Cumbernauld Study Skills Tutors and Cumbernauld Study Skills Tuition

Personal Description:
I enjoy teaching as well as learning. I have been a tutor/lecturer in schools of Art and Design/Architecture for over 12 years. I completed my MSc and PhD in Architecture and MA in Interior Design. I also completed a teaching course to get a PG certificate in Higher Education (PGcHE). I have had publications (book and journal papers) related to my research.

I am enthusiastic and passionate about education and hope that I will be given the opportunity to help.

Teaching Experience:
12 years teaching experience in five universities (including University of Sheffield, De Montfort, Portsmouth, Birmgham City and Coventry University) as a tutor/lecturer.

Tutoring in the following areas:

-Academic Writing: essay, report, research proposal, literature review, thesis/dissertation, proof reading.

-Study skills: how to read critically and how to write, reflect and make presentations, etc.

-Design as a broad subject (design process, presentation/rendering, technical drawing, model making, Design and Technology, Architecture and Interior Design)

-Art and Design/Architecture Portfolio (to help developing portfolios for university or job interview)

-Research Skills (methods, data collection, literature review and research proposal)

-Data analysis (qualitative and quantitative data), use of Excel and SPSS

-Painting and Rendering (water colour, acrylic, felt pen/markers, colour pencil and oil)

-Drawings (Basic drawings, technical drawings and perspectives)

-Model Making (physical models with different materials, including cardboards, paper, wood; computer Models, and crafts)

-ICT Skills/Software (Photoshop, AutoCad, SketchUp, PowerPoint, Excel, SPSS, Publisher)

-English (academic and general reading and writing, listening and speaking, IELTS)

Tutoring Approach:
I am a patient, positive, constructive and flexible tutor who is able to explain concepts in a way which can be understood by different individuals.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am 57 now and consider myself to have reached a point where I have experience to share and yet still enjoy working with the students and helping them to get to their own potential. I am family orientated, considered by my friends and colleagues to be warm and nurturing.

I am passionate about my students reaching their potential, even if their starting point is not deemed to be high by academic standards.

I am used to a wide variety of challenges and opportunites having worked with special needs for many years.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught through all the age ranges starting off as a Internationally Qualified Montessori Teacher, working right through to University level as an accelerated learning practitioner (I trained with Tony Buzan). My core specialism is Dyslexia and Special Needs. I have worked with home schooled children for many years as well as continuing to do regular home tutoring after school hours and some Saturday mornings. I still run Montessori workshops particularly for those involved in homehomeschooling. I am also a Qualified and Insured Naturopath and teach a wide variety of alternative health and well-being workshops, as in my experience, health and well being are directly related to the students ability to learn effectively; so many students who have experienced challenges in assimilating learning often are found to have some form of health or allergy issues. .

Tutoring Approach:
I do not do GCSE work, finding that any problems in this area usually have their roots in Key stage 1 -3.

