Swaffham Tutors & Swaffham Tuition

Personal Description:
Hello,

I am Alfiya. I am a professional, qualified and experienced tutor in individual and group Russian teaching. I have been in Edinburgh for almost 11 years and have been a tutor in Russian, freelance interpreter and translator for all this time. During my tutoring career I have assisted almost 250 learners with teaching Russian. I like communicating and meeting new people. I'm friendly, easy-going, open, quick-minded. In my free time I like reading, learning about different cultures, going in for sport, socialising.

Teaching Experience:
I graduated from Irkutsk State Linguistic University in Russia in 1996. Had been teaching English for Russian students and Russian for foreign students at Kazan State University for 15 years (Russia). My specialities are: Russian from Elementary to Advanced.

In 1999 I studied at the Open Society Institute-Samara where I attended Soros Intensive Teacher Training Course for University Instructors in Samara Russia. In 2000 I finished the course in 'Improvement of Professional Skills on Teaching Methodology of Foreign Languages' at Kazan State University in Russia. In 2005 I attended the Conversational Spanish course in Spanish Centre of Education and Culture at Kazan State University. Back to Russia I worked as a senoir lecturer in English and Russian at Kazan State University. I participated as a tutor in English in the Presidential Programme of Russia by giving lectures on Business English for top managers, directors of companies and firms and businessmen to take part in international business as Russia opened up to worldwide and free trade. 10 of my former students went onto internships in Greece, Italy, Denmark, Germany and Japan after finishing this programme. I am the author of four scientific publications in the field of linguistic relations in Russian, English and Tatar.

While living in the UK I have worked as a freelance tutor and translator for Scottish&Newcastle, Scottish Parliament, NHS and Rudolf Steiner School. I am really proud of the fact that among my students are people of different ages, knowledge of Russian and purposes of learning it and who are professionals in different fields for example in language and science teaching, sales and marketing, medical research, social work, to name just a few.

I have completed successfully the HNC and HND Tourism course at Edinburgh college.

Tutoring Approach:
Always try to make students interested in the subject I teach. Create a ftiendly and an encouraging learning environment. Not afraid to praise them even if they do not get immediate good results. Tend to get feedback from them. Plan carefully each lesson. Use the Internet and PC in preparing for lessons. Try to make lessons interesting, various by combining different aspects of learning a language: Grammar, Vocabulary, Listening, Speaking, Writing and Reading. Each course that you will attend is tailored to your needs and depends on your level of knowing Russian and your purpose of learning. I teach Russian through the Skype system as well. Each month organise Russian Converstaion Club for my students to help them learn some more about Russia apart from lessons. We discuss various topics in Russian (the topic of each session is given in advance), do different activities based on the theme of the session. The aim of Russian Conversation Club is to improve Russian conversational skills of my students and help them learn more about Russian culture and history.

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Personal Description:
I 've been teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) for the past 6 years, both as a Homestay Host and one-to-one lessons for individuals needing additional help in understanding the English that we speak I incorporate cultural awareness in my lessons and particularly enjoy helping with pronunciation and intonation. I believe how you say something is as important as what you say. You won't just be learning Grammar and the curriculum we follow will be set by your needs. I hold a B.Sc. in Education from Temple University, Phila, Pa USA and have been a UK resident for over 30 years. I also hold a Trinity College London (CertTESOL) diploma from Universal Language Training, Woking. Previously, I have worked for large multi-national companies (American Express, Owners Abroad ) and was an International Training Manager for Continental Airlines (now United Airlines) where I taught airline system management to classes of multi-national adults. I particularly enjoy one-to-one teaching whether in person or online(SKYPE), as the effort and energy involved produces real results in a relatively short time. I'm a 'people person' and enjoy sharing my knowledge of the English language and customs and making it fun to boot!

Teaching Experience:
Babel Languages & Cultural Consultants - language training services to Business clients in their office or home. All levels of both General and Business English.

Acorn English Homestay, Host tutoring in my own home. General and Business English, all levels. Currently self-employed with them.

Living Learning English (LLE), Host Tutoring in my own home. General and Business English, all levels. Currently self-employed with them.

InTuition Languages, Host Tutoring in my own home General and Business English, all levels. Currently self-employed with them.

Language Trainers/Listen & Learn, One-to-One Language training services to Business clients in their office or home All levels both General and Business English. Currently employed by them on a freelance basis.

EFLsoutheast - self-employed tutor teaching both General and Business English.

Embassy CES Language School, Brighton EFL Teacher for summer school programme for 3 seasons (2010-2013 inc) taught Pre-Int and Intermediate levels.

ISIS Education Ltd EFL Teacher - 2 week English/Mexican Olympics, Ardingly College, West Sussex.

Tutoring Approach:
One-to-One tutoring gives a real insight into both the English language that we speak and English culture. It is tailored specifically to the individual needs of the student rather than follow any particular textbook. We are free to concentrate on those areas where you may need the most help. Being able to spend time on pronunciation, stress and intonation are areas where one-to-one teaching really comes into its own as well as learning about the English that is actually spoken. Learning/perfecting a new language does not need to be a painful process. A professional, friendly approach in comfortable surroundings is what one-to-one teaching is all about!

