Balfron Reading & Writing skills Tutors and Balfron Reading & Writing skills Tuition

Personal Description:
I am a fully qualified teacher with Cambridge MA, PGCE & DELTA, with 30 years' experience of teaching in a variety of contexts including general secondary school English and Drama, GCSE, A Level, IB, and tuition at university and postgraduate level, including assistance with theses and similar.
I have considerable experience of TEFL/TOEFL and a successful record in teaching Cambridge FCE, CPE, etc as well as Business English classes for non-native professionals.
I recently returned to the UK from Spain for family reasons and I am new to the York area. I'm taking time out for a while to write that elusive million-seller or sitcom! Meanwhile I am a member of SfEP and work part time as a professional proofreader and copy editor. I am very happy to help groups or individuals with their academic needs.

Teaching Experience:
15 years in all key stages of secondary school education in England.
5 years Adult Education, TEFL and private tuition in the UK.
10 years teaching a British curriculum in an international secondary school in Spain at all key stages incl. GCSE, A Level and IB.
Group and individual EFL classes for children and adults, including Business English for professionals and TOEFL in an American-affiliated college.
I have an excellent record of success in preparing students for English and Drama exams - GCSE, A Level, International Baccalaureat and beyond - as well as for Cambridge First Certificate, Advanced and Proficiency in English.
Amongst other notables, I was employed as personal tutor to the actress Rebecca Hall as a child and also to one of Tony Blair's sons!

Tutoring Approach:
I believe in a supportive approach and a friendly relationship, but without forgetting it's work: you're paying me because I can improve your (or your children's) future prospects.

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Personal Description:
I am an experienced and skilled Tutor of French, Russian and English as a foreign language. I have been tutoring continuously on a part time basis for 12 years, typically working with 5 or 6 students at any one time. I have spent several years living and working abroad, so this has given me quite an international outlook. At the same time, I am quite well-travelled within the UK and have a good understanding of English history, culture and customs. As a native speaker of English, I have an excellent grasp of the English language, particularly in terms of grammar, spelling and pronunciation.

I am fair-minded, accepting of the needs of others, multi-culturally sensitive and take genuine pride in the quality of my work and going the extra mile wherever possible.

Teaching Experience:
I possess the PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) and am qualified to teach in Secondary Schools in the United Kingdom. I have four years experience of teaching English as a Foreign Language, and have taught the English as a Foreign Language curriculum at all levels, from elementary to advanced. I have taught a wide range of groups of both children, from the age of 11 upwards, and adults. I am particularly strong in teaching Business English to non-native speakers - I have redesigned and delivered an Advanced Level Business English Course for Masters Degree level students, I have worked with many private students of Business English on their premises, and have also successfully prepared students for the London Chamber of Commerce Exams in Business Communication.

I am very comfortable tutoring French up to A-Level Standard. I have myself lived in France for three years and have been educated in the French Education System up to Masters Degree level. I therefore have a very strong grasp of French language and culture which I love to share. I also actively use my French skills in my everyday employment,and am well used to interacting with French native speakers on a daily basis.

I am educated in Russian up to Bachelor's Degree level and have a similarly broad experience of practising and communicating in the Russian language, having spent five years living and working in Russian speaking countries. I am comfortable tutoring Russian up to A-Level Standard and have a lot of experience working with beginner level students learning Russian for the first time.

I have also delivered private lessons in order to prepare students for Private School entrance. I typically work with students on GCSE or A-Level preparation and have an excellent track record in delivering strong results in these areas. I have worked with family groups who were all keen to learn a foreign language together, as well as those seeking to learn for professional or business reasons, and both modes of tuition have also proved to be very rewarding for me. I prefer to build stable medium term teaching relationships, and retained one student for over 5 years, even if this meant my arriving dutifully every Saturday morning for our 9am class!

Tutoring Approach:
In a word: flexibility. I make every effort to really take on board and respond to the wishes of my clients. I am clear and proactive in communication regarding expectations and always seek to ensure mutual agreement with my students and parents as to setting realistic targets and the most appropriate learning strategies for their needs.

I am a great believer that learning should be fun and always seek to make my classes varied, challenging and stimulating, drawing upon as wide a range of learning skills and strategies as possible.

I have an excellent grasp of both spoken and written English, and am a strong believer in developing confidence in these areas through regular practice, setting realistic targets and offering plenty of praise and encouragement.

I prefer to work with individuals or smaller groups in a relaxed, purposeful atmosphere where there is plenty of tutor input or explanation as required, but also where students are given every opportunity to practise and develop newly acquired skills.