The work I do engage in is in an holistic style of teaching, using where possibly a multi - sensorial and multi -discipline approach.
I believe that a good relationship with the student, which, while still being professional, engenders a sense of trust, caring and belief in the students ability to rise higher than they thought they could.
I feel that one has to enable the student to find out where their true base line is through good assessment, then allow them to work on their challenges through the utilization of their strengths.
I believe in supporting the student in developing their own, successful and sophisticated learning strategies which are unique to their learning style.
I have a current enhanced DBS certificate, am on all three OFSTED registers and an 'Outstanding' grade from OFSTED in our early years work.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm in my early sixties, married with four children and three Grandchildren aged 5-9 yrs. I have 40 years' experience of teaching all ages from pre-school (I used to child mind) to A level and FE students. I have taught children aged 4-14yrs in an Independent Christian School and I have helped many older students with dyslexia, ADHD and ASD to resit their English GCSE successfully. I enjoy working with adults too especially using my language teaching skills (I am CELTA qualified). I help people who have particular difficulties and those who just lack confidence, to see their very real strengths and to build on them. I can show them techniques for learning and improving their writing style, comprehension skills and spoken English in a way that suits them as individuals. I always make sure that whether or not you want to pass exams, the English you use is fit for whatever need you have - so if you just need help in speaking to Doctors and Nurses in hospital, I can help with that or if you want to start at Uni I can meet your study needs too at whatever level. I am extremely passionate about education and have a purposeful approach which takes account of students' individual learning styles. I am happy to travel to you at a cost of 45p per mile but if you prefer to work online using zoom, that is fine too.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught in homes, Primary and Secondary Schools, Colleges and Community Centres. My comprehensive experience in leading Employability , Drama and Speech workshops has been most fulfilling but I also love teaching English as an additional language and singing with crafts etc. for people with learning differences. You can see from this that I am a teacher who loves teaching - education is my passion! I also love reading and researching so I can help people with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. I have been trained in this area and I have always taken opportunities to improve my teaching skills. My students are very proud of their achievements in exams etc but most of all they thank me for building their confidence and allowing them to work at a pace which suits them so that they really enjoy what they are learning. I have taught the Cambridge ESOL qualifications using the CLT technique as well as GCSE, functional Skills City and Guilds and A Level English Language and Literature. During the pandemic I taught on the National Tutoring Programme and I have volunteered with young asylum seekers. I help people with Special Needs to access the curriculum and to enjoy doing so! My most recent experience is as Head of English in a school for children with moderate learning difficulties, especially autism aged 11yrs to adults.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to give personal attention to my tutees and to tailor the lessons to their needs but am happy to teach online up to 3 people together to reduce costs if that helps. We work on Language skills such as pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar in ESOL lessons with plenty of practice for tests if needed and when studying literature at a higher level, I encourage my tutees to relate what they are reading to current issues and events in the world so that it is relevant and interesting for them. We have lots of fun but at the same time we work intensively, reading aloud to proof read and to practise using strategies for spelling, punctuation and organising essays etc. It is a great way to prepare for further academic study and I can help to prepare students for interviews or to give that all important presentation which could lead to promotion.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an active independent-scholar and writer, living near St Andrews University. I have written numerous books and articles and am currently working on a new book as well as tutoring a handful of students. I am also a former Academic Advisor to students in the United States of America, and I have worked for two tutoring companies in Oxford since returning to the UK. I am therefore familiar with the needs of international students when it comes to navigating the English and Scottish University systems. I focus on technique over content with a particular emphasis on writing skills, though I also read all the books and articles my students are required to read, so that I can help them with content when required.

Teaching Experience:
Award winning teacher at the University of Georgia, 1999-2000
Academic Adviser to University Students from 2003-2007
Tutor Oxford International Study Centre, April 2013 - May 2014
Carfax Tutorial Establishment, November 2013 - May 2014
Freelance Tutor ongoing.

Tutoring Approach:
I adopt a holistic approach to tutoring, working with a student to address her or his individual academic needs. I am process-orientated, building on a student's strengths and eliminating weaknesses. I am also practical, constantly working towards the student's objectives. As a result, I focus very much on academic skills and developing the student's academic toolbox, so that they can gain confidence and become independent learners.

Subjects

Personal Description:
As a child, I learned by being told, by beatings, shaming and a strict examination system. As you can imagine I didn't learn much that I could later apply to my academic life. As a result, I became an inveterate learner, always interested in learning the next thing. At one point, the drive to learn was because I didn't see myself as being good enough. Later on, that drive became an interest in discovering my own abilities as well as about helping others. I have now learned so much about how not to teach that I have gained good insight into how learning happens. I am keen to ensure all my learners learn how to learn and understand how to apply what they discover.

Teaching Experience:
My background is in teaching, training and facilitation. I have over 25 years experience of teaching in different forms having worked within primary, secondary and further education settings. I am an NVQ / TAQA assessor and trained and assessed Parenting Practitioners and other candidates up to Level 5 in Health & Social Care. I have specialist skills in Personal Effectiveness subjects such as Report Writing, Speed Reading, Presentation Skills.

Tutoring Approach:
Being a private tutor used to be the preserve of only those with the highest qualifications and the greatest experience. Now all that's changed.

However good a tutor is, the learner needs to be astute in order know if the tutor is a good match for her / him. Importantly, making the right choice can be complex.
Here are three tips to help you decide if I am or someone else is right for you. The following tips describe how I teach and how I will enable you to be an independent learner.

1. Look for a tutor who can teach you how to learn
Here's a funny thing… learners study a subject, sometimes for months and years and can come away with no long-term memory of the underpinning principles of the subject. As disturbing, they have no ongoing understanding of the subject. They are unable to apply what they tried to learn. This is easily resolved by clearing up past issues with learning. In Applied Scholastics it is now well known that if as a learner, you are helped to do so, you can learn any subject. This is central to how I teach.