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Personal Description:
I am a qualified and experienced French native speaker / language tutor with over 20 years' experience teaching French across all levels at the local university and helping GCSE and A level students to achieve the highest possible grade

Teaching Experience:
In addition to my work as a university lecturer, I have tutored since 1989 many students of all ages and backgrounds ranging from business people, holidaymakers in France, French property owners to GCSE/A level / Open University students who need to prepare for their oral & written examinations

Because of the lockdown I have moved to online teaching/tutoring
I have regular Skype / Zoom sessions with my university /GCSE/ A level students and adult learners

I usually email over worksheets or learning materials [past papers/ newspapers articles, audio files] in advance so that the students can familiarise themselves with the lesson structure and content. All skills [listening and speaking, reading and writing can be practised


Consultation lesson offered for free

Tutoring Approach:
Friendly, relaxed and focused
I tailor my lessons around the student's individual needs/ interests and objectives.
I have a wide range of learning resources [grammar worksheets, topic-based vocabulary lists, AQA, Edexcel and WJEC past papers..] and interactive activities to cater for different learning styles and help students develop their confidence and achieve their full potential. I aim to make learning French a rewarding and enjoyable experience

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Personal Description:
I am a French philosopher based in Paris and London. I have graduated from Sorbonne University in 2006. My approach to philosophy tries to blend the Continental and the Analytic Anglo-Saxon tradition. I have been teaching classes in General Philosophy, Metaphysics and Logic.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching in various contexts: in high school (A-Level) as a Teaching Assistant at Sorbonne University, on the Paris campus of Saint John`s University in New York. I have also been occasionally tutoring some students. I have also written many popularization articles.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach is based on an understanding of the needs of the tutored person with regards to the academic requirements in vigour and his own interest in the discipline. Depending on the context, I offer a approach based on the history of philosophy or on given philosophical problems, putting the emphasis either on culture or on the acquisition of an aptitude to sound reasoning or critical thinking.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hi, I am an ongoing university student of BA History. As I continue my studies into my final year, I have become interested in the increasing potential of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Environmental History, the urban environment, and natural hazard management.

In conjunction with my Bachelor of Arts in History, I have been learning the Japanese language. Furthermore, I co-run Misiu i Mui Mui - an English language blog with plenty of travel inspiration for budget travel around Europe; wherein, I share my special affection for East-Central Europe and the Baltics.

Teaching Experience:
▪; Background - Year 1 (2017-18): Inquiry into the array of extensive transformations on the European continent (c.400-1500); the study of the heterogenous structures of society in continental Europe (1500-1800); as well as the exploration of various strands of themes and structures in Europe from 1793 to 1991. I have greatly enjoyed the above-mentioned modules: markedly opening-up my field of analysis of factors I have not yet implemented, as well as having aided me in increasing my analytical and research skills, the written and oral modes of research presentation have greatly prepared me for my study in Year 2.

In conjunction with my Bachelor of Arts in History study, I have attended a weekly evening language course for the Russian language at the King's College London Modern Language Centre.

Year 2 (2018-19, ongoing): Examination of global human-environmental interactions, the evolution of human culture and technology, as well as the study of environmental history in relation to anthropology, archaeology, geography, and environmental studies; the study of the organisation and re-organisation of East-Central #/k#Europe across the nineteenth and twentieth-centuries, with a focus upon the organisation principle of the nation-state, as well as a multiple level analysis of diversified subnational and transnational systems; as well as the study of literature and theory appertaining to the study of history and memory as a study in of itself.

Furthermore, the study of Art in European Society between 1500 and 1700, namely: the ways arts interacted with social and cultural forces. Moreover, as part of my second-year studies, I am currently learning the Japanese language. Whilst am I am ongoing student of the above-mentioned modules, my second-year studies have proved to have a greater research presentation diversity (including individual and group presentations) as well as have elevated my independence as a student, namely: by requiring students to self-organise and carry out field trips around London.

▪; Volunteering and work experience: As a native Polish speaker, during my Year 1 studies I have volunteered at the King's College London Modern Language Centre. The volunteering included working with an individual student of the Polish language within a half-an-hour allotted time slot. Rather than acting as a teacher of the Polish language, the sessions focused upon one-to-one language interaction in preparation for the student's written, oral examinations, as well as providing language immersion with a native Polish speaker.

Tutoring Approach:
▪; Real-life application (History, Geography, Polish language);
▪; Improve analytical thinking and evaluation skills;
▪; Listen to the student - find solutions to the student`s problem;
▪; Analysing primary documents;
▪; Feedback is very important to me. What is your preferred learning style?

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Personal Description:
I am a friendly, passionate and enthusiastic French Tutor. I like to assess each client's individual needs and then tailor the sessions to achieve them. I like to make the learning interactive and fun and I am a very patient tutor.