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Personal Description:
I am an Open University graduate having completed an BA(Hons) degree. I chose my own programme of study which consisted of French,English Language Studies with GCSE/Standard grade Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. After my degree, I undertook an A-level/Higher Grade Maths course and GCSE/Standard Grade level Latin course to keep my study skills fresh and updated whilst complimenting my degree.

Prior to this, I under went a City and Guilds in Delivering Learning which taught me the vital skills required to be able to plan and construct lessons. In conjunction to this, I have also achieved my Level 1 certificate in British Sign Language.

Teaching Experience:
I have done work with Borders College based in Galashiels where I taught adult evening classes in Mandarin Chinese, Italian and French, which I love. Seeing my students grow and learn is one of the main reasons why I entered the tutoring and teaching profession.

In addition, I have taught French to various ages ranging from Primary right through to Adult in various capacities. Furthermore, I have taught English as a Foreign Language which was a brilliant experience as it gave me a valuable insight into how people learn not only English but languages in general.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring comprises of friendliness and patience. Having studied at home for my degree, I understand the importance of a structured and warm learning environment. My motto has always been "There is no such thing as a stupid question". If you do not know the answer then the only way to find the answer out is to ask the question, whether it is for the first or tenth time. As I am so passionate about French and English along with reading and writing skills, I feel that lessons with me will be a positive, exciting and worthwhile experience.

I have always strongly believed that education is available to everyone, regardless of past experiences. The only thing that I feel matters when it comes to learning is a want to learn, if you have that then anything is possible.

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Personal Description:
I consider myself to be a friendly and approachable teacher. I get on well with the children I teach gaining their respect through being firm, fair and fun.

Teaching Experience:
I have 19 years teaching experience within a primary school setting. I have taught all primary age groups from 4-11 years. During this time I have planned and assessed children and used current SAT's materials.

Tutoring Approach:
I treat every student as an individual and asses their needs accordingly. I plan my lessons to suit their needs using my up to date knowledge of the curriculum and assessment criteria. My lessons are fun and interactive wherever possible using both written and practical techniques. I have found that children gain confidence in their ability and begin to move forward and keep up with the work in class.

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Personal Description:
My background is in languages and performing arts. I began studying
English at age 8, French at 13, German at 15, and have been
self-taught in Spanish since age 10. I come from a family with a
long tradition in teaching and have always been encouraged to study
and learn, while at the same time inheriting and developing a strong
capacity to explain, train, and encourage.

Teaching Experience:
Since graduating from my Master's course in 2011 I have been working
as a self-employed language tutor in and around London and have
always received more than positive feedback from my clients. My
tutees' ages range from four to seventy-four and I constantly
endeavour to improve myself and adapt my teaching method to my
clients' needs.

Some client reviews:

David
21/03/2020
5/5 Rating

"I`ve been doing Romanian with Maria for a few months now,
initially face to face and now via Skype. I enjoy my lessons
a great. Maria has excellent teaching skills, prepares well for
the class, and provides me with good feedback. Aside from that,
the lessons are fun and I look forward to them. Would definitely
recommend."

Toni
20/09/2018
5/5 Rating

"Only had 3 lessons but I`m loving the way Maria breaks everything
down and explains it. She fills me with confidence by focusing on
the positive from the lessons. Thank you for everything so far :)"

John
14/05/2018
5/5 Rating

"Maria is an excellent tutor, already 2 lessons in and I am picking
up the basics quickly!"

Rebecca
01/04/2018
5/5 Rating

"Prompt, organised, professional and a great teacher!"

Arshad
22/02/2018
5/5 Rating

"Very professional tutor
Highly recommended"

Otis
26/12/2017
5/5 Rating

"Maria is an excellent tutor. She is very knowledgeable and her
lessons are always well structured and enjoyable. She has a genuine
passion for languages which is evident in her thorough preparation
for each lesson. I would recommend Maria."

Polly
24/10/2017
5/5 Rating

"Maria has been great so far!!!"

Tracey
22/05/2017
5/5 Rating

"Maria is an excellent tutor. She is very punctual and happy to be
flexible with the times we can meet. She is very patience and her
explanations are concise and clear. I would have no hesitation in
reommending her."

Mihaela
14/11/2016
5/5 Rating

"Maria is a very punctual and organised tutor and my daughter is
making good progress. She is friendly and supportive and I would
definitely recommend her."

Phillip
31/03/2016
5/5 Rating

"Absolute great tutor, who was professional, personable and patient!
Highly recommended."

Evita
05/11/2015
5/5 Rating

"Maria is teaching German to me and my 7-year old daughter both had
no previous knowledge and I can suggest her as fast progressing
learning teacher. She is strict and well prepared. It`s been a
pleasure working with her."

