm from Brazil. I want to start my testimony by saying a huge thanks for this program. The teachers I've had helped me beyond improving my English skills. Together, we customized our classes according to my personal goals, for example, in my last classes my teacher focused on my job search, so we practiced specific vocabulary, reviewed my resume, and also I received a lot of encouragement. As a result, in few days I got a job! I strongly recommend Torus, and I encourage you to have this experience.

10/23/2022

Elizabeth

“Hello, my name is Elizabeth, I am from Guerrero, Mexico. I came to the US 17 years ago. I have to work, so I appreciate being able to schedule online classes with Torus. My experience with Torus has increased my confidence in speaking English and I couldn't write via email now I can and I’m available to do an interview. I learn what I can say in the not said. I recommend Torus💞”

11/20/2023

Rosaura

“Hi my name is Rosaura Pineda and my native language is Spanish. I want to learn English because I want to be able to communicate with people, continue to develop in the labor field and better understand American culture and be able to make new friends. I would like to be able to have a fluent conversation with people and understand when unknown people speak to me.

I learned a lot from Torus, especially how to be more confident. I have an incredible teacher who has taught me the language in different ways and we have covered different areas that allow learning to be dynamic and comprehensive. Also interacting with other people has allowed me to speak more without fear of making mistakes because they know that I am learning. I am very happy to be a part of this program and to have the opportunity to learn.

My teacher has taught me the language through writing, reading, listening, and speaking. We cover different topics of interest and they correct my mistakes at the right moment. She is very patient and friendly which makes me feel comfortable and has taught me various strategies that make learning fun and professional at the same time.”

Arturo

“My name is Arturo Bonilla. I'm from El Salvador, and I have been in this program for one year. As part of this program, I learned information about COVID -19 from my volunteer teacher, Millie Webb, and from community health workers. The community health workers answered questions and explained the reasons to practice mask-wearing and social distancing. When we had information about vaccinations in Oregon, the community health workers explained the process of getting the vaccine. I was available to create my profile and schedule my first shot of the vaccine. I appreciate the help with this process.”

Hieu

“My name is Hieu Nguyen. My native language is Vietnamese. I need to learn English because I’m living in the US. I want to learn English listening and speaking skills. I have been learning English with the Torus English Program for nearly 2 years, Betty helps me a lot. I just learn for 1 hour/week and then I do a lot of homework when I have free time. Betty found out what I need and helps me to improve my English every day.”

Samira

“Hi my name is Samira and I am from Morocco. I speak Arabic. I came here to America 2 years ago. I want to learn the language because it is very important for us to know English. English is a very good first for establishing a new relationship and friendship. I want to communicate with doctors and other people in America. My teacher helped me pass my driving test and do well on my interview for my green card. Because of Torus, I feel more comfortable communicating with people in English. I would like to thank Torus and my teacher for creating such a great environment to learn and where we were encouraged to express our own thoughts and feelings.”

Photo by Miltiadis Fragkidis on Unsplash

“I study English because I want to socialize with my friends, my neighbors, and my kids' teachers.

I have studied English for a long time even though I didn't have opportunity to speak with native speakers. Therefore, I couldn't English well. I start to take this program. This program helps me a lot.

My tutor Amanda makes my journal corrections every week and we have a chat about it and we talked about various topics. I appreciate her and I am looking forward to meeting her every time via zoom.”

“I live in America. I need to know English because l must go shopping, see my doctors, and communicate with people. I would like to go to university to study and get a degree in Computer Science. If I improve my English, I can be more independent and I will have a happier life. I want to thank my teacher for helping me achieve my goals.”

Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash