Stourbridge Study Skills Tutors and Stourbridge Study Skills Tuition

Personal Description:
- qualified ex-secondary MFL teacher (PGCE, QTS obtained), familiar with and taught Mandarin Chinese GCSE specifications (AQA and Edexcel), A Level Chinese specifications at UK secondary schools. My students have great exam results.
- Native Mandarin and Taiwanese speaker, Excellent communication skills
- Experienced Mandarin Tutor. I worked with pupils at different levels: pre-School/ KS1- 5/ FE/ HE/ adults/ retired/ business Chinese/ tourism Chinese, including those with SEN and from diverse cultural background using English as an additional language)
- Freelance translator (television programmes subtitles, between English and Mandarin Chinese)
- Freelance interpreter (legal/Immigration)
- Experienced in tailor-making and delivering one-to-one tutoring lessons
- Knowledge of traditional Chinese/Taiwanese culture, politics, history, geography, society and current pop culture. Also able to combine the above with Mandarin learning/teaching
- Patient, reliable and honest
- mentored PGCE student teachers, Early Career Teachers.
- conduct and co-lead research projects with IOE (Institute of Education, University College London), on Content and Language Integrated Learning, 2021 to date. Co-presented the research results at 2 international academic conferences in 2023.

Teaching Experience:
- Mandarin Teacher at University of Leeds (Sep 2008- May 2011), a private school in north Wales (Y7 and Y9, complete beginner group/individual and GCSE preparation, 2011), a grammar school on the Wirral (2015- 2020, Y7- Y13, including GCSE/A Level preparation), and a comprehensive state school in Liverpool (2020-2023).
- Author/proof-reader of online Mandarin course contents (targeting KS2, KS3, and GCSE learners); Online Mandarin Tutor (KS2 learners and GCSE candidates. One of my pupils was accepted by a Chinese undergraduate course as her first choice for Sep 2014 entry, because of my lessons); eLearning Specialist advising the management team regarding VLE/ LMS and providing training on online teaching for fellow teachers (all above under this bullet point: between Jun 2012- Jun 2014, employed by a private company in north Wales)
- freelance one-to-one Tutor of Mandarin, face-to-face and online
- University Lecturer in Audience Development in Taiwan
- University Lecturer in Arts Management in Taiwan
- University Lecturer in English in Taiwan
- Tutor of English (adult/primary/secondary level, face-to-face, individual and groups) in Taiwan

Tutoring Approach:
- Use real-Life scenario for examples and conversation practice
- Integrate Culture into language acquisition
- Offer Business/Leisure/Travel/Conversation Mandarin Lessons
- Offer Pin-Yin and Phonics; Simplified and Traditional Mandarin characters
- Lessons are tailor-made to suit different levels from beginners to advanced Mandarin speaker
- You can choose to get trained in Listening, Speaking, Writing or Reading skills, or a combination of these four
- Deliver lessons in English-only, Mandarin-only, or a combination of English and Mandarin
- Devise different learning methods/ activities/ content for each individual learner to suit their own confidence, Mandarin abilities and learning targets/ motives.
- Encourage students to participate in their own learning process actively by creating an interactive and friendly learning environment.

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Personal Description:
I am a mature lady (60yo) with a 1st Class Electrical/Electronic Engineering Degree (B.Sc) and a Postgraduate Management qualification from Cambridge University. My own 'A' Levels were Biology, Maths and Physics with a particular focus on electronics. At University I studied Maths at degree level.

After working as an Engineer I changed career in my late 20s and moved into the world of Therapy and Healing. I trained in hypnotherapy and craniosacral therapy as well as Human Design. I have worked with young people utilising various modalities to help them gain confidence and choose careers/subjects that bring out the best in them. I studied for a time in a Rudolph Steiner environment so I appreciate the value of alternative approaches and Artistic therapies to educating young people. I was also a member of the Steiner Academy Appeals panel for some time in Hereford.

From 2009 to 2012 I worked in an Admin capacity for OFSTED travelling around Schools and Colleges up and down the SW of England. My particular area of responsibility was the safeguarding and protection of children.

In 2011 I attended an Introduction to Autism training with the HANDLE organisation as I increasingly meet young people struggling on the Autism spectrum so this topic is of particular interest to me. I would be able to help refer any child who needed more specialised care. Related to this I have also been studying Human Design which is an invaluable tool for understanding how unique we all are.

I have a non-verbal family member who I am very close to and have devoted much of the last decade to working with her and bringing out her latent ability to communicate in novel ways.

I am friendly, empathic and good with younger people. I listen and watch and adapt to each situation I meet. I endeavour to help bring out the best in people on all levels. I am offering a broad ranging expertise. I would say the help I really bring is an encouragement for the person to express who they uniquely are and to feel empowered to meet life in new ways.

I can travel to people's homes but I am allergic to cats and dogs so it may work better to hire 3rd party premises.

Teaching Experience:
I have successfully tutored Maths and Physics to High School students whilst living abroad in Canada and in the UK.

I work with a variety of ages and people from all walks of life and my skills are oriented to sensitive listening and increasing a person's confidence in themselves.

I CAN tutor Maths and Physics and Electronics but its not my forte these days to focus on this as I have not kept up with the GCSE requirements......

Tutoring Approach:
I work outside of my home in non-pet and non-smoker environments only at this time.
I ask the student to bring all relevant texts with them for the lesson.
If you also have past exam papers please also bring those..

I have recently reduced my rates in recognition of the economic climate. I am negotiable to an extent in cases of hardship so please feel free to enquire.

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Personal Description:
I have been a lecturer for the past 20 years at both college and university levels. Educated at the universities of London and Birmingham, I am an experienced tutor, teacher, lecturer and author of articles, reviews and a recent book. An historian by training, I am also interested in literature, politics and cultural studies.

My experience of education was incredible, but it might not have been were it not for the motivation and support that I received from a number of outstanding lecturers. It was their example that led me to start teaching and I have found that helping others to learn and achieve academic success gives enormous job satisfaction.

I believe every student has unrealised potential and that with the right approach, all can succeed. I am flexible and believe in helping my students to find a learning style which suits them and enables them to succeed. I have a lot of energy and enthusiasm and besides teaching and writing, my interests include keeping abreast of current affairs, playing cricket and listening to world music.

Teaching Experience:
I tutor a variety of subjects at a range of levels including GCSE, AS, A Level, and Degree in addition to adult learners requiring support. I have experience of teaching students from a variety of cultural backgrounds. I have mentored post-graduate students and proof-read theses and dissertations.

I have over 20 years experience teaching and have taught in classrooms and universities in the United Kingdom and abroad. My students come from a wide range of different age groups and backgrounds and I pride myself on helping all of them to succeed. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a faculty member of the Foundation for International Education, London and the New College of the Humanities, London. My previous posts have included Programme Director at Birkbeck, University of London and Director of Academics at the Foundation for International Education, London.

Tutoring Approach:
One of my main aims in tutoring is to stimulate an interest in learning, by making the topic as relevant in contemporary terms as possible. Most of the subjects I tutor, from History to Religious Studies have current and on-going social consequences. I have found that making an otherwise dry topic of relevance to a student awakens an interest and desire to learn more. It is those inspirational moments when students become aware of the linkages between what they have read, and what is going on around them that makes tutoring particularly satisfying. This coupled with a growing ability to think critically, usually translates into enhanced coursework grades.

My approach to teaching is based on two fundamental bases. The first is that it is absolutely essential to find contentment in the learning process. This may not come through the actual material that needs to be learnt and it is up to the tutor to inspire in the student the self-assurance to succeed. As your tutor, I will lay down the learning structure and will cement this through detailed lesson plans. The second basis is that supervised practise testing is very important. This needs to be followed by a thorough assessment of the results, in order to understand where improvements need to be made, in both knowledge and approach.

At the younger end, I create a fun learning environment and aim to enhance originality, conscientiousness and self-assurance in the child's ability. In the longer term, I concentrate on problem areas which may have been skated over in class. For more senior students and adult learners, the same principles apply in terms of tailoring lessons to the individual. I mix core concepts with more general study skills and encourage each student to find their own way of independent learning. I am a patient, hard-working and open individual who strives to get the best out of each student and help them achieve their learning objectives. As your tutor I will be available outside of teaching time to answer questions by email and phone, there will be no extra cost for this service.

