Hi, I'm Vickie
Your English Language Coach
✨ I help adults feel more like themselves when speaking English - comfortable, confident, and able to actually enjoy conversations.
How I Got Here
It all began in 2005 when I first taught English as a volunteer in Costa Rica. There I was, fresh out of journalism school, untrained but eager to learn how to teach better, and that was all it took; I was hooked.
Over the next few years, I kept learning by doing. (Is that how you learn best, too? 🥰) I continued teaching in my hometown of Nebraska, USA, and later in Spain to preschoolers, high schoolers, and adults.
These days, I’ve left behind the traditional “classroom” and created more relaxed, natural ways to help adults speak. That might mean Voice Message Speaking Practice with conversations that feel quick and real, my Friends Group program that makes practice social, or one-to-one sessions built around you.
I know what it’s like to feel awkward speaking another language. To wish the words would come more easily. To just want to join a conversation and share your stories with others. That’s why I focus on more than grammar and pronunciation; I help people feel like themselves in English.
If you can share your thoughts clearly, even with a stumble mid-sentence and keep going, that’s the goal. That’s conversation.
What Matters to Me
Speaking comes first – You don’t have to wait to “earn” conversations after grammar practice. Speaking is the practice.
Keep it light – Mistakes happen. 😬 We notice them, breathe, laugh a little, and keep going.
Conversation > perfection – The goal isn’t perfect English; it’s feeling comfortable sharing your thoughts and stories.
Your time matters – I keep things flexible so you can practice in ways that fit your energy, schedule, and life.
Go at your pace – Progress isn’t a race. Every voice message, every class counts.
Many Englishes welcome – I’ll show you how I say it, but there’s more than one “right” way to sound like you.
Learning never stops – I keep learning too, through trainings, my own study, and the amazing adults I teach.
🏅Still Learning, Always Teaching
A few highlights from the classroom and beyond:
Teaching English since 2005 (Costa Rica, Nebraska, Spain, and now completely online)
Trained by Lincoln Literacy in my hometown of Nebraska
Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!)
CELTA-certified – Grade A (fewer than 5% get that score, so yes, I’m proud of that one).
You may have seen me speak at:
InnovateELT
Learn English Together
Language FunFest
Women in Language
You can hear me on:
Luke’s English Podcast
Smart English Coach
The Clarity Shift
Language Learning Report Card (my own podcast)
However we work together, my goal is always the same: to make speaking English feel easier, lighter, and a little more fun.
Life Outside the Classroom
I share my workspace (and sometimes my video calls) with two cats, Janice and Gunther. You’ve been warned. 
My days are split between live lessons and Voice Message Speaking Practice, which means we can finally count our screentime as educational. That’s a win, right?
Outside of teaching, I love walking, yoga, and short bursts of dance-based cardio. I usually practice French or listen to Stephen King audiobooks on my quiet walks (please don’t sneak up on me 
).
My husband and I love mysteries, in English or dubbed into Spanish, anything from Death in Paradise and Murder She Wrote to Poirot. We’re all about cozy murder mysteries with clever twists, quirky detectives, and just the right blend of drama and humor.
I once won a Friends trivia night with a handmade Geller Cup (that I made, of course) and celebrated with a full-on Chandler happy dance. Could I BE any more excited!? I’ll Chandler dance for all your English wins, too. 