2. Look for tutors who understand the main barriers to learning and can help you overcome them
There are three main barriers to study. They relate to confusion over an idea, missing out critical steps and having unclear ideas about the subject under study. Gaining a day to day facility with overcoming those barriers is key to effective and efficient study. I use these methods to help my own reading and study. I will introduce them to you so that you can use them too.

3. Look for tutors who can help you find the information you need so that you keep expanding your own understanding of the subject

Sometimes, a learner during a course of study will find that s/he wants to give up. Have you ever experienced this? Whenever that happens it is because there is something - an idea, a symbol, a form of punctuation, the use of a word, or something else - that you did not understand. Without the proper factual information on this and without the correct knowledge of why and how this happens, the learner will struggle. Without knowing what remedies to apply, the learner will give up.

When you study, you are investing time and energy. In this case, money too. If you want to discover more about how you learn, what your barriers to study are and how to understand more, you will benefit from being an independent learner. That will repay your investment.

Those three critical points should help you decide if I could be right for you. They briefly describe the way in which I would work with you and enable you to be an independent learner.

Subjects

Personal Description:
"After bachelor and masters in computer applications for 6 years, Since 2006, Servicing and advancing along with IT Industry. Being specialised more than a decade in Enterprise Software Architecture and BigData Technology Space, have been enjoying solving problems in BigData, such as streaming solutions Confluent Kafka, data design in NoSQL databases (HBase, Cassandra,..), search indexing solutions (Splunk, Solr..), data processing techniques using different frameworks Spark, Kafka, data visualisation presentations using Tableau, QlikView/QlikSense, Sisense, Banana, Kibana, BigData Security exposure and expertise in SSL and Data Protection, Cloud hosting and management solutions experience with AWS and Azure, Put solutions around VPC and integrating Cloud and On-premise clusters."

Teaching Experience:
5 years in tutoring and mentoring

Tutoring Approach:
Student frequency level to digesting subject.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have over 20 years' teaching experience. I am a retired A Level teacher but continue with private tuition. I teach both the OCR and AQA new specifications at A Level, in Philosophy, Ethics and Christianity, for Year 1 and Year 2. I have testimonials which show that most of my tutees go on to attain A grades. As a mother, I know well the anxieties which accompany these important school years. I aim for academic excellence, bringing out a student's confidence, alongside teaching important critical thinking skills and exam technique. If the student is willing to learn, higher grades are guaranteed.

Teaching Experience:
20 years tutoring privately; 12 years teaching in Further Education;

Tutoring Approach:
I tutor by Skype mostly these days, as it so successful. Many of my past tutees I have never even met yet they have gone on to achieve As and A*s, last year one going to Oxford, another two to Newcastle... testimonials are available. I work very closely with the specification, using resources for each topic which I attach for the student before the session. I give detailed feedback on essays I set, which most find extremely useful. With other essays asked for, there is a small charge. I keep individual progress records e.g. weak areas etc to build on. I am also only a phone call or email away for students in between tutorials as this is an important element in confidence-building, I feel.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Law essay and dissertation writing support. I am a University of Cambridge law tutor who can help you write a first class grade law dissertation or essay. I have over 8 years of experience in legal practice and teaching law at undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive level. I was a law lecturer at the University of Reading and have learnt the best teaching techniques. I have completed over 300 hours of private law tuition and all my students successfully gained 1st class (70%) or high 2.1 grades (65 - 70%) as a minimum. I can help with law assignments, essay writing, law dissertations, and exam preparation.

Teaching Experience:
My legal career started soon after I graduated with a masters degree from the University of Cambridge in 2013. I have worked as an in-house lawyer for a successful company - International Probiotics Association. Teaching law has always been my passion and hence private tuition has been my supplementary job since June 2013. I have experience in teaching law for both students and legal professionals having worked at the University of Reading.

Tutoring Approach:
I teach all LLB and LLM subjects, including core/compulsory undergraduate subjects. I can also help to structure your law essay or dissertation and proofread it. I can also help with Cambridge and Oxford admissions interviews and A-level Law exam preparation.