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Personal Description:
When I was a boy I was taught by people who were larger-than-life characters who dominated the classroom. They made clear to us boys what was expected of us and that if we didn't make the effort we would simply not achieve the rewards.

As a teacher, I share the same ethos. I expect pupils to follow my lead and work to the best of their ability.

I spend a lot of time reading and thinking.

I think it was George Bernard Shaw who said that 2% of people think, 3% think they think and 95% would rather die than do any thinking at all!

Sadly, I think that over the last thirty years dumbing down and inflated grades have shown how accurate Shaw's assessment was.

I see my role as one of reversing the tide of apathy and mediocrity and encouraging pupils to value themselves as individuals each with unique potential.

I finally achieved my educational potential because I came to see intellectual growth as the only sure path to happiness and fulfilment.

Helping pupils reach the same understanding about their full intellectual potential is my vocation and the foundation on which I build all my one-to-one tuition relationships.

Teaching Experience:
After teaching in the UK Primary and Secondary sectors as well as managing English and History departments in three international schools overseas, I now devote my time exclusively to private tuition.

My experience includes 12 years teaching English and History to GCSE and A level in the UK secondary system and eight years teaching the same subjects to the same levels in international schools in Italy, Egypt and Kenya.

During this time I have always had a number of students on my books for home tuition to provide extra help in Primary, Secondary and University level subjects.

My English GCSE students last year all achieved A-C grades and my A level History student achieved an A (predicted C after Year 12) and is now at university. In previous years, my A level History students have never achieved less than a C and in 2014, I had a student who reached A* and is now studying the subject at Exeter University.

Tutoring Approach:
My experience has led me to believe that one-to-one tuition is the best way to educate pupils. It brings them to the realisation that the whole point of education really is to set us free. It's not easy for a student to discover this when confined every day in a class of 30 or more others! Learning to think independently as an individual, and to read and write fluently enables pupils to participate fully in society, to achieve their full potential and thereby become happy, confident adults. Once the student is enthused and inspired by a tutor to think for themselves there is only one way forward.

I like to encourage pupils to develop independent thinking and logical analysis. Too many schools are teaching the children WHAT to think when they should be teaching them HOW to think. Naturally, many pupils become disengaged and even some of the most talented are simply going through the motions rather than actually studying. This lack of motivation together with highly inflated grades means that many of our youngsters are leaving school with minimal reading and writing skills. Indeed, few now have the aptitude for doing much reading, thinking or writing at all.

I like to build up the student's confidence by establishing their strengths first. Thereafter I identify weaknesses and gauge the student's awareness of them and motivation to put them right. Above all, I encourage my students to read widely and with full concentration. My best students learn to read closely and publish their reviews on Amazon. Aside from the huge adrenaline run, the boost in confidence and proficiency students get from seeing their writing in print is awesome to behold!

To put it simply, when they're reading they start succeeding!

Homework set weekly by me will always involve reading, thinking and writing. My feedback will always concentrate on reinforcing the idea that the writing process never ends with the last full stop. I expect students to read back their work to ensure that their writing communicates their meaning clearly and fluently. Editing with the focus on making the right word choices, organising sentences with the words in the right order and structuring longer writing assignments into coherent paragraphs are all priorities schools are increasingly neglecting thereby greatly hindering the life chances of their pupils..

Once the student and I have agreed which areas need improvement we use lesson time to extend the student's competence and skills by undertaking thinking and written assignments that allow the student to develop these.

Weekly homework set will advance and reinforce the skills the student has been encouraged to bring to the lesson.

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Personal Description:
I currently work as an IT Specialist at an Investment Bank.

I am able to provide in person or online tutoring in Economics, Politics, Business and Geography. I have taken A Levels in Economics, Politics and Geography and obtained a First Class Bsc Business Management Degree at King's College London Business School in 2017. I achieved an A* in my A Level Economics with a score in the high nineties.

There is an additional charge if travel is required to the tutee.

Teaching Experience:
Past experience as a Private Tutor in A Level Economics, Business and Geography for 4 students.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a passionate tutor who has clear teaching techniques which help my students consolidate their knowledge and build their confidence in the subject matter so they are prepared for success. I have had tutoring experience with my students which have allowed them to achieve high marks.