Teaching Experience:
I have successfully tutored French for the past 16 years. I have extensive experience with students looking to improve their GCSE and A Level grades, adult learners either seeking to gain conversational French or who require a deeper understanding of the language and primary age children who are learning French for the first time.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to assess each individual client's needs and tailor the learning to achieve their goals. I use a variety of learning material and I like to positively encourage clients in their lesson in order to improve their confidence and understanding. Additionally I always have a calm approach to my lessons, so that clients can maximise their learning, without feeling under pressure. I also like the sessions to be fun.

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Personal Description:
Hi there! I'm Emily. I grew up in London, and I am a native English speaker with a British accent. I find languages fascinating, and have studied French, Spanish and Russian, so I understand the experience of a language learner. As well as language learning, my hobbies include swing dancing, reading, art and watching films!

Teaching Experience:
I am an experienced teacher with a native British accent. I graduated from the University of Cambridge with a BA in Education Studies and English Literature, before completing a PGCE in Primary Education. I am fully TEFL certified and DBS checked, and teach both adults and children.

I have taught in several London Primary Schools, and continue to teach Primary School children part-time.

Tutoring Approach:
I offer conversational English classes for intermediate-advanced students.

My lessons use art, music, literature and film to create stimulating conversations. I have a rigorous approach to grammar and pronunciation, but prefer not to use coursebooks. I will listen and respond to your needs in real time, identifying and working on your weaknesses with you, meaning that my lessons are fun and tailored to your interests! If you choose to study with me for the long term, I will create a personalised syllabus for you to ensure that you achieve your language goals.

I teach all my lessons over Zoom. When you start learning with me, I will share a Google Drive folder with you in which I will put all your lesson resources and extra support for self-study.

Please send me a message for more information. I look forward to learning with you soon!

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Personal Description:
PLEASE SEE 'TUTORING EXPERIENCE' BELOW FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS PAGE, THE RESULTS AND FEEDBACK

I am an Oxford graduate (English language and literature, first class), as well as a qualified English teacher, and have been tutoring since 2013. My specialism is A-level English literature.

Please get in touch for online English tuition, particularly if you are or your child is

• Preparing to take A-levels in 2026/27
• Doing coursework
• Working on the basis of continuous assessment, mocks, etc.
• Or planning to do / doing an English degree

I graduated from the University of Oxford with a double first in English language and literature, winning the prize for the best performance in English finals at Mansfield College, and the college essay prize. At school, I was awarded eleven GCSEs at A-star and three A-levels at A.

As well as tutoring, I have worked as a researcher, a copywriter, and a proofreader. I have also completed a PGCE in secondary English at the UCL Institute of Education, the highest-ranking college of education in the world ('QS World University Rankings'), during which I taught all age groups at two west London secondary schools, and received A's for my master's-level assignments. I am currently pursuing a PhD in English literature at the University of Buckingham.

As well as English tuition at any level, I can help you or your child with the following:

• Oxbridge entrance (the admissions process, practice interviews, the ELAT, etc.)
• Essay surgery - how to structure and write an essay
• How to revise - note-taking, organisation, making connections, committing to memory
• Grammar, punctuation, and style (a.k.a. 'usage and abusage')
• Speech-writing and public speaking
• Proofreading and redrafting essays
• Suggested reading and resources, including access to my library of 'TES' resources
• Creative writing
• How to annotate, analyse (and enjoy) English literature - sometimes known as 'close reading' or 'practical criticism'
• If you'd specifically like written feedback on your writing - more like a correspondence course - then I can also provide that.

In my spare time I enjoy cycling, writing, and photography.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring since 2013, teaching English at all levels (including degree level), as well as A-level religious studies and classical civilisation. I have taught AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC/Eduqas, and CAIE (Cambridge International), and am constantly familiarising myself with the new texts that my students are studying. I have experience helping students who have autism and ADHD. And I am interested in the role of generative AI and large language models in education, not to write students' essays for them, but as research assistants for students and teachers alike. It is of course important that students do not get the likes of ChatGPT to write their essays for them, among other reasons because they will not be able to do so in the exams. Tutoring is well placed to discourage this, since it has always been my practice to ask my students many questions about every essay they write.

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A student, June 2025: 'thank you very much for all the sessions! It has not only boosted my confidence in English literature but they really reminded me of how much I love the subject. It's always a pleasure to discuss nuance readings of the texts, and it has been a great help leading up to my exams.'

Charlotte, a parent, June 2025: 'Thank you so much for all your help and support for [L.]. We are so grateful for everything you have done with him and wish you all the best.'

Ann, a parent, June 2025: '[Z.] has thoroughly enjoyed her lessons with you and has gained so much from your guidance. We're very grateful for all the support you've given her.'

A parent, May 2025: 'Thank you so much again for everything you've done to help [G.] prepare for these exams - he has really enjoyed his sessions with you and he and we really appreciate your support'.

A parent, May 2025: '[N.] just received the below. It's an A* if the grade boundaries is same as last year. She couldn't have done it without your help. We really appreciate it.'

