North Berwick Study Skills Tutors and North Berwick Study Skills Tuition

Personal Description:
I have a degree in Modern Languages from Oxford University and have also trained to teach English as a Foreign Language. Having done a variety of jobs over the years I currently work part-time as a private tutor of Italian, French and English as a Foreign Language. I also offer entrance exam preparation in literacy, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning for children seeking entrance to selective secondary schools.

Teaching Experience:
I have taught English as a Foreign Language abroad and, more recently, at Keele University for 2 years.
I have taught Italian both at FE college and privately. I now focus on private lessons, offering Italian, French and EFL. I have supported a large number of students through a range of exams including GCSEs and IELTS.
I am also an experienced 11+ tutor, tailoring tuition both to the individual needs of students and the requirements of a range of local selective schools, including St Joseph's, Newcastle High, Newport Grammar, Adams Grammar and Denstone.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a friendly and enthusiastic tutor who aims to create a warm and supportive environment for students.
I usually begin with a discussion about the student's needs and aims, and then, if appropriate, carry out a diagnostic test. Tuition is then tailored to each student's requirements.
I usually ask students to buy at least one coursebook (for the 11+ there may be several), and I also provide homework between sessions.

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Personal Description:
I hold a First Class Honours degree in English Language and Literature (University of St Andrews) and a Doctorate / PhD in English Literature (University of Leeds).

In the recent past I have worked as a University Professor in English and have published books and articles on English and Media. Some of these are standard set study texts. I have also served as an Examiner and as a University Admissions Tutor. I am qualified to teach under the PTLLS scheme.

Dr Ian is based in Birmingham / West Midlands and has been described as friendly, patient, sympathetic and approachable. Tuition is offered to improve exams and coursework for school, college, or University. Recent work has included AQA GCSE and A-level Engish Language and Literature.

I am also able to provide support if you are new to the UK and want academic editing and proof-reading for you MA, MSc or PhD.

Teaching Experience:
I have undertaken teaching and training in Schools (Primary and Secondary) and in the University Higher Education Sector (to Post Graduate level) over a period of twenty-five years.

During that period I have worked with very gifted students as well as children and adults who have needed special support in order to reach their full potential. Recently I have work with PhD students from India, Poland, Jordan, Iran, China, Pakistan, Japan, and the UK.
My specialist areas are English Language and Literature; Study, Exam and Revision Skills. Short, intensive 1-to1 courses are available for exam revision and exam technique. Reduced rates are available for longer contracts, or for students living in the locality.

Tutoring Approach:
ONLINE teaching only.

My teaching is always adapted to YOUR specific needs and is informed by critical and creative strategies that have a proven track record.

I work in partnership with YOU in order to identify YOUR most urgent needs and and the goals to be achieved. Together we address issues of motivation and the acquisition of key subject study skills. The process builds on creative strategies for self-improvement which leads to enhanced enjoyment and success.

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Personal Description:
I first became interested in teaching through working as a private tutor with GCSE students, something I am doing since I finished my graduation, training to become a leader in the process. This made me realise I enjoyed working with the people in their learning process, and college experience confirmed tutoring/teaching as a career choice. My subsequent one year PGCE has served further to fire my enthusiasm and prepared me effectively to take responsibility for learners.

I have completed PGCE , a Masters and a BSc in Economics, level 5 Mathematics in Mechanics, numeracy level 1 & 2, Diploma in Computer Science & Application and I am a Certified Internet Webmaster Associate.

Teaching Experience:
I am teaching for last 5 years. In addition, I worked as a Teaching Assistant over two years.I have been privately tutoring primary and secondary maths, A level maths and Economics on one-to-one basis since 2003. My academic education and teaching practices have given me a good understanding of the curriculum and of what makes effective teaching.

Tutoring Approach:
I make a conscious effort to ensure I am not just catering for visual learners like myself, but try to see lessons through other learners' eyes. For example, to introduce pictograms to numeracy entry level class, I got the learners to create 'human pictograms' arranged by name length, pets, eye colour, etc. and then transferred that information as pictograms to the board. Kinaesthetic learners were thereby catered for in the physical movement and manipulation, visual learners in the pictograms created on the board and audio learners as we discussed and interpreted the graphs.

