Evert Gonzalez (born Vergara Cundinamarca, April 22, 1985) is a Colombian

English language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

and a writer. He is the author of several

e-books An ebook (short for electronic book), also spelled as e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in electronic form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. A ...

including ''A Wish, a Thousand Tears''. Gonzalez is a renowned English teacher and author known for his innovative approach to

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

and his recently released

book series A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publ ...

exploring unconventional and

humorous Humour (Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humoral medicine of the ancient Greeks, which taught that the balance of fluids in t ...

themes. His latest work, titled ''Wacky Books'', delves into 12 topics, including

everyday life Everyday life, daily life or routine life comprises the ways in which people typically act, think, and feel on a daily basis. Everyday life may be described as mundane, routine, natural, habitual, or Normality (behavior), normal. Human diurna ...

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

, and, offering readers a fresh perspective on everyday situations with a touch of humor and insight. Gonzalez's dedication to

teaching Teaching is the practice implemented by a ''teacher'' aimed at transmitting skills (knowledge, know-how, and interpersonal skills) to a learner, a student, or any other audience in the of an educational institution. Teaching is closely related ...

earned him the prestigious

award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award may be d ...

for Best English

Teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

at Canadian College

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...

, where he is celebrated for his engaging and dynamic

Teaching method A teaching method is a set of principles and methods used by teachers to enable student learning. These strategies are determined partly by the subject matter to be taught, partly by the relative expertise of the learners, and partly by constrai ...

. Through his writing and teaching, Gonzalez continues to inspire students and readers alike with his creativity and passion for language.

Biography

Gonzalez has ventured into the world of

foreign languages A foreign language is a language that is not an official language of, nor typically spoken in, a specific country. Native speakers from that country usually need to acquire it through conscious learning, such as through language lessons at schoo ...

, implementing a

method Method (, methodos, from μετά/meta "in pursuit or quest of" + ὁδός/hodos "a method, system; a way or manner" of doing, saying, etc.), literally means a pursuit of knowledge, investigation, mode of prosecuting such inquiry, or system. In re ...

established in Germany and France during the 21st century. The direct method () in

Spanish language Spanish () or Castilian () is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family that evolved from the Vulgar Latin spoken on the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Today, it is a world language, gl ...

aims to develop communicative

skills A skill is the learned or innate ability Abilities are powers an agent has to perform various Action (philosophy), actions. They include common abilities, like walking, and rare abilities, like performing a double backflip. Abilities are in ...

in the second

language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

in accordance with parameters set by the

Ministry of National Education (Colombia) The Ministry of National Education () is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia responsible for overseeing the instruction and education of the Colombian people, similar to education ministries in other countries. List of ...

and basic competency standards.

Career

After graduating from Fidel Leon Triana college, he enrolled in El Bosque University in Bogotá, where he pursued higher education in

bilingual education In bilingual education, students are taught in two (or more) languages. It is distinct from learning a second language as a subject because both languages are used for instruction in different content areas like math, science, and history. The t ...

. He began publishing educational articles and eventually devoted himself to

writing Writing is the act of creating a persistent representation of language. A writing system includes a particular set of symbols called a ''script'', as well as the rules by which they encode a particular spoken language. Every written language ...

alongside teaching. He worked as an educator in Bogotá, in various private institutions, and also engaged in private teaching. On July 20, 2020, González published his first novel, ''A Wish, a Thousand Tears.'' He has combined his teaching career with literature and collaborated with students on educational

projects A project is a type of assignment, typically involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a specific objective. An alternative view sees a project managerially as a sequence of events: a "set of interrelated tasks to be ...

related to English. The

methodology In its most common sense, methodology is the study of research methods. However, the term can also refer to the methods themselves or to the philosophical discussion of associated background assumptions. A method is a structured procedure for bri ...

he has promoted over the years for teaching

languages Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing. Human language is ch ...

emphasizes establishing a direct and immediate visual association between experience and speaking , between words,

idioms An idiom is a phrase or expression that largely or exclusively carries a figurative or non-literal meaning, rather than making any literal sense. Categorized as formulaic language, an idiomatic expression's meaning is different from the lit ...