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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:
I am a proactive, dedicated teacher hailing from Montpellier, southern France, with a passion for teaching. Based in the UK, I have worked across 3 continents in a variety of education institutions and universities in the last few years, and have always enjoyed making a difference in the learning experience of my students and tutees.

I completed a PhD in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2018, and became an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE). I have gained relevant teaching skills, valuable insights and a solid experience in the UK and abroad both during and after my doctoral programme, and currently teach French language in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Warwick.

I am involved in scholarship and have a huge academic interest in American and comparative literature. My research portfolio contains a dozen publications in peer-reviewed outlets, including Academia Letters, The European Journal of American Culture and The Literary Encyclopedia, and a research monograph about two writers from the Beat generation - Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg - published by Peter Lang in May 2022, which has been nominated this year for a BSA Book Award. I am currently working on a research project with Cambridge University Press on the Beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked in a variety of high schools and higher education institutions, both in the UK and abroad, since 2009.
I taught as French Instructor at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, USA, for 6 months, and as a French Language Assistant at Dunraven School and at Greenford High School in London (1 year in each).
I went on the work as an Associate Lecturer in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Goldsmiths for 3 years, and as a Pre-Sessional Lecturer at the University of Southampton in the Academic Centre for International Students.
I also taught as an Assistant Professor in English at Istanbul Kültür University in Turkey for 18 months, and currently teach French in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Warwick.

Tutoring Approach:
I view tutoring as a means to empower learners and facilitate knowledge acquisition. The student-centred approach with which I work is tailored to the specific needs of each individual learner - an approach I have used in my 1-2-1 private tuition for over 10 years, and in the different teaching appointments I have held so far as a French Language Assistant and as a university lecturer.
This personalised approach is forged with respect to the uniqueness of each individual profile and learning style, increasing the opportunity for success. My aim is not only to fulfil the learner's scholarly potential; it is also to foster his or her confidence in the language over the longer term by creating an awareness of its greater cultural significance.

I cater for all levels and needs, from A1 to C2 and from Y1 to Sixth Form and beyond, and have worked with children, teenagers, young adults and professionals. Over the years, I have achieved a good grasp of the educational challenges that students face in the UK at various stages of the curriculum. I have worked with various exam boards and am familiar with the current requirements of the GCSE, A-Level, I-GCSE, I-B as well as private school entrance exams.

Owing to my academic background, I am also very keen on developing an awareness of study skills and critical thinking in higher education.

The tuition is delivered either face-to-face, or via Zoom or any other online platform such as MS Teams or Skype. After listening to the learner's needs, which can be discussed through e-mail or on the phone, the tuition will start with an assessment of the learner's linguistic skills, which will enable me to identify a series of specific learning objectives and create an individualised road map towards the achievement of these objectives.

This road map will constitute our programme, and each tuition will cover a part of it. The sessions, based on dynamic exchange, will involve a series of engaging materials and resources carefully selected to meet the learning objectives. These materials, which include videoclips, podcasts, literary texts, translations, news articles, practice sheets or former exam papers, can also be edited or designed from scratch (such as homework or exercise sheets for example), in order to concentrate on a specific point, embed newly-won knowledge.

My private tuition in French covers all language skills, whether it is writing, listening, speaking through thematic conversation with a native speaker, building an ability to read texts in the target language with various degrees of complexity, or developing French cultural awareness - beyond the stereotypical.

A high level of service is maintained throughout the tuition delivery programme, and careful attention is given to the learning experience, which remains my top priority.

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Personal Description:
Please note that in the current corona virus(covid-19) climate I ma tutoring all my students on my own online until the government reviews the situation and allows us to move freely. I am tutoring individually, in two, threes up to maximum of five. There is discount for being tutored in groups. I wish everyone to stay safe at this difficult time. Thank you

I am freelance tutor providing assignments tutorial support to students studying under and postgraduate courses in Economics, Business Management, Marketing, Financial Management, Strategic Management, Business Statistics and Nursing, Projects and Dissertations including Data Analysis, Dissertation research proposal writing support as well as editing .

