Miriam

I have nearly 20 years' experience tutoring and I speak several languages fluently, having lived for several years in Mexico. I am presently studying for a PhD in Artificial Intelligence Techniques for an MVDC Link, in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Cardiff University.

I have an MSc in Physical Sciences for Health from the University of Birmingham, an MSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nottingham and a BSc in Physics, also from the University of Nottingham. In my spare time I like to read books and go to IET talks. I also study languages. I am a native English speaker. I lived in Mexico for several years and also speak fluent French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. I speak Spanish with a very clear accent, which learners often find easy to understand. Since moving to Cardiff, I have been studying Welsh.

Tutoring Experience

I have been a tutor for 15 years, tutoring all levels, from Primary up to entrance exams for MSc courses. I have tutored Maths, Science and English. I have also tutored English to speakers of other languages and Spanish, French and Portuguese to casual learners and for GCSE exams. I worked as an English teacher for 2 years, teaching Spanish speakers and I have also tutored English as a Foreign Language to all levels, including for IELTS exams.

I worked as a teaching assistant in secondary schools, where I mainly worked with students who needed extra support in the classroom. This was in the Science department.

I have done courses on teaching and methods of learning. I use these methods in my teaching so that students maximise their learning, both in classes and in their own study time.

Tutoring Approach

My approach is based on building understanding, so that students feel more confident in their knowledge and thus do better in their assessments. However, I adjust my teaching style to suit the individual pupil. Some pupils prefer to direct their own learning, others need more structure. I engage my students to make the lesson an interactive, enjoyable experience. I always encourage my students to get the best out of them so that they feel comfortable and inspired in their studies. I relate new concepts to concepts they are already familiar with, so that they learn them more easily and I give them exam and study tips to maximise their learning and achieve better grades.

I have especially worked with nervous students or students who feel anxious about exams. This can really hold them back from achieving the grades that they deserve. With all of my students, I work with them so that they feel supported, whilst encouraging them to work independently. I help them with stress management techniques. With me, students will make huge leaps in their learning, suddenly understanding concepts and answering questions they never thought they would be able to. This provides a huge confidence boost and they are then able to work to the best of their abilities.

I have also worked with a lot of dyslexic and autistic students. These students often have low self esteem and are used to people telling them what they can't do. I work with them to find learning techniques that suit them so they see that they can achieve their goals too.

Speaking various languages, I can relate English lessons to the native language of my student. In this way, they make progress and go on to do well in future studies or exams.

With my approach, my students feel more confident in their abilities and achieve their potentials. My students generally start with C and D grades and then go on to achieve A's and A*'s.