Subjects

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 moved to the UK in 2004 from my home country of Latvia, and just like my students, I was a non-native speaker in a new country, trying to learn a foreign language and adapt to a new culture and way of life. I really do know how it feels to be the person who needs that extra bit of support. I genuinely understand how confusing it is to try and learn all the grammar, all the punctuation, the spelling, how to write essays, how to understand all the idioms that are such a big part of the English language, but make absolutely no sense!

My interests include crochet, art, travelling, socialising, keeping fit, playing games with my little boy, and eating pizza.

Teaching Experience:
With an outstanding background as a fully qualified, professional English Language teacher with over eight years of teaching experience, I bring enthusiasm and expertise to help each student build their skills, grow their confidence and achieve their goals.
I hold an MA in English Language Teaching. I have successfully taught both children and adults at a variety of different ages, levels and abilities, and I have worked in China, Spain and the UK.

Tutoring Approach:
My teaching approach is friendly, communicative and professional. I adapt my methods to suit the age, ability, aims and needs of each individual student. I understand that every student is a wonderful, unique person with their own interests, personality and learning style. I use a variety of resources to support my students in their learning, including games, flashcards, actions, sounds, music, conversation, videos and whatever else I can do to help make learning more fun for us all!

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Personal Description:
Hi!

I am a second year Cambridge Medical Student with a history of achieving strong academic results, having secured a First Class in my most recent examinations.

Over the years I have been able to hone the skills necessary to perform well in exams, targeting my responses to what examiners are looking for and I am looking forward to being able to share these essential tools to my tutees.

I enjoy playing the piano and clarinet and I am an avid runner. I also enjoy a bit of rugby from time to time!

I look forward to working with you :)

Teaching Experience:
I have over 7 years of tutoring experience with excellent results. I have seen significant improvement in the confidence and ability of my tutees to perform well under exam pressures. Many of my students have gone on to achieve A's and A*s in their public examinations - a testament to the effectiveness of my tutoring approach.

Tutoring Approach:
I am strong believer that education should be personalised to each individual. As a result I start all my tutoring sessions with understanding what you want to gain from this. Do you want to go over difficult concepts? Or would you rather have an outline of the techniques used to get those 7/8/9/A/A*. Through this I am able to tailor our sessions to ensure that you are getting the most out of our time. I often set short tasks to be completed outside of the sessions so that we are able to identify weak points and document the progress that is being made. All resources from tutoring sessions are kept in a shared notebook so you have access to them whenever you need them.

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Personal Description:
Hi, I am Daren, a University of Cambridge graduate with a Masters in Engineering. I am currently a full-time software engineer during weekdays and a math & science tutor in the evenings and weekend. I enjoy tutoring and sharing the knowledge, tips & tricks that I have gained over the years to make understanding difficult topics easier.

Teaching Experience:
I have experience in tutoring high school math & science in the past. I have also tutored briefly at University level.

Fun fact: I also volunteered to tutor music (guitar) at my local church during high school.

Tutoring Approach:
Based on my past experience, I put a lot of emphasis on understanding my student first. Each students have their strengths, weaknesses and style of learning. With this, I will tailor my teaching methods accordingly to ensure my student learn effectively.

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Personal Description:
I have been teaching the Humanities subjects since 2005 and specialise in History and Geography. I have taught in secondary schools, colleges and online (small groups and 1-1). I love helping students to get to grips with all the different aspects of the Humanities subjects and consider it a real bonus for my students to, not only succeed in exams, but also to learn to love the subject. I take a collaborative approach to teaching and think it is vital that the student and I work together to get the best out of the sessions. I live by the coast and spend my free time hiking and reading.

Teaching Experience:
Qualified 18 years ago.
Worked in secondary and FE as a History and Geography teacher.
Experience as a Head of department.
15 years experience as an examiner and moderator, 13 at a senior level.
Registered examiner with Edexcel, AQA, OCR and CIE

Tutoring Approach:
A personalised approach, working together to find the best path forward to success

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Personal Description:
My name is Salvia and I am a native English speaker with a deep committment to teaching. Languages are my special interest - I enjoy learning them as much as I enjoy teaching them! I have an enthusiastic and playful approach to teaching, with a focus on facilitating your growth and improving your confidence.