A parent, February 2025: '[S.] is really enjoying studying with you and has gained a lot of confidence in English. I truly appreciate the effort and dedication you put into teaching.'

A student, January 2025: 'thank you ever so much for your kindness and creative encouragement the past months. What is very special about you as a tutor is that you have never told me "what to write". Instead, you have asked me questions about my work that have led me to discover what I truly wish to write'.

Kate, a parent, December 2024: 'We're so pleased [G.] is enjoying his sessions and seems to be really motivated to read widely in between sessions, is making useful structured notes (which he didn't do before) and his confidence and awareness of what he needs to do when essay writing is really building. Thank you!!!'

Eleni, a parent, December 2024: 'I just wanted to let you know that [D.] received an offer […] today! She is super happy! […] I wanted to thank you again as [D.] found your sessions incredibly helpful and inceased her confidence during the exams process.'

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A-level results, August 2024:

'I wanted to write to say a huge thank you to you for all the help, support and inspiration you have given [E.] over the past year. You have not only given her the technical advice and support to help her make the most of her essays and exams, but more importantly you have helped her keep the love of the subject alive. I know a big part of the reason she is so excited to study English at university is because of how much she has enjoyed your conversations, and how you have helped her to consider texts in a way that the rather narrower scope of teaching at school does not allow. I am so very grateful to you and I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into her sessions - thank you so very much. […] You've been so great, and any other student/parent would be lucky to have access to your teaching.'

'I have just opened my results and am happy to confirm that I am off to Bristol this September with an A* in English! I just want to thank you again for making this possible.'

'I got an A in English, and will be going to Exeter, so mission accomplished. I wanted to thank you for all your help, not only for helping me to get what I needed, but for giving me back my confidence and enjoyment of the subject in the process.'

'Just to let you know [I.] got her results this morning and achieved an 'A' in English. We are over the moon […] Thank you again for all your help with the English, it's much appreciated.'

'thanks for your help this past academic year! Got two A*s in English and Philosophy'.

'I got a B and I was accepted into my firm university (Durham) which I am very happy! Thank you for all your help and support.'

'I was really happy to receive […] A in English Literature […] I secured a placed at my firm university. I will be studying English Literature at Durham University this September and I am very excited! Thank you so much for all of your support, I really appreciate it!'

'i got into Warwick with […] an A* in English!!!!! I am very happy :) Thank you for all your hard work, wisdom and wit over the last year or two'.

'Thank you so much for all your coaching and advice that you shared with [L.], it made such a difference to his confidence leading up to his exams. He is (as are we) delighted with his English result.'

'an A awarded in English […] so she is off to her first choice of Edinburgh University to study History of Art and English Literature.'

'Results day went well and I'm going to the university of Kent. Thank you so much again for all the time spent helping me to prepare for my exams it means a lot I'm very excited to continue my English literature journey.'

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A student, June 2024: 'Thank you so much for being the most amazing English teacher! It has been an immensely rewarding and interesting journey exploring so many books […] I have learnt so much from GCSEs to continuing with more amazing literatures in A-levels'

A student, June 2024: 'I […] wanted to say thank you for the tremendous help you have provided with the English content throughout the A level period. The resources that you provided for me were quite helpful in refining my knowledge in many areas of the syllabus so thank you very much.'

A student, May 2024: 'I've just received the results for my english coursework and wanted to thank you for all the help and feedback!!'

A parent, February 2024: 'your help has kept her love of the subject and her enthusiasm alive and I can't thank you enough for that.'

A parent, February 2024: 'You were such a huge help to [S.], we will always be very grateful to you.'

Kath, a parent, February 2024: 'We would both like to thank you for all your invaluable help, especially all the helpful feedback on the coursework essay. [S.] has definitely learnt a lot and grown in confidence, especially in her knowledge of Twelfth Night.'

A student, January 2024: 'I just wanted to let you know that I got an offer from Oxford! Thank you so much for checking over my personal statement and all the help that you have given me since GCSEs. I really enjoy our sessions every week, the discussions keep me constantly creative and thinking.'

A parent, January 2024: 'Thank you as always for all your continued help and support for [E.]. I know she gets a tremendous amount from your sessions and I'm very grateful.'

A student, January 2024: 'Just emailing to let you know I did get an offer from […] Cambridge yesterday so thank you so much for all your help! It is really appreciated and I'm really looking forward to starting my degree in October!'

A student, December 2023: 'So thank you so much again for all your help; your insights have been very useful and I have really enjoyed talking about literature with you.'

Tara, a parent, November 2023: 'you are really helping [R.], he is becoming much more confident. Thank you so much'.

Paula, a parent, November 2023: '[M.] is always delighted with your teaching. You are asking questions no one else does. My husband and I see her grow academically after every session with you.'

Liz, a parent, October 2023: 'Thank you so much for all the work you have done with, and the kindness you have shown, [E.] to date. She really enjoys her sessions with you, and you've helped keep her enthusiasm for English very much alive. I'm so grateful.'

