Information About Michael - Edinburgh teacher

Personal Description:

I am an Edinburgh man who loves language and learning about the people I teach. I have an Honours degree in History from the University of Aberdeen and a Trinity CerTESOL certificate in English language teaching. I have a wide range of interests, both academic and otherwise. I enjoy learning, which is probably the main reason I teach. I have read widely and so am conversant in both the natural and social sciences as well as many cultural topics. I have also travelled a lot over the years and hope to do so for many more.

Teaching Experience:

I have been teaching for around 15 years and have lived and taught in a variety of countries, including: Japan, Slovakia, Russia, Spain, UAE, Portugal and Italy. Much of my teaching has been freelance or in private language schools but I have also taught in many state schools, universities and businesses. I have a lot of experience preparing students for the Cambridge suite and IELTS exams as well as conversation, business and general English. The bulk of my students have been adults or older teenagers, both one-to-one and in groups of various sizes. I recently made the switch to online teaching following the Covid outbreak when I returned home to Edinburgh from Italy and completed an ESP course for Mathematics students at the University of Ferrara remotely and have decided, like many teachers, to make this switch permanent.

Teaching Approach:

My approach to teaching can best be summed up with two words: student centred. I am an advocate of a methodology known as CLIL (Content & Language Integrated Learning), although I also do grammar and exam preparation lessons. CLIL is a fancy name for a very simple idea - if you are learning a language, any language, you can study and learn about pretty much anything in that language and acquire both knowledge of a topic or discipline (content) and vocabulary, grammar and skills (language). Rather than giving students endless exercises to practice the past simple tense for example, students are assessed on their ability to use it in the appropriate places. You will not be asked to read, listen or discuss 'vox-pop' content as in standard language learning textbooks (Pop Stars, Global Warming, My Favourite Auntie) - where the content is used as a slave to illustrate a certain language structure - but because the content is important in itself, as the student chose it. Over the years, I have developed and taught many such lessons, some even with exam question practice included, and I am always looking to expand these - so, what would you like to learn about? Clearly, I know some things but I don't know everything. My expertise is confined to the language as we explore your chosen subject matter together.

Both in-person and online, I strive to create a relaxed but studious and safe space for learning to take place. Engaging students in using English is my goal. This involves using an array of activities and materials - from stand-up comedy to academic talks and everything in between - but most importantly, it requires that I learn something about you, the student.