Teaching Experience:
I have over 15 years of experience teaching and tutoring in a variety of situations - in primary and secondary schools, universities, after school programs, and online. I have held many different positions with the schools and educational companies I have worked for, including head of department, senior teacher trainer, private personal tutor, and classroom teacher. I have taught all ages and ability levels. I am experienced in ESOL and well as teaching native speakers.

My students get consistently high results on their exams: GCSE, A-level, IELTS, TOEFL, and more.

I have taught and tutored several languages as well as music, although my speciality and focus nowadays is English language and literature, reading and writing skills, and helping students learn how to study effectively.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach is entirely student centred. Our first session is a FREE 20 minute meeting in which I explore your linguistic needs and determine how best to support you. I will then develop a personalised, adaptable curriculum, just for you. Each student is different and has different needs and best ways of learning. I will meet you where you are and create a programme personally designed to support you in your language goals.

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Personal Description:
I am a friendly and approachable tutor with extensive experience in academia, both as a graduate teacher and a student (I'm currently a PhD Psychology student). Having completed my GCSEs, A-levels, a BSci in Psychology, an MSci in Psychological Research, and currently pursuing a PhD in Perceptual Psychology, I understand the challenges students face. I know what it is like to miss something or not quite grasp a concept as explained by a lecturer. While I love studying, I also recognise that it can be difficult, so I maintain a strict no-question-is-stupid policy. I encourage you to ask me anything and everything related to our studies.

Teaching Experience:
I bring over four years of teaching experience as a graduate teaching assistant, specialising in guiding first-year undergraduate students who are just beginning their journey in Psychology. During this time, I have gained extensive experience teaching a wide range of topics and modules within the Psychology degree program through interactive seminars and lectures. I am currently undertaking the Advanced HE Associate Fellowship to develop and demonstrate my teaching excellence.

A significant aspect of my role involves teaching students how to write academic essays that meet university-level standards, which differ substantially from A-level expectations. I am well-versed in the university mark scheme, having assessed and provided feedback on many different essays and practical reports. This experience has honed my skills in delivering constructive written feedback and conducting one-on-one feedback sessions to help students improve their work.

In addition to my role as a teaching assistant, I also have experience as a teaching demonstrator, where I provided hands-on instructions and facilitated practical sessions for second-year students. This role allowed me to engage students in experimental aspects of psychology to reinforce theoretical knowledge through practical application.

Furthermore, my ongoing PhD studies in Psychology keep me at the forefront of current research and methodologies which I incorporate into my teaching to provide students with up-to date knowledge and practices.

With a commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment, I am dedicated to helping students achieve their academic goals and develop a deeper understanding of Psychology. My experience, combined with my passion for teaching, makes me an excellent choice for students at various levels of their academic journey.

Tutoring Approach:
I understand that everyone learns best in different ways, so my teaching is flexible and tailored to you as an individual. I offer a free initial session where we will discuss the topics you wish to cover, your academic goals, the skills you want to develop, any problem areas, and your preferred learning methods. Together we will create a personalised plan of action to make sure you get the most out of your sessions.

My methods are highly adaptable and depend on your preferred learning styles and level of study. Below are some examples of the methods I may use in our sessions. The list is not exclusive and our lessons will likely involve a combinations of these and other techniques:
- Lectures and PowerPoint presentations via screen sharing technology
- Call-and-response sessions to reinforce learning
- In-depth discussions on key topics
- Student-led Q&A sessions
- Essay and assignment planning
- Proofreading and feedback to improve your writing
- Reviews of relevant published papers
- 'Journal club' style meetings
- Oral presentation practice (online)

If you have friends who are interested in a group tutoring sessions, this is can be arranged. Reach out about this and we can discuss it further.

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Personal Description:
I have been working with children and teaching for over 20 years. I love teaching children of all ages. I really enjoy seeing children progress and their confidence grow. This is one of the reasons I really like tutoring, due to the progress being so rapid.

I live in Nuthall, Nottinghamshire with my husband and two children. Since having children, I have worked part time in schools and also I have done lots of tutoring.

Although I enjoy teaching a variety of subjects in Primary schools, I enjoy teaching maths the most. I think this is because I found it so hard at school. I really understand the barriers a lot of children have in maths and love to help them to develop a love of it.

Teaching Experience:
I have been a primary school teacher for 17 years. I have taught mainly in key stage 2 but I have experience of key stage one.

