Your teacher — PhD, University of Michigan

What is Speak Easy?

English class that feels like a hangout

Speak Easy is for anyone who wants to get better at English and feel more confident speaking. Doesn't matter what level you are — you're going to learn something and you're going to have fun.

We meet on Farrow Rd in Columbia, SC. Every class is game night — Pictionary, acting games, group chat games, skits, song challenges, word games. You're too busy having fun to notice you're learning.

Students teach each other. The talking stick makes sure everyone gets a turn. Game money keeps the energy up and the pressure low. When one teaches, two learn.

All Levels No Homework On Farrow Rd, Columbia SC Columbia SC

Meet your teacher

Three decades of teaching. Now on Farrow Rd in Columbia, SC.

PhDComparative Literature — University of Michigan

MAComparative Literature, with Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies

BAEnglish & French — Amherst College

Educator since 1996

What You Learn

Real English. Stuff you'll actually use.

Every class covers something useful. Fun, easy to understand, zero boring textbooks.

Skill

Conversation

🗣️

Practice talking with other students. Listen, respond, and grow your confidence every class.

Skill

American Accent

🎙️

Learn how Americans really say things. We practice sounds, rhythm, and natural speech.

Skill

Vocabulary

📚

Learn new words every class in a fun way. We make sure you remember and actually use them.

Skill

Idioms & Phrases

💬

"Break a leg." "Hang in there." We explain the fun expressions Americans use every day.

Skill

Social Norms

🤝

Learn how Americans act at work, with neighbors, in stores — real everyday situations.

Skill

AI Practice Tools

🤖

We use smart apps to give you extra practice that fits your level. Learn at your own speed.

How We Learn

Every Class Is Game Night

No lectures. No worksheets. We play games. We learn English. You're going to have fun.

🐠

Group Chat Game

A small group sits in the middle and talks about something real. Everyone else watches and listens — then we all jump in. You learn just as much from watching as from talking.

🎭

Skits & Role-Play

You're the customer. She's the manager. He's the confused waiter. Small groups act out real scenes — job interviews, restaurants, first days — and the class watches.

🎨

Pictionary & Drawing Games

Draw a word. Your team guesses. Bet your Speak Easy Dollars on a correct answer. Loud, fast, and impossible not to laugh.

🎵

Song Challenge

We play a song. You try to figure out what it says and what it means. Music teaches rhythm, slang, and real everyday English better than any textbook.

🎤

Accent Imitation

Say it with an American accent — and exaggerate it. The sillier the better. When you're performing, you're not scared. And your mouth is still doing the work.

🔗

Word Chain Games

Keep the chain going or lose a dollar. Use a word in a sentence correctly — or pay up. Fast, funny, competitive.

🎪

Acting Games

Say yes to whatever your partner gives you and build on it. No wrong answers. The whole class laughs together — never at anyone. You'll forget you're learning English.

👑

Teach Each Other

When one teaches, two learn. Students who know more help students who know less. You might explain something today that someone explains back to you next week.

A Typical Class Night

What happens when you show up

Every class has a rhythm. Here is exactly how the two hours go.