Holly

Hi, my name is Holly and I am an English graduate and full time professional with a genuine passion for literature and language. My degree, combined with my consistently high grades in English Language and Literature at GCSE and A Level, have provided me with a strong understanding both of the subject and the standards and requirements for passing the exams. I am also able to teach and offer advice on creative writing, as required.

I am dependable, patient and have a keen eye for detail. I believe that everyone learns and understands differently and therefore each student should be approached as an individual; I think that a love of learning comes from the student understanding what makes them 'tick'.

Tutoring Experience

I have tutored numerous students in GCSE English Literature & Language to date since 2015, via this website, specifically focusing on the development of their comprehension and writing skills, plus overall spelling and grammar.

I have also supported several students through their A Level studies and coursework and pushed them to achieve by broadening their approach to the subject.

Prior to this, I mentored a secondary school student through paired reading whilst I was studying for my A Levels; this enabled me to build up a relationship with that student and understand their strengths and weaknesses.

As a tutor, I initially like to have a meeting with the student and the parent/s or guardian/s to discuss expectations, deadlines and aims. This is also a good chance to agree when and how regularly the tutoring would take place. Further to this meeting, I'm better able to draft a schedule of tasks and mini-assignments for the student to undertake during the tutoring period. I am a competent IT user and, resources permitting, I would be more than willing to incorporate this into the tutoring.

I am happy to correspond with my tutee and/or their parent/s or guardian via email outside of the lessons should there be any queries or other matters to discuss.

Tutoring Approach

As I've alluded to above, I don't think that a 'one size fits all' approach to learning works particularly well. Some people learn best through repetition of activities and memorising, some are more visual and like lots of mind maps and colour coding whilst others grasp a subject best through debate and discussions. As such, I initially like to get to know a student generally, for instance what subjects they do and don't enjoy and ultimately what they'd like to get out of their tutoring. ie: is there a requirement simply to pass the subject at a satisfactory level, is it to enable further education, etc. In summary, I strive to tailor the learning for the student, engage them with the subject and make them really think about what it is that they're studying.