Wilian Hernandez has been teaching Spanish for over 18 years. Prior to becoming a Spanish teacher for YSC Academy in 2016, Wilian worked for several business language schools in Philadelphia, and as a Spanish teacher for homeschooled students. Wilian loves teaching. In fact, while attending high school, Wilian taught literacy classes to adults in his hometown in El Salvador.

Wilian was born in a village in El Salvador, but because of civil unrest in the area, he spent his childhood in a refugee camp in Honduras. There, he did not have access to education. Fortunately, despite the ongoing civil war, in 1988, after 7 years in the camp, he and his family were able to return to El Salvador, where he was finally able to attend school, becoming the first person in his extended family to reach the high school level.

At that time, his dream to attend a university was not realistic, and the possibility of attending a university in the United States was inconceivable. But with assistance from his community, in 2004 he came to the United States, settling in Philadelphia, where he started taking ESL classes at Temple University and working as a Spanish teacher for professional language schools. The learning process was daunting but at the same time challenging and rewarding, and Wllian graduated from Temple in 2012 with a B.A. in Latin American Studies.

Because of these experiences, Wilian understands the challenge of learning a foreign language. Having been a non-English-speaking student himself, he is able to draw on his background to develop pedagogic strategies to help students achieve high levels of proficiency in Spanish. He also draws on his degree in Latin American Studies in his teaching in order to incorporate cultural and literary readings unique to Latin American cultures. Wilian is passionate about teaching Spanish and about helping students achieve an appreciation for the language and the culture.

What makes YSC Academy special?

“YSC Academy is a unique place, a school with an innovative approach to education. I love the school atmosphere, its culture of learning and the supportive environment. YSC Academy pushes students toward becoming self-guided, lifelong learners. I appreciate the positive relationships we all build with students, where they are not just students, but also kids who need support, guidance, and understanding.” ~ Wilian Hernandez