, and their

physical therapy Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is a healthcare profession, as well as the care provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through patient education, physical intervention, disease preventio ...

or bodily representation, without relying on the students'

mother tongue A first language (L1), native language, native tongue, or mother tongue is the first language a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongue'' refers ...

. This method, categorized among natural methods, is one of the most widespread. However, it presents a challenge for teachers in these disciplines, partly because it is a goal of the National Bilingualism Program and also because Colombia faces challenges in mastering this language.

Works

In his career as a writer and author, González has developed stories based on '' The Real Story of Stone Soup'', blending elements of the non-fiction genre, as in his work ''The Reversal of Death,'' which explores the experiences of people confined by a

virus A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living Cell (biology), cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Viruses are ...

in different ways, referencing

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

. ''The Social Circle'' delves into human monotony and the environments they inhabit, sharing the title with one of his books. His work ''Footprints Beyond the Firmament'' reflects on humanity's existence on Earth and the aftermath of its extinction. In ''Homeless and Just,'' González examines the notion of legacy and human actions, with the novel featured in the

National Contest Journal The ''National Contest Journal'' (also referred to by the acronym ''NCJ'') is a bimonthly magazine published by the American Radio Relay League, with an independent volunteer editor. The magazine covers topics related to amateur radio contestin ...

, held in

Medellín Medellín ( ; or ), officially the Special District of Science, Technology and Innovation of Medellín (), is the List of cities in Colombia, second-largest city in Colombia after Bogotá, and the capital of the department of Antioquia Departme ...

, Colombia, and organized by the

chamber of commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...

in collaboration with Penguin Random House Colombia. Gonzalez is a Colombian educator and author recognized for his innovative contributions to

language education Language education refers to the processes and practices of teaching a second language, second or foreign language. Its study reflects interdisciplinarity, interdisciplinary approaches, usually including some applied linguistics. There are f ...

in Colombia, particularly in addressing the challenges of teaching English as a second language. Drawing from his extensive experience as an educator, González has observed the widespread lack of interest and significant

deficits The government budget balance, also referred to as the general government balance, public budget balance, or public fiscal balance, is the difference between government revenues and spending. For a government that uses accrual accounting (ra ...

in English language proficiency among Colombian learners. These challenges have been highlighted by studies, including reports from the Colombian Ministry of Education, which indicate that the country ranks among the lowest in English proficiency globally. In response to this issue, González developed the concept of "Wacky Books", a series of engaging and interactive resources designed to make learning English more accessible and enjoyable for students. His books are built around short, relatable stories featuring conversations between two characters, emphasizing commonly used expressions,

, and phrasal verbs in English. Each story is accompanied by comprehension questions to reinforce learning and encourage critical thinking. What sets González's work apart is his focus on

repetition Repetition may refer to: *Repetition (rhetorical device), repeating a word within a short space of words *Repetition (bodybuilding), a single cycle of lifting and lowering a weight in strength training *Working title for the 1985 slasher film '' ...

and contextual usage of English expressions, helping learners internalize new

vocabulary A vocabulary (also known as a lexicon) is a set of words, typically the set in a language or the set known to an individual. The word ''vocabulary'' originated from the Latin , meaning "a word, name". It forms an essential component of languag ...

and

phrases In grammar, a phrasecalled expression in some contextsis a group of words or singular word acting as a grammatical unit. For instance, the English expression "the very happy squirrel" is a noun phrase which contains the adjective phrase "very ...

more effectively. His

ebooks An ebook (short for electronic book), also spelled as e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in electronic form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. A ...

and

paperback A paperback (softcover, softback) book is one with a thick paper or paperboard cover, also known as wrappers, and often held together with adhesive, glue rather than stitch (textile arts), stitches or Staple (fastener), staples. In contrast, ...

editions have become valuable tools for

educators A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

and students alike, promoting faster and easier acquisition of English skills. González's approach has been praised for its practicality and its alignment with the real-life needs of Colombian students. Through his innovative methods and dedication to improving English education, González continues to inspire learners and educators across Colombia, bridging the gap in

language proficiency Language proficiency is the ability of an individual to use language with a level of accuracy which transfers meaning in production and comprehension. Definition There is no singular definition of language proficiency: while certain groups limit ...

and fostering a love for learning English.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Evert 21st-century Colombian male writers 21st-century American male writers Colombian educators 1985 births Living people People from Cundinamarca Department