I have in particular come to understand the value of sharing learning objectives and success criteria with students. Knowing exactly what is expected and how they can achieve allow learners to focus more clearly on tasks.

I feel it is important to make learning interesting and creative, and one way to achieve this is using real life example; this allows learners to explore and understand situations and express feelings, thoughts and emotions. An example of how I have successfully used real life situation was with a GCSE class, working out the area of the classroom to decide the correct amount of carpet needed for the classroom. I gave the students measuring tape to measure the length and width of the classroom. They were incredibly enthusiastic and threw themselves into the task. They found this a fun, enjoyable and worthwhile learning experience, which enabled them to better understand the situation and empathise with those concerned.

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Personal Description:
I am a published academic author, educated to doctorate level, with twenty years' experience of teaching university students undertaking foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, including both UK and international students.

I have extensive experience of working with students from a range of backgrounds, cultures and age groups, with differing interests and needs. I have worked with students with anxiety, mental health issues and learning difficulties, and understand the need to provide flexible learning to meet a range of access requirements.

I support both UK and international PhD students with every stage of the research journey, from designing research projects and conducting literature reviews, to developing writing skills, collecting and analysing data, and preparing for upgrades, vivas, or conference presentations.

Alongside teaching, I bring extensive expertise as a researcher, writer and editor. I have published academic work and proofread and edited reports, theses and assignments. This professional experience has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and skills to support not just students, but also academics with their publications.

For foundation and undergraduate students, I recognise that the variety of subjects, assignments and exams can feel overwhelming and overshadow the excitement of university life. My role is to help students build both their confidence and skills so that these challenges become manageable rather than daunting.

Each session is student-led, tailored to individual goals and needs. I provide support with planning assignments, structuring essays and exam answers, researching and conducting reviews of the literature, preparing for seminars and delivering presentations, as well as referencing and compiling bibliographies.

Teaching Experience:
My combined experience as a lecturer, private tutor, and researcher has led to a well-rounded approach to teaching and a deep understanding of academic expectations. Over the course of my career, I have refined my expertise through:

• Delivering lectures, seminars and tutorials across various social science subjects.

• Providing comprehensive feedback by marking essays, exams, dissertations and PhD theses. This has strengthened both my appreciation of academic expectations and insight into student needs.

• Supervising undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations and participating in PhD examination panels, guiding students whilst encouraging independent research.

• Developing a range of teaching materials for diverse courses. This has included a core Study Skills module, which equips students with essential academic skills, such as:

- Researching and note-taking
- Structuring academic work
- Developing writing styles
- Mastering referencing and bibliography construction
- Delivering presentations
- Preparing for exams
- Reflecting on learning

Designing this module enabled me to evaluate, refine and build a comprehensive suite of study skills resources that I continue to use and share with my students in their academic journeys.

My research and publication experience has also provided me with a strong understanding of academic standards and requirements, and I use this knowledge and experience to provide the most valuable support for students.

Tutoring Approach:
I create a supportive, friendly, and practical learning environment where students are always at the centre. Drawing on my experience with diverse learners and teaching approaches, I adapt my methods to each individual's needs. This flexible style supports students to discover the strategies that work best for them, building both confidence and independence.

My sessions are professional and informative, whilst also enjoyable and relaxed. This creates a positive learning experience that not only strengthens student confidence but also leads to academic success. I provide reassurance to students about what they are doing right, whilst offering clear, constructive guidance to help them refine their skills and achieve their full potential.

My approach consistently delivers results. Past students have demonstrated marked grade improvements, successful PhD upgrades, and strong viva performances. More importantly, they have developed lasting skills and self-confidence in their academic abilities.

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Personal Description:
I am a qualified teacher and Cambridge graduate with 15 years of experience tutoring both science and maths. I focus on improving confidence and fostering a deeper understanding of each topic. By relating theoretical concepts to everyday ideas, I help students find the common-sense structure hiding behind abstract numbers and theories. I also provide guidance on revision technique and intensive exam preparation.

