Education:
B.A., English, UC Berkeley
M.A., English, University of Iowa

Experience:

• Instructor at DVC since 2002.
• University teacher of undergraduate and graduate courses since 1992.
• Business coach, trainer, and consultant for management and organization development since 1988. See website.
• Author of several workbooks on business writing and management skills.
• Co-author of 8 Simple Secrets for Small Business Owners (2007), a self-help book for owners of small businesses. See website.
• Co-creator of Diversity Plus+,, a game for valuing differences in the workplace.
• Co-author of Sexual Orientation at Work, a training manual for including and addressing sexual orientation issues in the workplace.

Courses or Services:
DVC: English 116, 118, 122, 126, and 173

Golden Gate University: Marketing courses, Business English, Literature and Business, and Speech Presentations

Contract Education programs: Supervision and Management courses and Business Writing

Teaching approach:
My life centers on making a difference. Writing is an area in which I can make a significant difference in the lives of my students.

I have written and edited others' work for publication for 40 years. But what I'm most excited about are the results my writing students have encountered. Many find themselves becoming more effective in their communication with others, especially in the workplace. Several have reported promotions that came directly from their ability to get their points across in writing.

Writing at the college level isn't hard. It involves techniques that can be learned and skills that can be practiced and developed. In my classes, I teach as though every student will transfer to a UC campus-that's where I learned my college-level writing skills. Thus, they need to know more than grammar, spelling, and punctuation. They need to know how to construct strong, logical arguments that persuade their readers. They need to know how to get points across more clearly, succinctly, and effectively.

Want to make a leap in your writing? Consider one of my classes.

Tom Leal's personal interests