Precious Arao is an instructor at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa and Kapi'olani Community College. She teaches Filipino as a second language primarily to beginners. In addition, she also teaches Philippine culture courses such as Philippine Folklore. Precious received her Masters degree in Second Language Studies from the Department of Second Language Studies at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa and will pursue her PHD in the same program beginning August 2013. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Filipino Language and Literature also from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. Her research interests include heritage language learners/speakers, language and identity, and second language writing. Her main research involves examining effects of Filipino American identity in language learning. Her MA paper focused on how the identity of Filipino American students affect their writing in a Filipino language classroom. She now helps in the recruitment and academic advising desk of the Filipino program.