Teaching Experience:
I grew up in Bedford, UK and attended Dame Alice Harpur School (now Bedford Girls' School) before moving to Cambridge to study Natural Sciences at Queens' College. In 2008, I started tutoring during the evenings and weekends. Upon the completion of my M.Sci, I relocated to Oxford to create science and maths teaching resources at a local publishing firm - all the while continuing to tutor in my spare time.

Whilst living in Oxford, I found I enjoyed being a tutor so much, that I chose to leave my day job and pursue tuition as a full-time career in December 2012. Two years later, I transferred to London to set up home with my now husband and continued to work as a tutor. However, I found that I had free time during the school day and I wanted to improve my teaching skills, and gain formal recognition for those I had already acquired. I embarked on a two-year part-time teacher training course - secondary school science with a specialism in physics.

I was offered a role at my training school, and took up a position at a local Academy as a teacher of both science and maths. During this period, I undertook extensive training regarding the change to the new (9 - 1) GCSEs and became familiar with the International Baccalaureate - both the diploma and the career-related programme.

In 2016, my husband and I returned to Bedford to start our family and I accepted a position at a local boys' school, teaching science from year 6 to A-level. Following the birth of our daughter 5 years ago, I decided to once again return to full-time tuition in order to spend more time with my growing family.

Tutoring Approach:
I tailor each lesson to suit the student's needs. The first few lessons usually focus on getting to know the student and their strengths and weaknesses. I identify areas for improvement and use subsequent lessons to work on these, as well as ensuring that the student is comfortable with the whole of the syllabus. Closer to the exam season, we will focus on improving question technique and creating links across the curriculum.

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Personal Description:
Hi, I'm Ash! I am an experienced and approachable tutor, a husband and father, CRB and DBS checked, specialising in English, History, Theology, Philosophy, and Politics.

I hope I can help you out!

Ash
MA BA (1st Class Hons)

Teaching Experience:
I have been tutoring since 2008, supporting students up to PhD level, and have taught courses for regional leaders in learning and skills development for young people and adults.

Tutoring Approach:
I tutor A Level and university students, supporting learning and achievement with a thorough, helpful, client-centred approach, at home or in other learning environments.

Please contact me to talk about your learning needs.

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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.

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Personal Description:
I'm a very approachable person who enjoys being around people and helping them to achieve their goals, I am currently doing a Masters in Publishing.
I am also a university graduate in Broadcast Media Production and I took Photography and Creative Media at A level.
In my GCSE'S I took Graphics and History/Geography.
In my spare time I do archery (which I've been doing for 11 years) and climbing (for 1 year) I also enjoy reading and travelling.

Teaching Experience:
I have previously worked in a college as a supported learning assistant working mainly with dyslexic students onna variety of subjects.
I volunteered as part time help at Luddington and Garthorpe primary school in North Lincolnshire. I help when I am not busy, this is experience for me as it is something I am considering as a career path for the future, I help with the children, and I help the class teachers when their TA's are ill or busy elsewhere, I have also answered the phones when the receptionist hasn't been in.
I have also been volunteering at John Leggott College in the media department as an assistant to the staff and the young adults, this has given me more of an idea of what it is like to teach older children and a possible career choice. I help them with their pre and post production and general help through out the lessons.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is research what they're doing in school and asking them how they learn - weather it being visual, auditory or kinesthetic - I myself prefer a practical/kinesthetic - "hands on learning" as you can learn whilst doing things. Another way I like to teach is by a reward system which works to help the student feel like they have achieved something they may not have been able to learn by them selves or by classroom learning.

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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.

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Personal Description:
I am a highly experienced educationalist with a wholistic approach and a wide range of work experience before training as a teacher.

Prior to becoming a qualified teacher my professional experience includes IT, social work, property maintenance, music, photography and education & employment while my studies at undergraduate included nine subjects. I therefore draw upon a wide range of experience, knowledge and practice and believe that personal development is one of the most important and fulfilling things we can engage with in life.

In addition to various qualifications I have gained, I self study and pursue a wide range of activities and interests which gives me an ever increasing palette to draw upon when tutoring / mentoring.