Kim, a parent, August 2023: 'I cannot tell you how happy we all were and your help was clearly instrumental in that. Not sure if he told you but he got 12 points above an A* and it was his best A level result!'

A student, August 2023: 'I really enjoyed our lessons and think it has really helped prepare me for the Oxford style tutorials.'

A student, August 2023: 'wanted to let you know I ended up getting an A* in English, thanks so much for all the help!'

Mark, a parent, June 2023: 'Many thanks josh for your help this year. [E.] has said to me it has really helped, you started assisting her at a time when she felt behind her class mates for the whole of the first year, having switched to English half way through term one.'

Melanie, a parent, June 2023: 'Thank you so much for all your time and effort with [T.]'s English literature. She really enjoyed your sessions together and it really boosted her confidence and inspired her to think more deeply and critically about the texts. It also confirmed that she is happy and excited to study a literature based course at degree level.'

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A-level results, August/September 2022:

'[L.] came home from university yesterday to attend her school prize giving ceremony, and this morning as she was leaving she asked me to let you know that she won a special prize in English […] Until last night, she wasn't aware of any of her awards, apart from her scholarship, so it was all a lovely surprise. Furthermore, the essays she wrote in her A level English exams have somehow found their way into her teachers' hands; they told her, with beams of pride , that the three marks dropped overall were actually in her *non exam* assessment, so 30/30 in all questions across all papers under exam conditions, something she had never achieved before. She had admitted to me in the aftermath of the exams that when she was writing her English papers she had really enjoyed the process, her thoughts flowing pretty effortlessly on to the paper. But she had also worried this stream of ideas might not be fit with the mark schemes. […] she […] wanted you to know about her prize, as she thought you'd be pleased, and she also wanted to say thanks one last time for your inspirational teaching that led to it.'

'I got AAA* for my results much higher than my predicted! particularly for english'.

'[G.] got an A star in English. And is off to Oxford. […] Thanks so much for everything - you were honestly amazing and really helped her get there'.

'[L.] got 3 a stars and an A star as well in her EPQ. Her highest marks were in English Literature ( 197/200)'.

'I achieved 4A*s in my Alevels - one being in English Literature. My teachers also let me know that I got full marks in both the exam papers'.

'[T.] smashed English Literature, A* […] she is absolutely over the moon . Thank you so much for all the work you put in with her !'

'I got a D[distinction]2!!! […] I got full marks on my PI!'

'I got an A* in English!!! Thank you so much for all of your help I wouldn't have been able to do it without you!'

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A student, January 2023: 'Just wanted to let you know I got an offer from Cambridge, thank you so so much for all your help.' And Kathryn: 'You were such a great help to [E.] in her preparation for the Cambridge application and interview and we were all delighted when she was offered a place this week. Thank you for all the support you gave her.'

Shaun, a parent, January 2023: '[E.] has found the sessions really very helpful (and has enjoyed them!)'

Guifang, a parent, December 2022: 'From what I hear from [S.], she really enjoys her discussions with you, it's really one of the highlights of her week.'

A student, November 2022: 'I'm extremely happy to tell you that I received an 8.3 for the literary review […] Thank you for explaining to me what a literary review is […] I remember whilst working on it I was so worried about my grade, but it appears I've survived.'

Deborah, a parent, September 2022: 'a huge thanks again to you for all your work with [S.]. I know he has been in touch to let you know that he got 9s in both English Language and Literature. He was over the moon - well beyond his best hopes, so thank you again for being instrumental in helping him attain those grades.'

Karen, a parent, August 2022: 'Both my girls really like your way of teaching and talking to them, they feel really listened to and respected for their opinions (as well as respecting yours obviously), so thank you :)'

Helen, a parent, July 2022: 'Thanks so much for all the help you gave [J.], he really benefitted from the sessions he had with you.'

Tara, a parent, June 2022: 'Thank you so much for all your help and patience - I think you have been brilliant for her confidence. She found English exams really very difficult before she started talking to you and it's amazing to see how much calmer (relatively speaking!) she has been going in to her A level English papers. Whatever the result, her sessions with you have definitely helped her to enjoy English again and I'm really grateful.'

A student, June 2022: 'This is incredibly insightful and thought provoking feedback. Thank you so much.'

Mei, a parent, June 2022: 'She found your lessons very helpful and always remarked to me how much you went the extra mile for her ; looking up and sending on links to whatever you'd been discussing. Much appreciated!'

Marguerite, a parent, June 2022: 'Thank you so much for all you've done for [T.] in the past year . […] you are a very talented teacher.'

Monica, a parent, June 2022: 'You have been an absolutely wonderful tutor to [L.], and how time has flown since she first met you! […] Many a time she has needed someone to talk to, not so much about AO1-5, but rather about the beauty and burden of literature and life. You have always been willing to do that, and she is richer for it.'

A student, June 2022: 'Thank you for teaching me for the last year; I have enjoyed our lessons and I feel I have grown as an English student, with thanks to your teaching.'