Teaching Experience:
My background is medicine and moved to business specialising in services marketing. I have years of experience as a senior clinical bedside instructor for medical and nursing students then later spent years as training consultant for HIV/AIDS, Sexual health and Health and Social care professionals. I have also worked as senior lecturer for Glyndwr university London campus teaching BA students Principles of Marketing & Business practice, Global Marketing, Customer Relationship Management and MBA students, Strategic Marketing and Strategic Management, Financial Management, Research Methods, Project Management and supervising students on projects and dissertation. I have been a private tutor since 1999.
My recent tutorial work (June-August 2020) was with UNICAF Malawi university during which I supervised and supported MBA students who were studying remotely online

Tutoring Approach:
I use student problem identification approach which means I encourage students to identify and communicate to me what they are experiencing as a problem in their specific topics in their studies and then based either face to face or online, I focus on these specified identified problems. The benefit of this approach is that it encourages the student to study, engage and interact. with me as well as providing me the basis for my own post tutoring assessment to whether my tutorial is making the difference. All my tutorials are highly interactive as I use questions and discussion with the students to make sure that they have understood. There are also min activities at the end of every tutorial as well as homework for students to do in every subject I tutor. These are mainly based on past exam papers and are aimed at developing students' confidence and self belief and develop skills they need to succeed in their exams.

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Personal Description:
Dr Sheraz is currently associate lecturer in Lincoln International Business school, University of Lincoln. He was previously Business Lecturer (Marketing & Project Management) at the Nelson College, London. Prior to his current appointment he was seminar teacher and PhD researcher in Value Chain Research Centre at the Kent Business School, University of Kent Medway campus. Before joining Kent Business School, he was a professional trainer and practicing aeronautical engineer at the National University of Science & Technology, Pakistan and Aviation Maintenance Organisation. He also served as Lecturer in Supply Chain Management at University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan.

Teaching Experience:
• Module Leader - Marketing Principles, BTEC Level 5 HND F/601/0556 (Unit 4) at Nelson College, London, UK.
• Co-Lecturer on Project Management BTEC Level 5 HND F/601/1036 (Unit 42) at Nelson College, London, UK.
• Seminar Leader on CB313: Introduction to Statistics for Business (on BBA Buisness & Management programme) Kent Business School, UK.
• Quantitative data analysis support for BBA, MSc and PhD Students' Disserations Kent Business School, Canterbury and Medway Campuses.
• Lecturer for professional diploma in supply chain management at Professional Development centre at National University of Science and Technology, Pakistan(Top university in Pakistan)
• Provided MBA Dissertation supervision for over 10 graduate students of the University of Science and Technology, Pakistan.
• Curriculum Development Coordinator for Pre-Masters Business & Management at Centre for Advance Studies(CASE),Islamabad, Pakistan.

Tutoring Approach:
I have an extensive teaching experience both at the undergraduate and professional level. As required, I would be happy to contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate modules of both a research-led and a methodological nature.I am also aware of the importance of the pastoral care of students and take the role of tutor very seriously. I am experienced in liaising with colleagues to help students with a variety of problems. I was involved with undergraduate business students at Kent business school for tutoring and mentoring.

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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:
27 years tutoring privately; 15 years teaching in Further Education; OCR and AQA A Level mostly. I'm very familiar with the specification.
I can supply many testimonials ftom students upon request.
The latest one is from a student who came to me at a low C and attained an A* at OCR A Level 2025 (available on request).

Tutoring Approach:
I tutor by ZOOM 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.

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Personal Description:
I am a native Arabic speaker, very passionate and knowledgeable Arabic teacher.
Teaching on a part-time basis at the moment.
Academically, I have two master degrees; one in conflict, governance and development at university of York in UK., and the second is an executive MBA from Dauphine University, France in cooperation with HIBA in Syrian and Saint Joseph in Lebanon. Further, my BA was in English Language and Literature.
Professionally, I'm a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) with 20 years experience in development sectors within public, private and international organizations in various countries.
I worked for more than 4 years with the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Office in policy and delivering projects.

Teaching Experience:
I have more than 11 years experience delivering lessons focused on the interests and needs of student/ clients.
Knowledgeable of standard instruction principles, modern tools for teaching Arabic to Non-Arabic speakers (English, Turkish, Indians, Italians and Germans).
This experience has equipped me by fully require qualifications from planning the course, teaching theories and methods to communication.
Ability to handle both administrative and teaching duties with a high degree of professionalism.). Besides to solid English-to-Arabic translation abilities.