Luke
23/08/2015
5/5 Rating

"Amazing tutor, highly professional and well qualified! worth her
weight in gold!"

Spiros
07/08/2015
5/5 Rating

"I THE LIKE THE WAY MARIA GOES THROUGH THE LESSON, AND SHE EXPLAINS
EVERYTHING, ALSO SHE IS ALWAYS ON TIME AND FLEXIBLE WITH THE HOURS
SHE DOES.
VERY PLEASED, THANK YOU."

James
20/07/2015
5/5 Rating

"Maria is efficient, focused and hardworking. My 14 year old
daughter enjoys her lessons with Maria."

Teresa
10/02/2017
5/5 Rating

"Maria tutors my daughter and me together in French. Maria is
extremely patient and we are enjoying her lessons. She is really
helping us."

Deborah
12/09/2016
5/5 Rating

"Very patient with lots of energy! Really good with my 6 and 7 year
old girls learning German."

Tutoring Approach:
Although I learned all my foreign languages through a rigorous method very much based on writing and grammar, I am happy to adapt my method to my pupil's needs. Personally, I believe that conversation is the key to becoming fluent in a language, but at the same time I do not neglect the importance of writing and reading comprehension. I therefore aim to split my lessons as evenly as possible between speaking, reading, listening comprehension, and writing assignments.

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Personal Description:
I am a native Greek speaker; I speak English fluently and Turkish semi-fluently. I have two years experience in teaching private lessons in the Greek language on a conversational level, as well as helping students to improve their reading and writing skills. Also, While I have the TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification, I taught adults English as a foreign language for mainly Greek speakers. I helped professionals improve their Business English in terms of speaking and writing.

Teaching Experience:
I have two years experience in teaching private lessons in the Greek language on a conversational level, as well as helping students to improve their reading and writing skills.

I taught adults English as a foreign language for mainly Greek speakers. I helped professionals improve their Business English in terms of speaking and writing.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe with perseverance and hard work you can achieve a lot. I believe that understanding the weaknesses of the student, and building on their gaps is important to succeed. I tailor to the needs of every student and I do my best for the student to reach their maximum potential. My first meeting would be free of charge, in order to get to know the student and understand the expectations and requirements of the lesson.

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Personal Description:
I am a qualified, experienced teacher with a passion for supporting people to fulfill their potential. I am originally from Newcastle Upon Tyne but have recently relocated to West Yorkshire. When I am not teaching I enjoy yoga and nature walks.

Teaching Experience:
I have 6 years of experience in primary education. I have worked across both key stages, with three years of my experience in Key Stage 2 and three years in Key Stage 1. I am currently a leader of phonics and have expertise in the teaching of reading. I also have a lot of experience supporting children in the key areas of maths and writing and have a wide range of resources available for these subjects.

Tutoring Approach:
I really enjoy building a rapport with my students to ensure they feel comfortable and secure. I always take the time to find out a student's current level of ability and confidence and then tailor my approach to suit this. I like to use a wide range of interactive resources. Rather than simply relying on worksheets I aim to include games, media, objects and speaking and listening activities in sessions to create variety and keep them stimulating. I believe that students learn better when they can have fun and relax and I feel my attitude and sense of humor allow me to facilitate this.

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Personal Description:
My career as a Teacher of Business Studies merges my three passions in life; Education, Business and People! Whether you are studying for a Phd, GCSE, A Level, learning to read or write, or you just simply want to learn how to study, I would like to help you to reach your academic goal.

My most recent qualification is an Education Doctorate. I have a BA (Hons) degree in Business Studies, a Higher National Diploma in Business & Finance as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Business Education, which allows me to teach Business in Secondary as well as a Further Education teaching qualification.
I hold a current DBS.

I have achieved a Distinction/First Class grade at level 7/Postgraduate Certificate which I completed part-time. This grade was achieved as I employed effective study strategies; which I can deliver to those requiring study support.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 15 years experience teaching Business in schools and colleges in the Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham and Walsall area. I teach GCSE, A Level, BTEC levels 2 and 3 in Business. Also, Economics at GCSE. Ive also taught Travel & Tourism, Public Services, Enterprise and Retail Business, Maths and English

Tutoring Approach:
I will give you all the time you need to understand your subject, whatever the level and whatever your ability so that you are confident to ace that exam.

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Personal Description:
Hi I'm passionate about teaching and supporting students to learn

Teaching Experience:
I'm an experienced teacher who has worked in FE and HE . I have taught 11plus Sociology, Study Skills and Critical thinking. I have a PGCE and have taught ALevels and GCSE and in FE and HE

Tutoring Approach:
I'm very interested in listening and am very flexible but also can create a structure programme of support

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Personal Description:
I's a first year primary education student that is currently studying at Reading University.