Teaching Experience:
I gained my PGCE in Secondary Education (Maths) and worked in Adult Education and Family Learning for many years whereby I delivered accredited courses in Mathematics (up to GCSE level) and non-accredited courses in English and IT. In utilising my experience of working with mental health I set up and ran the only Maths for Mental Health group in Sussex which, although successful, unfortunately was terminated due to lack of funding along with my Family Learning teaching practice.

I left the Adult Education sector when I was head hunted by a family to deliver a private Home Learning curriculum and now work solely as a private tutor; supporting students in the Maths school curriculum and delivering a range of subjects (Maths, English, German, History, Photography, Chess etc.) to students who are home schooled. I also undertake private adult learning where there is a demand, additionally designing and undertaking bespoke plans for specific skills development such as report writing for business and fundamental Maths & Physics for basic Aircraft Engineering courses.

During the time of working in the Education & Employment sector I was responsible for skills development of various special needs groups so I have a solid understanding of and experience in a wide variety of educational needs. This experience also laid the foundation for a fixed term contract at a college for SEND students where I delivered a Maths curriculum to groups of SEND young adults within the QCF accredited curriculum.

Tutoring Approach:
As a professional educator I am committed to lifelong learning myself and, while I see the benefits and necessity of having learning goals to work towards, I believe that the most important role of a tutor is to develop a healthy and respectful relationship with a student, so that learning and achievement can flow from a sense of natural enquiry into a subject in a way which engages them in life. My experience suggests that, for most students, this approach helps them achieve greater confidence, awareness and motivation to excel in their learning and understanding of the subject.

My overall experience of working with a wide range of people in diverse professional fields and having studied a multi-disciplinary undergraduate degree as well as Maths also allows me to link learning across a range of subjects and life situations. In itself, this gives me a significant platform to develop a learner's ability to grasp a 'bigger picture' and to see self development as intrinsically valuable beyond the subject or topics being worked on.

I believe that we can never truly know our potential and I approach each student with a sense of curiosity and encouragement to explore that potential through appropriate cognitive skills development, so as to build positive channels of learning while identifying and addressing any specific difficulties.

When working with students I usually discuss learning and content with them but, when tutoring young people, I also encourage regular contact with the parent / carer - after all, a parent / carer is the first teacher in a young person's life and very much part of the young person's view of the world and educational growth.

PLEASE NOTE: relevant charges and introductory sessions

(i) sessions based more than 3 miles radius from my location will incur a travel charge based on a reasonable mileage cost if I am required to travel to the tutee.

(ii) on acceptance of each other via this site, there is an immediate introduction fee to be made to the site. This can be accommodated by a single session at my usual rates where you and your son / daughter can meet me and I you.

(iii) I would ask that sessions are subsequently booked in blocks of 6 and paid for in advance. Thank you.

BRAIN TEASER: if you were to spell out the counting numbers from "one" on wards, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter 'A' in the number (this doesn't include the conjunction "and")?

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Personal Description:
Hello and thank you for taking the time to read my profile. My name is Dr. Alisdair and I am a part time tutor with with eighteen years experience teaching psychology and research methods & statistics. I am currently the Head of Psychology at one of the top online schools. Developing and enhancing a student's learning experience is something I am passionate about. To achieve this, I employ a patient approach to tutoring, ensuring that students have an enjoyable, challenging and interesting experience. My teaching style relies on honesty, dedication and transparency. I aim to offer you a bespoke tutoring service that meets your requirements, be it face to face, or via online technology.

Studying and tutoring for many years has given me experience in realising the pressures that students face, and I'm able to use my awareness and knowledge to motivate learners. I have a real appreciation for how people learn and are able to adapt my teaching to different learning styles. I try to make lessons informative and fun, ensuring that the student takes an active part in the lesson. I feel my academic experience has given me the necessary skills to help students reach their full academic ability.

Teaching Experience:
One of my subjects of expertise is psychology. Having studied, researched and taught/tutored psychology to numerous students, I am well placed to help you with assignments, exams and general course content in all areas of the subject, including; cognitive, social, developmental, research methods and more. Whether you are studying for a degree or beginning your journey into psychology at GCSE or A-Level, I can help you to get to grips with this fascinating subject.