A student, April 2022: 'I received an 8 for my essay!! I want to thank you for your tutoring on Keats and Wordsworth- I wouldn't have gotten such a grade without it!! […] I learned tons because of you.'

Ngozi, a parent, March 2022: 'Thanks for everything that you're doing for [G.] - it has been very helpful.'

A student, February 2022: 'Really, thanks so much. Was such a good and efficient service. Your feedback looks really good and I'm going to implement it today. […] Thanks again for doing this on such short notice'.

Deborah, a parent, October 2021: '[S.] said you make it really fun - he said at school his energy goes down in English lessons and with you it goes up! So that is praise indeed from a teenage boy!'

A student, August 2021: 'I got the A grade ! I'm so pleased, thank you for all the help and the essays really paid off :).'

Monica, a parent, July 2021: 'As would be expected from his first class qualifications, Josh is extremely intelligent. However, in my opinion, he has a a very particular advantage over others of a similar academic background, namely his ability to exhibit an authentic interest in the ideas his students express. He is always kind and encouraging, but without sacrificing rigour; this approach has had a hugely positive impact on my daughter when speaking, writing and reading. Furthermore, Josh has introduced her to a range of authors, poets , films and philosophical thought, thus enriching her far beyond the school curriculum. In the future, my daughter will undoubtedly look back on her time with Josh with both fondness and gratitude. I have no hesitation in recommending Josh as a tutor'.

Guifang, a parent, July 2021: 'I have know Joshua for 2 months and He has been supporting my daughter excellently through her GCSE courses, helping her to achieve a 9 in predicted grades. From this, Joshua has always been very serious with the work, needless to say, always punctual and gives detailed homework feedback. I know him to be a wonderful tutor to my daughter.'

Susan, a parent, May 2021: '[T]hank you so much for all your help with [N.] […] [N.] found your lessons extremely helpful which enabled her to enjoy and understand English in a greater depth […] it was excellent tuition . Thank you'.

Jamal, a parent, May 2021: 'Thank you Josh for all your efforts, you have greatly assisted [S.] in better understanding English Literature as whole.'

Zahed, a parent, May 2021: 'We are grateful for all your help and support. We are in no doubt that [A.] has improved a lot in English Literature under your guidance.'

A student, May 2021: 'I just got my coursework back and got an A in it. Just thought i should let you know thanks you!'

Margaret, a parent, March 2021: 'Thanks for helping [M.] to improve her English understanding. She really enjoys her lessons and chats!'

Chris, a parent, March 2021: '[R.] is benefiting immensely from your lessons and is definitely getting more confident in expressing his thoughts in writing! Thank you.'

Amanda, a parent, December 2020: 'Josh has really helped join the dots, encouraged a depth of questioning and ways to interpret and compare ideas, extracting and bringing fresh meaning to narrative styles and creative use of language. Josh has been a great support and steered [R.]'s confidence to look more thoroughly and develop a greater understanding all round. Josh has a kind, approachable style and encouraged [R.] with debating aloud and suggestions for further reading which all continue to be an invaluable help and inspire greater confidence in approaching exams and further reading in future!'

A student, December 2020: 'He helps focus my understanding and makes sure i understand the topic we are learning before moving on. Josh will make sure to ask you questions throughout the process and is always ready for your ideas even if you think it's wrong. He will set homework but makes sure to switch it up each week to make it more interesting and gives his feedback to help me understand what i need to do to improve.'

Diana, a parent, September 2020: 'Josh worked with my daughter for her A Level in English Literature. He was outstanding with his ideas and expanding her critical thinking. He went above and beyond to develop her analytical skills and as a result helped her obtain an A*. He is an absolutely lovely, gentle but dynamic and reliable tutor who has a rare ability combine his academic achievement with a natural talent for teaching. A real gem and we cannot thank him enough.'

A parent, September 2020: 'Joshua is an excellent tutor with great communication skills . He is very patient , helpful , approachable and takes time to explain everything clearly to my daughter . Joshua has been able to breakdown and explain in full detail all aspects of the A Level content.'

A student, June 2020: 'it's been great being taught by you, I've learned so many critical thinking skills in such a short space of time.'

A parent, March 2020: 'I can't thank you enough for everything that you've done for her - you've been the best English teacher she's ever had and she has loved her time with you.'

*

During my teacher training, I taught all age groups at two west London secondary schools.

While at Oxford, I was part of an 'e-mentoring' scheme to help candidates from schools without a history of Oxbridge applications.

At Christ College, Brecon, I ran two series of seminars, for sixth-formers studying RS and English literature. In English we covered 'The Tempest', Gothic literature, Pat Barker's 'Regeneration', 'Jane Eyre', Wilfred Owen, and 'The Canterbury Tales'.

Tutoring Approach:
I try to combine three things that I want my students to do, which are three forms of thinking: speak about complex ideas, read high-quality material, and write essays for which they will receive detailed feedback. For obvious reasons, lessons are weighted to speaking, and homework to reading and writing.

