Learning Centre

1. Self-enroll in the FHIS Student Resources site: canvas.ubc.ca/enroll/8RWFX4
2. Click on "View Course Calendar" (on the right side)
3. Click on "Find Appointment" (on the right side)
4. Click on your desired appointment time and then click "Reserve" (on the bottom)
5. Take note of the meeting location provided in the meeting details. For online sessions, you will be using this link to access your appointment when the time comes.

1. If online, at the time of your appointment, click on the Zoom Meeting Link that was provided in the meeting details on Canvas.
2. If in-person, you can meet your tutor at BUTO 813 at your designated time.

Complete the Student Experience Survey, which the tutor will send you. All responses will remain anonymous.

1. Self-enroll in the FHIS Student Resources site: canvas.ubc.ca/enroll/8RWFX4
2. Click on "View Course Calendar" (on the right side)
3. Click on "Find Appointment" (on the right side)
4. Click on your desired session and then click "Reserve" (on the bottom)
5. Take note of the Zoom Meeting Link provided in the meeting details. You will be using this link to access your appointment when the time comes.

1. At the time of your appointment, click on the Meeting Link that was provided in the meeting details on Canvas.

Iris Escuer-Riera, Director of the FHIS Learning Centre

Iris is the Director of the FHIS Learning Centre. As Director, Iris manages the creative and curricular direction and mandate of the Centre and develops and provides training and professional development to tutors, alongside the FHIS Student Programs Coordinator, and the Learning Centre Assistants.

The core mission of the Centre is to build a student-centred learning community that focuses on nurturing learners’ confidence, and competencies through guided and independent learning strategies in a safe and encouraging learning environment.

Shay Xiayinuer, FHIS Student Programs Coordinator

Shay is the FHIS Student Programs Coordinator and she recruits, trains, and mentors the Learning Centre Assistants to manage daily operations and logistics of the FHIS Learning Centre. She is also involved with the recruitment and training of the new tutors. If you have any questions or if you are interested in becoming a tutor with us, please contact at fhis.undergrad@ubc.ca or visit her to BUTO 716.

Olivia Crozier & Manaal Yasir, FHIS Learning Centre Assistants

Olivia and Manaal are FHIS Learning Centre Assistants, and they draw upon their perspectives as students and tutors to support the needs of the community of language learners. As part of their shared responsibility to maintain the Canvas website, they coordinate the schedule and create resources for tutors. They assist in the design of communications activities that promote the Centre and gather student feedback related to services offered. Please feel free to drop by the Learning Centre during their office hours on and join their French and Spanish tutoring sessions throughout the week.

Office Hours

• Manaal Yasir: Tuesdays(2:00pm-3:00pm)

Judy Lee | Tutoring French (101-102)

• Undergraduate Computer Science Major
• Native French speaker
• "I like the French language because it reminds me of home and being able to teach it to others makes me really happy!"

Rachel Chen | Tutoring French (101-302)

• Undergraduate French Major
• "I truly think French is a beautiful language and I would love to teach it in a school setting one day."

Haia Abo Sfeer | Tutoring French (all levels)

• Undergraduate Student
• Native French speaker
• "I think that French is an amazing language because it has roots that are used in other languages like Spanish."

Manaal Yasir | Tutoring French (101-302)

• Undergraduate Arts Student
• "From the moment I heard French I felt instantly drawn to its sweet euphonious sounds. I'm sure I must have been a native speaker in another life! I love learning and teaching French because it enables me to share my passion for it with everyone."

Olivia Crozier | Tutoring French (all levels)

• Undergraduate Arts Student
• "I enjoy comparing languages to develop interlinguistic awareness."

Shereen Leanne | Tutoring French (all levels)

• PhD Student
• "Learning French opens the door to some of the most magnificent literature in the world!"

Kyna Airriess | Tutoring Spanish (100-200 level for grammar; all levels for speaking practice)

• Undergraduate Science Student
• "I love Spanish because it opens the door to not just one new culture but many!"

Anshul Kulkarni | Tutoring Spanish (101-102)

• Undergraduate Cognitive Systems Major
• "The Hispanic world is culturally very rich and diverse. My motivation for learning Spanish is to be able to understand these cultures better."

Olivia Crozier | Tutoring Spanish (101-301)

• Undergraduate Arts Student
• "I enjoy comparing languages to develop interlinguistic awareness."

Craig Campbell | Tutoring Spanish (all levels)

• Alumni Spanish Major
• "I think what I love about Spanish is how organized it is and how patterns evolve in how it is structured, and the contrast of that flexible structure in comparison to the (at times) chaos of English grammar."

Miguel Cruz | Tutoring Spanish (all levels)

• Undergraduate Spanish Major
• "I find it fascinating that I am able to meet many people from different parts of the world just by speaking Spanish."

Sofia Toral | Tutoring Spanish (all levels)

• Undergraduate Business Major
• Native Spanish speaker

Mehek Mathur | Tutoring Italian (all levels)

• Undergraduate Geophysics Major
• "I lived in Milan for 7 years during my childhood and learned Italian during this time. One of my favourite aspects of living in Italy was the amazing culture and food."

Sofia Toral | Tutoring Portuguese (101-202)

• Undergraduate Business Major

Liz Carvalho | Tutoring Portuguese (all levels)

• Undergraduate Classical Studies Major
• Native Portuguese speaker

Students use listening and speaking skills to communicate with the tutor and others attending any given conversation-based session. For such exchanges, grammatical accuracy is not the focus, though tutors will make suggestions if communication is hindered due to grammatical errors. Conversation topics are chosen by the student(s) present and pertain to topics covered in FHIS language and conversation classes.

For questions related to grammar, vocabulary, and language usage, students are asked to have their textbooks, specific questions, and/or previously graded assignments at hand. Tutors will then provide students with brief explanations and strategies to problem solve and arrive at their own answers.

For help with reading and writing strategies, students are asked to have their textbook, assignment instructions, 2 copies of the writing piece in progress, and a list of their specific goals for the session at hand. It is good practice to consider 1-2 points per session and some students may choose to visit the centre more than once for each particular assignment.