My other main area of expertise is in research methods/statistics. Since 2006 I have provided support to individuals from a range of backgrounds, including students studying social sciences, life sciences and humanities. My experience extends to helping employees with their data analysis. If you are struggling to interpret your analysis, or need help using SPSS, or if you want to understand more about statistics then please do get in touch.

If you would like support with learning English as a second language (ESL) then I can help you. Please do contact me if you would like to practise speaking or are having difficulty reading and writing in English. I can support you with vocabulary comprehension and word meanings for example.

I have experience in tutoring students with assisted learning needs, including; Asperger syndrome, dyslexia and dyspraxia. My one to one teaching experience extends to the supervision of final year undergraduates and Masters students, therefore I have coherently supported and guided students through empirical projects, improving skills such as literature search & review, analysis and scientific writing.

Qualifications:
My first degree was in psychology (BSc Hons). I then went on to complete a Masters (MRes) in psychological methods, followed by a PhD in psychology/cognitive neuroscience. I also obtained a 'Teach English as a foreign language' (TEFL) certificate.

Awards:
Excellence in Teaching - Awarded by Bournemouth University in 2013.

Feedback:
Below are some examples of student and parent feedback that I have received across various sites:

Lisa (Lily) 5/5
Alisdair was an amazing Tutor for my daughter. Her A Level tutor went on sick leave the term before her A Level exam, and after an initial couple of one to one meetings, we settled upon a series of Skype tutorials which were brilliant. Alisdair would send key exam questions for my daughter to do prior to the Skype tutorial, and she would send them back to him to mark before their tutorial. The system was so engaging and efficient that she went from a grade D in her mock A-Level to a grade A in her actual A-Level exam. Alisdair is flexible, personable and very effective. I would totally recommend his services.

Michelle (Sammy) 5/5
An excellent tutor - patient, kind, encouraging, and well organised with great resources. We used Alisdair`s services both for one to one sessions and online in the run-up to my daughter`s A-levels when she experienced a pre-exam confidence crisis. She found him to be an effective and empathetic tutor, with an obvious enthusiasm for his subject. We really appreciated Alisdair`s experience, which enabled him to work out how best to support my daughter and get her back on track. Alisdair was incredibly helpful, and very flexible in his scheduling of sessions. A`levels are now over, and I am sure that Alisdair`s help made a huge difference. Highly recommended!

Jeremy 5/5
Alisdair helped me with my final major project, both with the statistics, and academic writing. I was very happy to achieve a first for the project and I can`t thank him enough for his help. I learned a lot with his tutoring and improved my understanding of statistics and my academic writing. I now feel more confident going into my Msc next September. He was very fast at responding to my questions and emails and was always very positive and helpful.

Nicki 5/5
I've had the pleasure of knowing Alisdair for over a year, during which time he tutored me with my undergraduate psychology degree. Above all, he has excellent subject knowledge along with the ability to convey complex information in a simple and easy to understand manner. He made light work of SPSS and report writing as well as guiding me to a deeper understanding of psychological concepts. Alisdair's friendly personality immediately put me at ease and he knew the correct level of challenge to ensure that I gained a good grade for my dissertation. I cannot thank him enough! He is a truly talented tutor - smart, efficient, professional, and comes with my heartfelt recommendation.

Mark 5/5
Alisdair is an exceedingly knowledgeable, friendly and patient tutor who responds promptly and with amazing clarity on even the most complicated of SPSS issues. He has a great understanding of the planning and organisational problems associated with dyspraxia, and was of enormous help to my son during his MSc project, keeping him calm and giving advice where needed. I only wish we had discovered him earlier! My son has achieved a Distinction at Masters level, and without Alisdair's reassuring and friendly discussions I don't think he would have managed to even finish his project. I would recommend Alisdair highly as a tutor.

Maha 5/5
The best tutor ever, he makes everything so clear and he trying his best to make sure I understood what we had in the session and clearly he is so kind as person and tutor!