Teaching Experience:
I've been doing online lessons everyday for the last three months and have had some experience in a school setting.

Tutoring Approach:
A fun online tutor who will adapt to the needs to all

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Personal Description:
Hello! My name is Vicki and I am a fully qualified primary school teacher with over 12 years experience teaching across key stage one and two in Lincolnshire schools. I hold QTS and an enhanced DBS certificate.

Teaching Experience:
During my career I have been a literacy specialist and tutor for 11+ entrance exams. I have taught whole classes, intervention groups and tutored on a 1:1 basis.

Tutoring Approach:
Tutoring is the perfect opportunity for me to get the most from your child, Working one to one gives me the privilege of being able to tailor and personalise my tutorials to your child's learning style and ability. I am able to assess for next steps in learning in a way that the classroom environment often does not allow and I can develop your child's confidence where it really matters and challenge and extend where needed.

Currently, due to Covid restrictions I am tutoring through Zoom and Bitpaper.

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Personal Description:
Travelling, I have visited many countries around the world, I also love musical theatre ( both local and West End) attending gigs and live tribute acts, dance lessons, reading, and walking my dog along the beautiful Dorset coastline

Teaching Experience:
I have been working as a teacher for the past nine years after completing my PGCE at Roehampton University in 2011.
Even though my main experience is in Early Years, since January 2018 I have worked as a Supply Teacher and have taught every year group up to year 6. Prior to becoming a teacher, I worked for four years as a Senior Teaching Assistant, spending two years in Nursery and two years in Reception. This school-based experience also inspired me to pursue a career in teaching, especially my passion for working in Early Years.
Due to my experience, I have a secure knowledge and understanding of the EYFS curriculum. I have taught 'jolly phonics'. which is the foundation for recognising and understanding each phoneme and is essential in children beginning to learn to read and write simple sentences and basic punctuation. I have taught maths which involved number recognition and introducing counting, shape, colour, weight, height, sorting, and considering 'more' and 'less' up to 20 I have also taught PE, IT, topic subjects, and guided reading. I have also worked as an EYFS teacher in a pre-school where I was also a key worker to 11 children of pre-school age, so I have up to date knowledge of teaching in a nursey setting. I have high expectations for my pupils and set clear objectives based on individual targets, so momentum and challenge are maintained. I am always mindful of differentiating my planning and teaching to cater for every child's ability, learning needs and styles of learning. This is because I have the experience of teaching children with a wide range of differing needs. I am also acutely aware of how Covid 19 has interrupted essential progress and delayed learners important development, and how this unwelcome change in their educational routine has impacted on a child's self esteem and ability to learn in a familiar and happy environment.
I consider one of my strengths to be the excellent relationships I have developed with my pupils, with whom I form positive and productive relationships, promoting a nurturing environment where Early Years children can feel safe and happy and therefore facilitate learning. I am also a strong believer that children learn when they are enjoying themselves so lots of singing and fun is essential. Young children engage with audio visual so these are included within the lesson to stimulate and maintain interest.
During lockdown I also gained my TEFL qualification so am able to give conversation classes to students who are looking to improve their English language skills

In conclusion, I believe every child matters and each child is entitled to the best so they can reach their full academic potential.

Tutoring Approach:
I am an experienced KS1 teacher, who specialises in Early Years. I recognise that fostering self-esteem in a nurturing,safe setting is fundamental in children becoming confident, happy, successful independent learners and young adults. My approach is to assess each individual to establish their specific learning requirements , which will inform future bespoke planning. Each child is unique and will therefore require their own personal learning journey. I am happy to work at a slower pace, to reinforce and consolidate learning or work in depth to push more able children. I have earned the trust and respect of parents and colleagues in all my roles by my empathetic, approachable and conscientious approach to all that I do.

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Personal Description:
I hold a High Second Class Upper Law Degree from the University of Cambridge and am a designated prize winner (Five Stone Chambers Prize).

Teaching Experience:
I have two years of tutoring experience of law.

Tutoring Approach:
I will provide a structured and organized lesson but with sufficient room to explore certain issues together.

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Personal Description:
Electrical Engineer with 15+ years of experience in Electrical Design, Engineering, Project Management

Teaching Experience:
Have tutored professional Engineers for more than 5 years

Tutoring Approach:
Interactive
Feedback

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Personal Description:
I am a scholar with experience in scientific writing, critical thinking, research and communication. As a researcher, my personal motto is that all of your academic writing ought to be the layman version of your work. This because a scholar - in my case, a philosopher - who cannot ground his reasoning in ordinary intuitions (or at least some intuitions the reader/hearer can grasp) is doomed to produce meaningless contributions to the debate. In addition, putting yourself into the perspective of a non-expert is a good technique for analyzing your own thoughts and spot the potential flaws. Thus, being able to communicate concepts to non-expert is a skill which for me is instrumental towards my own research goals, and one which I took great care in developing.