I have worked mainly in year 6 preparing children to pass their SATs and also I have tutored children to pass their 11+ exams. Being a year 6 teacher for such a long time has made me extremely confident in helping children to revise and succeed in their assessments.

I have worked closely with children who have additional needs throughout my career and I have attended lots of training in the past to support this. During the school day I tutor a large number of children who are not in education (for various reasons) and have lots of experience in helping these children.

I will adapt learning to the individual need of your child/children. Making it as interactive and fun as possible.

Although I am trained in Primary I am happy to work with secondary children who need additional support too.

Tutoring Approach:
I like to try tailor the sessions to meet the needs of the individual. I love doing this because it is something that all children need but as a classroom teacher of 30 is not always possible.

If your child needs active learning, if they need lots of repetition to make the learning stick then I can do that. I will try to make the learning as fun as possible and I will also provide home tasks (optional) to support your child's learning in between sessions.

Any questions or just for some advice or a chat please get in touch. I also run group sessions each week which are obviously cheaper than the 1:1 option.

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Personal Description:
10+ years of teaching psychology and a lead examiner.

As a dedicated and passionate teacher, I'm excited to help you achieve your goals and reach your full potential! My approach to learning is centred around creating a positive and supportive environment where you feel comfortable expressing yourself and sharing your ideas. I believe that every student is unique and deserves a personalised learning experience that caters to their individual needs and learning style.

Why choose me? Perhaps you're struggling with Research Methods? Need help improving your evaluation skills, fluency in essays, or creating a strong line of argument? Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of content you need to recall? I guarantee that I can make Psychology simple, manageable, and much more enjoyable!

I focus on developing essential exam skills, including essay writing techniques and the maths skills needed for Research Methods. Beyond academics, I help students strengthen critical thinking and other valuable life skills. As a qualified coach, I also support students with organisation, time management, and strategies to manage academic stress.

My lessons are fun, engaging, and interactive, with materials and activities tailored to suit all learning styles. I'm highly qualified in supporting students at all levels, from those at risk of underachieving to high achievers aiming for grades 8/9 and A*. Each lesson is built on evidence-based teaching strategies, ensuring effective, results-driven learning.

Sessions are delivered remotely, last 1 hour, and are suitable for students studying GCSE Psychology or A-Level Psychology, AQA or OCR. Let's work together to unlock your potential and achieve your dream grades!

Teaching Experience:
I have over 10 years of experience teaching A Level Psychology, during which I have consistently helped students achieve strong outcomes. As the lead teacher for small group interventions, I successfully supported students in raising their grades through evidence-informed strategies. Additionally, I have over 9 years of leadership experience, working with teachers across multiple subjects to enhance their classroom practice and improve student achievement.

Additionally, I have been a lead examiner for 9 years whilst examining for two exam boards from GCSE to A-Level within the UK and internationally!

Tutoring Approach:
My lessons are fun, engaging, and interactive, with materials and activities tailored to suit all learning styles. I'm highly qualified in supporting students at all levels, from those at risk of underachieving to high achievers aiming for grades 8/9 and A*. Each lesson is built on evidence-based teaching strategies, ensuring effective, results-driven learning. I focus on developing essential exam skills, including essay writing techniques and the maths skills needed for Research Methods. Beyond academics, I help students strengthen critical thinking and other valuable life skills. As a qualified coach, I also support students with organisation, time management, and strategies to manage academic stress. Sessions are delivered remotely, last 1 hour, and are suitable for students studying GCSE Psychology or A-Level Psychology.

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Personal Description:
I am patient, positive and empathetic. ENGLISH teaching is my success, I guarantee results and improvement. I am enthusiastic with a can-do approach. This enables my students to feel comfortable and to develop confidence I believe that making errors are part of learning. I create excellent rapport with parents and carers. I am sensitive to multicultral and multilingual groups.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught secondary English in South Africa. I have taught key stage 2 and 3 in the United Kingdom. I have been a Montessori teacher in Spain, and learned alternative holistic teaching approaches. I have taught corporate executives in Ireland (one to one and groups), I have been a key stage 2 English examiner for SATS exams, and an English Junior Certificate examiner with the Dublin Education Board. I have a wealth of experience across all age ranges and teaching is my passion.

Tutoring Approach:
learner centred, focus on learner needs, less teacher talk, more learner talk. I will provide balanced feedback and encourage my learners. i will create a positive and comfortable atmosphere.

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