Speaking

Pedagogy's holy grail is measuring progress, which is difficult in a classroom and impossible in a lecture. Happily, the tutorial system allows this to occur continuously and efficiently via dialogue. Can a student re-express an idea they have heard or read in their own words? If the answer is yes, they have probably understood the idea. Hence the constant questions!

As well as understanding the ideas of others, speaking is essential for students to develop their own. I love the quotation from the novelist E. M. Forster, 'How can I tell what I think till I see what I say?' We improve the quality of our ideas through the process of articulating them.

For my part, quite a lot of what I say is explaining what texts mean. This might sound obvious, but great works of literature are complex, so, to understand their meaning, one's own interpretation probably needs the support of others' prior interpretations.

I sometimes like to break the question of a text's meaning into two: What's it about? And what's it really about? Answering the first question is comprehension, a necessary first step. To answer the second question is to understand. In 'A Streetcar Named Desire', for example, Blanche goes to live with her sister in New Orleans. She expresses a strong dislike of her surroundings and is frequently associated with images of water. She declines mentally and is eventually taken away. So what's the play really about? Blanche is a Romantic idealist who is disappointed with her life but still tends to imagine things in their perfect form. The play is about the human soul conceiving of things being as good as they could be (as if cleansed by water), reaching for the conception, and failing to grasp it - shuttling back and forth, in other words, on the streetcar named desire.

One thing I frequently encourage is making the link between those oft-cited elements of a good essay, themes and quotations. These are not unrelated ingredients, they are the text itself viewed from different distances. A theme (the desire to be cleansed) is a wide shot, and a quotation ('the land of the sky blue water') is a close-up. So the student of English has to practise their ability to zoom in and out.

Another way I try to support my students' studies is by making connections between the texts they are reading, which in my experience doesn't happen that much at school. Particularly at A-level, there are often many fruitful connections between the half-dozen or so texts being studied: the Romantics were devoted to Shakespeare and Milton, the Gothic is an aspect of the Romantic, the Aesthetic Movement drew on particular strains of Romanticism, etc. When these connections get made with reference to particular writers, they are no longer just isms. They make the material deeper and easier to understand at the same time. Towards the end of their school careers, students of the humanities should be able to get the sense of taking part in 'the Great Conversation that began in the dawn of history and that continues to the present day' (Robert M. Hutchins).

Reading

I regularly give my students PDFs of high-quality secondary material pitched at their level or just above it. Explanatory notes, commentaries, and essays can help with understanding, particularly when it comes to context. (And all exam boards have assessment objectives relating to historical context.) To know that a text was written during a particular period and what characterised that period is to have a mental scaffold that does not limit movement but frees it. In studying the humanities we are studying human culture, and no one can do that without a bit of structure. It also helps when thinking about texts in relation to each other - when writing a comparative essay, for example. I like to think of honing in from context to text, e.g. Romanticism (late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries) > William Blake (1757-1827) > 'Songs of Innocence and of Experience' (1794) > 'The Tyger'. (What's 'The Tyger' about? There's a question!)

In my experience, knowledge acquisition operates according to the Matthew principle, named after a verse in the Gospel of Matthew: 'unto every one that hath shall be given'. In other words, the more you've got, the more you'll get. Every time you learn something about Romanticism, the greater will be your understanding of the poetry of William Blake. Your internal bookshelves expand - more connections, greater understanding. Reading secondary material is obviously 'extra', but it works to enhance students' understanding of set texts rather than crowd them out. Homer Simpson said, 'every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain', and we laugh because it's not true. You can't fill up a brain, so the cliché about people's (particularly young people's) limitless potential is true. Every time you learn something new, you enrich your contextual understanding of everything else you have ever learnt. '[E]very moment is a new and shocking / Valuation of all we have been', as T. S. Eliot put it in 'East Coker'.

Writing

Speaking and reading are in a concrete way preparation for writing. If you think and make notes while speaking and reading, by the time it comes to writing an essay, the question should not be about what to say, but how to arrange the things you want to say. So annotation is an important skill. It's a bit like getting 'in the zone' for a sportsperson - students must practise getting there and staying there. I model the annotation process something like this:

Read with a pencil in your hand. What makes you underline? Something fires in your brain, so that you have a response - you spot a developing theme, you're reminded of another book, you agree or disagree, there's a word you don't know and need to look up, you like the way a sentence sounds. It could be anything. Read until you've underlined twenty words or sentences. Work out the three or four connections between the things you have to say, and you've got a paragraph plan. Work out the main thing you have to say, and you have a thesis for your essay, which, as you aim your paragraphs at it, will accumulate force.

A lot of learning (and life) is about noticing connections, so getting into the habit of doing so is something like learning how to learn. If a student has developed this habit, they shouldn't really have to think 'What shall I write?' in front of a blank sheet of paper or screen. The content of the essay will be a sort of emanation of prior thinking.