Tutoring Approach:
My approaches are SMART and holistic in nature, and take in my account the culture sensitivity for each student. I am friendly and responsive, authoritative vs. authoritarian. My teaching style is more customized to meet the defined objectives. Sometime could be formal or informal, especially for students under 18 years.

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Personal Description:
Hi, I`m Jess and I am an English teacher. I have a BA in English Literature and a MA in Victorian Studies (an interdisciplinary course split between literature and history).

My rates are £25 p/h for most students; my A Level and Degree rate is £30 p/h. For online tuition I have a flat rate of £25 p/h.

I travel to you or we can agree a suitable meeting place (a local library or cafe). I graduated in 2015 and since then have been teaching English in Birmingham, Solihull and North Coventry.

Whether you are looking for regular weekly sessions or ad-hoc sessions to help prepare for an exam or an essay deadline I should be able to support you.

Teaching Experience:
- Over 7 years working as a private tutor

- Working in an AP teaching English Y8 to Y11

- Hourly paid lecturer at a college teaching post 16 pupils functional skills English and GCSE English.

- Lecturer at ESOL center teaching functional skills English and GCSE English.

- Guest lecturer at University giving occasional lectures to third year students

- Vast experience writing and giving papers at academic conferences

- Editorial experience

- Significant experience in producing high quality essays and papers

- Assisting with funding applications (work experience and previous personal success)

Tutoring Approach:
I am more than happy to boost your skills and confidence leading up to an exam, subject specific guidance, to assist with essay writing, dissertation support and proof reading and editing of forthcoming publications. I completed an access course (humanities route-way and passed with distinctions) so I am also available to offer support to adults completing that qualification. My specialty is literature and I focus on boosting confidence and grades, as I believe the two are essentially interchangeable and that when a rise in confidence is combined with hard work and determination an increase in grades is attainable.

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Personal Description:
Hello!! My name is James and I am currently doing an undergraduate degree in Applied Linguistics with Teaching English as a Secondary or Other Language.
Once I have completed this degree I will be starting a masters in TESOL with a focus on second language acquisition.

As well as this degree, I have also completed a CELTA qualification as well as an accredited 120 hour TEFL qualification.

I have travelled to many countries across Europe which has enabled me to have a deep appreciation of different cultures, as well as understanding how difficult it can be to learn a language.

I am a native English speaker with a (mostly) neutral accent.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching private one-to-one lessons for over a year with a variety of students with different needs. These include IELTS preparation, Cambridge Certificate preparation as well as general conversation practice among many other various needs

Tutoring Approach:
All lessons will be tailored to your needs as the learner.

I drive which means I am available to travel to your house or you are welcome to my home for lessons there. We can also meet in a neutral place, for example, a library or coffee shop.

My tutoring approach is to have lessons which are fun, engaging and informative using a communicative approach.

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Personal Description:
My name is Oladipo.
I completed a degree in electrical engineering at a leading UK University.
I love studying and this love for studying has made me want to give back in the form of teaching.
I am enthusiastic about teaching.
My students achieve their desired grades.
I have tutored university students to achieve high scores.
Studied Medicine at University of Buckingham

Teaching Experience:
I have taught many students online.
I have over 10 years of teaching experience.
I have plenty of experience in teaching the science subjects.

Tutoring Approach:
I help students understand the subject area that I will be teaching.
I assist with learning skills.
I am flexible with times of teaching.
I can tutor in person or via Skype.

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Personal Description:
Hi my name is Tuba and I can confidently say that teaching SEN and working with students who have additional needs is my passion!

I am originally from Turkey and I came to England to pursue my dream as an SEN specialist. I studied MA Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Since I finished my masters degree in 2020, I have been tutoring several students with different needs around Manchester. Although I gained confidence and deeper knowledge within my studies, I was definetly missing out of the joy of teaching during my studies :)

Teaching Experience:
Teaching/Tutoring Experience

In 2014, I got my qualified teacher status as a Primary school teacher within 4 years of Bachelor's degree back in Turkey. The last 2 years of my studies was including teaching experience and I actively worked in several schools during this time as a teaching assistant as well as the main teacher. Prior to that, I had several 1-1 tutees since 2010 as the qualification that I was getting was in high demand! During my BA studies, I tutored more than 20 primary school students on a regular basis.

