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OWNER & DIRECTOR

Olá! Meu nome é Virginia.

I’m a Portuguese teacher, content creator, and language learner.

I am originally from Brazil, but since 2013 I have called New York my home.

When I moved to the United States, I had the chance to work at the best language schools in NYC, and that’s when I discovered my love for teaching the Portuguese language.

Despite having a formal education in language and literature from a Brazilian and an American university, it was through learning languages and teaching my students that I developed my skills as a teacher.

I’ve always been passionate about languages. Other than Portuguese (my native language), I also speak English, French, and Spanish. 

My experience with foreign language learning has given me the vital tools to help my students in their learning journey.

Inspired by my French and English teachers, I created a YouTube channel to teach Brazilian Portuguese in 2018. Since then, I have published nearly 300 free videos, which have gotten over 12 million views. 

A few months after starting my channel, I created my first online course: The Essential Course for Beginners. 

After that, I never stopped creating new courses to help Portuguese learners around the world achieve their dream of becoming fluent in Brazilian Portuguese.

I look forward to having you as my student!

A few of my favorite things

Favorite Brazilian City:
Rio de Janeiro

Favorite Brazilian Beach:
Ilha Grande (RJ)

FAVORITE BRAZILIAN FOOD:
Moqueca (stew)

FAVORITE BRAZILIAN WORD:
Saudade

FAVORITE BRAZILIAN SINGER:
Caetano Veloso

FAVORITE BRAZILIAN AUTHOR:
Clarice Lispector

“

“Learning Portuguese through Speaking Brazilian Language School is an extraordinary experience. There are many learning tools. Virginia is an excellent person and teacher, and all the teachers are always available to answer questions.”

—  Ruth B. (The Essential Course for Beginners)

​”Virginia speaks and explains everything very clearly and the weekly lessons are fun. You are encouraged to speak and I particularly like that you can do as much or as little as you have time for. Virginia is always available and answers your questions promptly. A great teacher!”

— Gesine M. (Speaking Brazilian Academy)

“Virginia is a phenomenal teacher – her classes are a perfect blend of structured grammar and vocabulary mixed with freestyle conversation. She’s encouraging, kind, and patient. After only 8 months of classes with Virginia, I feel more confident speaking Portuguese than any other language I’ve tried. She’s the best!”

— Noah F. (Private Classes)

“One of the best classes I’ve ever taken online. The materials were wonderfully organized, varied, authoritative, always useful, and often surprising. Class members were supportive and collegial; the pace was challenging but completely doable. I looked forward to preparing each day and looked forward to the weekly online meetings. Thank you all for providing such a rich experience!”

— Malcolm W. (Grammar in Conversation Workshop)

“Absolutely fantastic course; from the teachers to the content to the passion, everything about the Pre-intermediate Workshop was useful and enjoyable. Virginia’s videos are the most pleasant way that I have tried to learn Brazilian Portuguese, and her teachers are kind, thorough, and dedicated.”

— Alexis M. (Pre-Intermediate Workshop)

MEET THE TEAM

Gleice Vakhraneva

From Rio de Janeiro State

Olá pessoal! Meu nome é Gleice. 

I was born in a mountain town in Rio de Janeiro State. But I consider myself a “mineira de coração” since I lived in Ouro Preto, MG, for about 7 years. 

In 2007, I moved to NY in search of an adventure, and now this is the place I call home. I live in Westchester with my 7-year-old daughter and my husband. 

I’ve been teaching Portuguese as a second language professionally for about 11 years now. I also have a Master’s degree in TESOL and have been teaching English as a second language for nearly 18 years. 

I believe the best part of teaching a language is sharing our cultures and broadening our views about the world.  Espero te conhecer em breve!

Monica Schmidt

From São Paulo City

Oi! My name is Monica Schmidt. 

I’m originally from São Paulo, but I’ve lived in New York since 2004. 

 I earned a degree in language teaching (English and Portuguese) from PUC in São Paulo and later a master’s degree in the Science of Education from Bank Street College of Education in New York.

 I’ve been teaching Portuguese to children and adults from different nationalities for 18 years. I also prepare students for the Celpe-Bras exam. I’m a committed learner, and I hope my love of learning inspires my students.

 I’m delighted to be part of the Speaking Brazilian School Team!

Venus Santos

From São Paulo City

Olá! I’m Venus. Yes, that is my real name. 🙂  

I’m Brazilian, from São Paulo. I lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina for three years, and in 2016, I moved to Lisbon, Portugal.  

I’ve been teaching Portuguese as a second language since 1991. It’s a great pleasure to help others learn my mother language and culture. 

I gained a lot of experience teaching Portuguese to Spanish speakers during the time I lived in Argentina, but I’ve also worked with students from many other countries. 

I can’t wait to meet you and help you on your exciting journey of learning Portuguese!

Gabriel Gallinari

From São Paulo City

Olá, meu nome é Gabriel!

I am Brazilian, born and raised in the city of São Paulo. Currently, I live in the West Zone of the city, near USP (University of São Paulo), where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Portuguese and Latin.

Since 2016, I have been working exclusively as a Portuguese teacher for foreigners, allowing me to meet people from different regions of the world. My classes are dynamic and tailored to the needs of each student, and I always strive to share aspects of Brazilian culture and customs.

Beyond language teaching, I am also passionate about music, history, literature, science, gastronomy, and the arts. I am an amateur musician, and I play the guitar, cavaquinho, and transverse flute – instruments that play a fundamental role in the rich tradition of Brazilian popular music.

 I am very happy to be part of the Speaking Brazilian School team and look forward to helping you achieve your desired fluency in the Portuguese language!

Alice Jacome

From Minas Gerais

Olá, eu sou Alice.

Even though I’m “mineira,” I feel like the Nordeste is my home, because I’ve lived there for a long time. I have a degree in Arts and Education, and I started teaching foreign languages while I was still at Uni. 

After finishing my Master’s in France, I had the opportunity to start teaching Brazilian Portuguese, and I completely fell in love with teaching my own culture and language. 

Now I’m based in Paris, after 4 years of traveling around Europe in a van while still teaching online. I’m a big advocate for Positive Education, and I believe that the classroom should be a motivating space, first and foremost.

I’m very excited to be part of the team!  

Nos vemos em aula.

Ana Elisa

From Curitiba

Oi, sou a Ana Elisa.

I come from Curitiba, the capital city of the state of Paraná, in the south of Brazil. I hold a university degree in Portuguese/English (Linguistics, Literature, and Education) from UFPR (Federal University of Paraná), and a specialization in Teaching Foreign Languages from UTFPR (Federal University of Technology – Paraná). I’ve been working as a language instructor for over a decade.

In my view, learning a language can be both meaningful and enjoyable. It provides a fantastic chance to learn about diverse cultures and connect with people.

I’d be happy to play a role in your learning process and assist you in expressing your thoughts and talking about your culture in Portuguese.

Thalita Barros

From São Paulo

Olá pessoal! I’m Thalita Barros, I’m from São Paulo and currently based in Washington, D.C., USA. 

Having obtained my degree in Modern Languages from the esteemed University of São Paulo in 2020, I’ve dedicated the last six years to formally teaching both Portuguese and English. 

My teaching style revolves around infusing fun and ease into every lesson, even the hard ones. My aim as a teacher is to ensure that learning isn’t just about acquiring knowledge but is an enjoyable journey for my students.

I’m so excited to be part of Speaking Brazilian and can’t wait to meet and help you!

Até daqui a pouco!