When it comes to giving students feedback, I keep in mind one of the best incites I heard early in my PGCE: attend to your students' writing as you would a piece of literature. This way, the marking progress becomes analogous to the writing process. What are all the things that could make this essay better? And is there a connection between them, i.e. what's the main thing this student needs to focus on? (I usually give feedback using comments and 'track changes' in Microsoft Word.)

Why study English?

It has been said that 'If you can think, and speak, and write, you are absolutely deadly', and I think that's right. Learning how to construct and articulate good arguments is learning how to impose ideas on the world. To the extent that English is about feelings, it is about their articulation, and there is a great deal to learn about how feelings have been and can be articulated. Moreover, because English is the medium of instruction in all other subjects, command of it confers a freedom to range through the history of ideas and discriminate between reliable and unreliable, including online. Language is a prerequisite for thought - doing English properly is learning how to think better.

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Personal Description:
I am a Undergraduate student at UCL studying Natural Sciences. I am from Belgium and french is my native language. I grew up in Hong Kong where I also learned to speak English. I love my native language and wish to help any motivated student who wants to learn French.

Teaching Experience:
I did all of my school years in Hong Kong in both French and English. French is my native language, I can therefore tutor for any level. I have also been taught two other languages, giving me a good perspective of the process needed to efficiently and productively learn a new language.

Tutoring Approach:
The best way to learn a language is through interactive classes. During my lessons we will be actively practicing pronunciations, simulating useful dialogues in French and learning in a fun way to write and remember essential vocabulary. I am open to adjust the classes depending on your age and level. The first class (held online) will be used to discuss and adjust to your requirements in order to make the classes as profitable and delightful as possible. My goal is to help you progress quickly while enjoying French!

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Personal Description:
I am a Qualified Lecturer of English and an Examiner for GCSE English Language & Literature.
I have 23-years experience of teaching all levels and abilities of English.

Teaching Experience:
Teaching all levels from Key stage 2 to GCSE and A-Level
I also have experience teaching ESOL since 2002
Teaching on an ASDAN programme with the PRU & NEET cohorts.
Eleven Plus tuition support also offered.

Tutoring Approach:
I enthuse, motivate, inspire and generate the best results from all students.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a professional singer, a music and singing teacher. I have conducted masterclasses and I won several singing competitions in Italy.
I have phoniatric experience which enables me to recognise voice issues and to keep my voice and my students' voices healthy. This phoniatric experience enabled me to gain a deep knowledge of voice anatomy and physiology, to ensure a healthy voice emission and to work on voice education.

Teaching Experience:
I worked as a music and singing teacher for several music academies, middle schools and high schools to A level exam syllabus. The main subjects I held: general music, modern and opera singing, Body awareness, history of music, chamber music, solfeggio and rhythm.
I am now working as a musical director for a theatre company.
I am now also holding on line vocal coaching lessons.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a very passionate and enthusiastic tutor. My teaching method is tailored to my students, which means that it varies according to my students' needs.
I differentiate instructions based on my students' musical ability and interest in order to encourage and motivate their participation in the lesson.
I gained good communication skills through my experience as a teacher. In fact working with both children and adults, some of whom with special needs, gave me the opportunity to develop team spirit, friendliness, confidence interacting, empathy and open-mindedness.

A vocal coaching lesson includes:
- Vocal technique in several singing styles
- Body awareness
- Breathing exercises
- Repertoire approach and analysis
- Score analysis
- Musical expression
- According to the student's needs it might include Theory, Rhythm and intonation

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hi, Here you will find results and receive guidance to achieve your study goals. You will be supported to pace yourself and manage the learning process smoothly and efficiently. I am organised, patient, friendly, supportive, resourceful and flexible. I have experience with distance learning and a deep understanding of the requirements of teaching online with ease and efficiency. Prior to pursuing studies in Psychology (BSc and MSc), I completed an 'MA in Applied Linguistics and Translation' and a 'BA in English Language and Literature'. I am qualified and experienced in teaching English/Arabic as a foreign language (Postgraduate Diploma in TEFL and RSA C.O.T.E.). I am fluent in Arabic and English.

- There's still time to catch up!
= Discounts for block-bookings and a sliding scale available.

Teaching Experience:
I have extensive experience in teaching: taught languages (both English and Arabic as foreign languages) and translation at university level, school level and for occasional adult learners (both formally and privately). I have taught many age groups in the past ranging from Primary stage to University level and adult occasional learners. I have consistently received positive feedback on my tutoring skills and interpersonal communication skills. Previous to becoming freelance, I taught various subjects at the University of London and the University of Westminster; in addition to various freelance teaching and translation positions abroad during my years living abroad. I am a member of the British Psychological Society: MBPsS (Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society).

- "If at first you don't succeed, try again."

Tutoring Approach:
Learner centred: focused on the learner's expressed needs, expressed requirements and set of desired outcomes. A confidence building approach supports autonomous learning in the long term. I help students find a manageable structure to their studies and in setting realistically achievable goals. I help students to prepare well, expand their learning strategies and smoothly move forward towards success!

There are no secrets to success. SUCCESS is the result of preparation, consistency, efficient study skills, and learning from failure. You can do this!

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