After I graduated in 2014, I started to work in a primary school for 6 months, then I decided to get trained in Special Needs Education as Special Needs support in Turkey is one-on-one basis. That's something that I realised during my education and work experience- I was enjoying and working the best if I was working 1-1 basis. Thus, I got trained by the Ministry of Education in Turkey as Special Needs Expert.

Between 2015-2018 I worked as a Special Needs Specialist (1-1 support) across several schools. I worked with more than 150 students who have ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, learning disabilities, down syndrome, multiple and profound learning disabilities, visual and hearing impairments. I worked with students from age 2 to 30. In the mean time, I topped up my knowledge studying 2 years foundation degree in Child Development to have more of a professional perspective on early years/Foundation stage.

In 2018, I moved to England to start my MA studies in Special Needs and carried on teaching 1-1 ever since I graduated in 2020.

I worked with several children/teenagers/young adults across Manchester within different settings. I got trained in Applied Behavioural Analysis/ABA and tutored in this area offering behavioural support alongside the academic support I have been offering.

I got regular students in Manchester , offering home schooling, pastoral and behavioural support on a regular basis. I have also offered short term interventions , behavioural/emotional support to students who have different needs during this period.

I offer online support as well as in person sessions if you are local to Manchester.

Should you require further information , please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Best wishes,

Tuba

Tutoring Approach:
Tutoring Approach

As an Inclusive Education graduate, my teaching approach is 'One size does not fit all!'. Meaning, we all have different needs -with or without- any labels.

For a start, I meet the parents to discuss their expectations and their desires for their children. Then, to go further - I would like to meet the students to briefly assess what they need or simply, to see if we get along. It is important to make a proper plan in accordance with the parents' expectations and children's need and suitability.

My motto is - you have to respect the children/young adults if you want them to respect you. Each child have things to teach you if you listen to them carefully.


You can get in touch with me for any services in relation to special needs from age 2-30.

Please contact me with any queries.


Thank you for your time :)

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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.

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Personal Description:
I am half Chinese, half Thai. I grew up from a mixed-cultural background, having lived in Hong Kong, Singapore, and currently London.

Having gone through the GCSE and IB system myself, I offer students specialised support in subjects including Biology, Chemistry and Physics. I am also familiar with the A-level system as I have been teaching students in London over the last 7 years.

I am a good listener, and a patient tutor. I always seek to build a trusting relationship with the tutees, whose learning progress and comfort is a top priority.

Aside from academics and tuition, I am also a freelance artist, specialized in oil painting, charcoal sketches and watercolours.

Teaching Experience:
2014 - Present: Private tutor, London, UK
• Math (KS1-KS3, GCSE/IGCSE)
• Biology (KS1-KS3, GCSE/IGCSE, A-level, IB, University)
• Chemistry (KS1-KS3, GCSE/IGCSE, A-level, IB)
• Physics (KS1-KS3, GCSE/IGCSE)

2011- 2016: Academic mentor, Exscitec - Higher Education Industry, London, UK
• Utilised communication and teaching skills to convey scientific ideas (stem cell biology, medical science strands) to classes of 15-20 high school students from different backgrounds.
• Became a positive and motivational role model for young students.

Oct-Dec 2013: Private tutor for A-level and GCSE Biology and 11+ Math, Bangkok, Thailand
• Provided support for regular school works.
• Successfully prepared the students for their unit tests
• Taught exam preparation techniques for GCSE and A-level.

I have worked with students doing the 11+, 13+ entrance exams for the following schools:

1) Queen's gate
2) St. James Senior Girls School
3) Godolphin and Latymer
4) Whitgift
5) Harrow
6) St Edward's
7) Charterhouse

Tutoring Approach:
My lesson structure is adaptable and typically includes:

1) Specific topic review in line with the syllabus
2) Revision schedule planning
3) Guidance in revision note making
4) Past exam paper practices
5) Exam techniques
6) Homework assistance

I have all the past exam papers and teaching material on hand across all exam boards.

Subjects

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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