Tutoring Approach:
Other services:
If you require help with developing your study skills, including; revision techniques, essay planning, critical thinking and more, then I can help you to hone your study skills set. In addition, feel free to contact me if you would like your work to be proofread. I will check your document to ensure the spelling and grammar is watertight. If you need me to, I can provide you with comments using track changes with suggestions/edits to improve the quality of the document, for example, the structure, scientific standard and whether you have answered the assignment question. Having published numerous scientific articles, I appreciate and understand the need for precision in the preparation of your work, therefore I'd be happy to help you with things such as APA formatting and preparing a manuscript for publication. Please take a look at the tasks I can help you with below.

Examples of tasks I can help you with:
Understanding concepts/theories/studies
GCSE/A-Level exam technique
GCSE/A-Level homework
Revision techniques
Critical thinking/reading/writing
Essay planning / editing
Report planning / editing / suggestions for improvement
Presentation planning
Dissertation/thesis planning/editing/suggestions for improvement
Preparing manuscripts for publication
Literature search/review
Help with systematic reviews/Meta analysis
Experimental design
Data analysis/selecting appropriate tests/interpretation/reporting analysis
Using SPSS/JASP
Figures and tables
Addressing Reviewer's and Editor's comments
Proofreading
APA formatting / referencing
ESL

Other details:
I also offer tuition via Skype, Zoom and e-mail for those students who do not want to meet in person, or live far away. Therefore I can fully explain any concepts, ideas or subject content that you need help with, and give verbal and written help with assignments and exam prep online.
A-Level exam boards I have tutored students on include; AQA, OCR and CIE. I have many resources, including; mind-maps, evaluation sheets, research study summaries, past exam papers, quizzes and more.
Please enquire directly to me about availability, do not go by tutoring website calendars.
Lessons cancelled less than 12 hours before the scheduled start time will incur a 50% charge, as will no-shows.
Student/parents will be asked to cover travel expenses/time for travel costs if lessons are to take place at the student's home or public place. It is £5 if you need me to travel up to 8 miles away, then 50p for any additional mile over that.
Group sessions (up to 3 students) can be arranged also, please enquire.

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Personal Description:
My name is Kat, and I am a qualified nurse currently pursuing PhD study following working as a Practice Development Nurse at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

I live in the beautiful village of Brill, Buckinghamshire, with my 2 year old son, and my husband who splits his time between Brill and Germany. We enjoy being outside, music and eating good food.

I have a passion for people, seeing them realise their potential and exceed their goals. I was a tutor with UK Tutors during my nursing training in 2010-2012, and can't wait to meet new some new tutees.

Teaching Experience:
I have had a range of education / developmental / teaching roles throughout my career, and through delivering education in a variety of settings and through different media I have gained skills which allow me to really focus on the needs of my individual tutees, their current levels of understanding and their end goals.

Curriculum Support Assistant at King Edward VI High School, Morpeth, Northumberland
- 1-2-1 support for students with special educational needs working towards SATs / GCSEs / ALevels in mainstream education
- Through this role I also lead classes for Year 10 PHSE

Peer Support Educator with Sexpression charity
- Delivering sex and relationships education to a range of student groups, from puberty and basic reproduction to young pupils in schools, to contraception advice and sexual health to university students

Online mentor with Brightside charity
- Mentor to school-age students (1-2-1 and teams) with an interest in starting a career within the health and social care sector

Mentor / Practice Supervisor / Practice Assessor (Nursing)
- NMC qualified mentor (now known as Practice Assessor) for nursing/nursing associate students, supporting clinical skill development and achieving professional qualifications

Clinical Practice Educator at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
- Provision of practical skills sessions for registered and non-registered practitioners

Practice Development Nurse
- Overseeing staff training needs across Gynaecology, delivery of a range of teaching sessions, including clinical skills, anatomy and physiology, coaching/mentoring-type supervision, professional practice

Tutoring Approach:
I believe tutoring is a partnership, and not lead solely by the tutor. Encouraging tutees to take the lead ensures a truly personal education and ensures holistic learning. The tutee is the only person who knows what they really want to achieve and I work with people to firstly understand their goals, and then make realistic and attainable targets in order to reach those goals.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August 2024:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A-level results, August/September 2022:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am SEN trained in the areas of Dyslexia (Language), Dyscalculia (Math), Attention (ADD/ADHD), Dysgraphia (Handwriting) and Autism and am a qualified remedial therapist (Davis Facilitator).