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring students since the time I was going to high-school. I have also some teaching-assistant experience as a doctoral student. Furthermore, I am currently working on a teaching and orienteering project alongside some teacher of my former high-school.

Tutoring Approach:
First and foremost, I run some quick tests in order to assess the general skills of the pupil within the relevant field, taking notes on his/her flaws. Once I have identified the area where the pupil has difficulty, I employ a goal-structured teaching strategy: first of all I verify whether the pupil has understood which is the application goal (or one of the goals) of the skill he is trying to (and currently has difficulty to) develop. In case he/she has not understood, I try to explain to him/her, i.e., I frame the relevant skill (for instance, derivative calculus) with reference to a general or specific application goal (for instance, the framing of the relationship between speed and acceleration). I find that often pupils lack cognitive incentive because they have not been presented with the practical application of the knowledge they are trying to acquire.
Regarding language learning, I first try to understand which communicative faculty the individual is more inclined towards to (speaking, listening, reading, vocabulary memorizing, etc.). Then I try to create a bedrock by developing his proficiency in that area, while at the same time encouraging him/her to go out of the comfort zone towards communicative areas where he/she is not confident. On that regard I apply a learning process based on increasing levels of contextual stress (for example, in the case of learning to listening a foreign language, I suggest to start from a situation where the hearer is speaking slowly and then I encourage the pupil to build up his confidence step by step by adding elements like a noisy environment, increased talking speed, lack of background context for the conversation, etc.) This because I believe emotional factors like self-confidence and stress-control are key in catalyzing the cognitive process of acquiring proficiency in a new language.

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Personal Description:
I am a current PG student in Engineering at Newcastle University, I completed my Bachelors in Engineering as well in Electronics and Communication. I've completed my high school as a Science student in an English Medium School.

Teaching Experience:
I had the opportunity to take a communication session in my college back in my undergrad days. Apart from that I had taken a few classes for some modules for my undergrad classmates.

Tutoring Approach:
Based on the students area of concern , I will start from the basics and then gradually move towards more complex lessons while ensuring I take feedback from the student on my tutoring method so I can tweak my approach accordingly.

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Personal Description:
As well as being a full-time private tutor for nearly 15 years, I have a background in comedy, writing and performance. I've published three humour books and continue to write for theatre companies and private events. I also love art and illustration, and try incorporate this into my teaching where possible - for all ages! I currently live in South-West London with my husband and two young children.

Teaching Experience:
Since 2010 I have taught hundreds of students aged 3 to adult, including high-profile clients, international placements, EFL pupils & students with complex learning needs. I have also worked as an Assistant Course Director at Pilgrims Language School and a Shakespeare Expert at ICES University in France.

Tutoring Approach:
At the heart of my teaching is the firm belief that students should truly enjoy whatever they are learning. With this in mind, my chief aim is to create a comfortable and fun environment that inspires genuine engagement. My degree also involved the study of the psychology of education, which has given me a keen understanding of the unique requirements of each pupil. I have found my approach to consistently generate outstanding results!

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Personal Description:
Hi! I'm a friendly and enthusiastic tutor who would love to help you understand subjects better. I currently study Biomedical Science at the University of Oxford.
I received A*AA in my A-levels, with a 90 and 92 in maths paper 1 and 2. I also took 12 GCSEs, achieving eight 9s in total, including in Maths, triple sciences and English literature.

Teaching Experience:
I have tutored the 11+ for four years, and am familiar with all common exam boards (GL, CEM, CSSE). Last year, I tutored 3 students for the 11+ with weekly sessions starting from early June, and some more sessions towards the end. Two received offers from Ilford and Woodford county, their first choice grammar school, while the other passed the exam for other grammar schools in the borough.

For GCSE's, I have professional experience tutoring GCSEs and KS3 english, maths and science at an Ofsted-registered tuition centre. I strongly believe with the right support and revision methods, anyone can pass their key subjects, even go on to get grades 2/3 levels higher than their predicted if they revise strategically. I would love to share my tips and tricks for maths, English and the sciences that helped me and many others attain A*s/9s.

Tutoring Approach:
I love Maths and Biology and would love to help you understand them aswell. I will personalise my lessons for each student, taking tests to see where you are weak and then we can improve on those topics.

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