🌐 Meet John Kirk – Director of AOK Basic Skills
John Kirk is a semi-retired English teacher who recently relocated to Portland, Maine from Quito, Ecuador, where he lived and taught for more than a decade. He brings a wealth of global ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching experience and holds a Maine State ESL teaching certification for both elementary and secondary levels.
🎓 Education & Certification
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University of Denver (1973)
B.A. in English Teaching -
University of Southern Maine (1976)
M.S. in Education -
Saint Michael’s College (1993)
M.A. in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) -
Maine-Certified ESL Teacher (K–12)
🌏 International Teaching Experience
John has taught ESL in Asia, Latin America, and the U.S., including:
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🇹🇼 Taiwan
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🇨🇳 China
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🇰🇷 South Korea
He spent seven years teaching at universities and international schools, helping students build fluency and academic confidence.
🇺🇸 ESL Work in the U.S.
In Maine and Massachusetts, John taught college-level and workplace ESL for over ten years.
🏥 On-site Director, Mass General Hospital
While in Boston, he managed the Immigrant Worker English Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, coordinating ESL instruction for more than 100 employees across departments.
🇪🇨 ESL Work in Ecuador
John taught English in Ecuador for more than ten years:
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Cuenca: Ministry of Education, Universidad del Pacífico, CEDEI
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Quito: Inlingua Institute, Universidad Tecnológica América (UNITA), and private tutoring through JBK English
He worked with business professionals, university students, and teachers both in person and online.
🌐 Director of JBK English
John currently directs JBK English, an online English instruction program offering:
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💼 Business English
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📚 General English
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🧪 Exam preparation (TOEIC, TOEFL iBT)
👉 See the Courses page for full details.
🎯 Your English, Upgraded
Whether you’re a professional or a student, JBK English offers high-quality instruction tailored to your needs.
Improve your learning with great instruction!