I am a Whole Brain Practitioner with the Kobus Neethling Institution. I also have a Finance Degree and Art Therapy background.

Over the past 10 years, I have owned numerous Maths and English Reading Centres and have worked with hundreds of children. I have specialised knowledge in eye kinetic, perception development, learning and behavioural difficulties.

Teaching Experience:
During my years of owning my Maths, Langauge and Reading centres, I have worked with hundreds of children. Most of the children that I worked with were struggling before working with me, but sometimes I got children who were very bright but were not reaching their full potential. I have a special interest in Giftedness and was able to extend those children and make them exceptional.

Early on in my working career, I worked in Investment Banking in London and internationally, before changing careers to teaching, focusing on remedial therapy.

I practice now as a specialised remedial therapist (SEN) and focus on learning and behavioral issues.

Tutoring Approach:
I have a fun and creative approach to tutoring.

I make a huge effort with every person I work with and really connect with them.

I like to use various mediums, games and methods to make the learning experience more enjoyable and help the information to embed more easily. It is sometimes necessary to build a concept in a 3-dimensional format, before working through methodology on paper.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Having tutored for 12 years and been in mainstream education for the past 9, I am more than ready and willing to work with young people who are in need of a variety of different approaches:

- Stretching and challenging the most able
- Going back to basics with exam content
- Handwriting
- Organisation
- Revision skills and independent learning

Teaching Experience:
Qualified teacher (secondary)

Most recent tutee Results
Student 1: GCSE Spanish - Grade 9
Student 2: SATs 101 / 102 / 102
Student 3: GCSE English Language-Grade 8
Student 4: GCSE Spanish - grade 6
Student 5: GCSE French (current)

Tutoring Approach:
There is no right answer to "what is the best approach" - my first session will always be one hour to formulate a plan based on the requirements of the parent(s) or carer(s), to meet the learner in question, and to come up with a plan of action based on a variety of factors. This will incorporate target grades in school, achievements so far, existing attitudes to learning amongst other things.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I'm an experienced tutor currently working as a Lecturer and Supervisor at the University of Cambridge. Besides this I have several years' school-teaching experience as well as with individual tutees.

I studied at the University of Cambridge and at the Royal Academy of Music throughout my teenage years.

In addition to my work In Cambridge I hold a Deputy Professorship at the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. My private teaching practice comprises students of all ages and complements my professional activities as conductor, bassoonist, organist, and arts administrator.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching privately since 2006, and also have several years' experience of school-teaching (secondary). I am experienced in giving workshops (singing, conducting, performance technique, chamber music etc.). I also lecture for the Music Faculty at the University of Cambridge as well as supervising undergraduates and graduates for papers in Harmony & Counterpoint, Music & Science, Psychology, and practical skills (including jazz improvisation).

I hold a deputy professorship at the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and also tutor for the Royal College of Organists; I am hugely experienced in preparing students for interviews and auditions, as well as in examination preparation and revision/study skills and techniques.

Tutoring Approach:
I always strive to inspire my tutees with the confidence to push themselves to achieve their full potential, while being aware that outside the lessons they also have other commitments. I am experienced in teaching students with learning difficulties and am happy to be flexible in my teaching style depending on the needs of the individual student.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Hey I'm Tau
Thought this would be a good way to make money on the side as my friends and family have always informed me I would be a good tutor, I focus around maths and English mostly for primary to secondary level, my rates are somewhat negotiable so contact me further for more information.

Teaching Experience:
As said prior I have helped a lot of my friends with tutoring and desire to help more people develop and improve with their subject

Tutoring Approach:
My main method is to figure out what type of learning your child is most accustomed to and what type they learn the most with and teach them how to understand their subject in that way.

Subjects

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.

Subjects