Johanna

I have a doctorate in English Literature, as well as a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Literature and Philosophy. I also have a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education. My doctorate focused on modern fiction and philosophy. I have taught on several undergraduate modules at university. I enjoy my research, and I have a closely related love of helping people to enjoy thinking, talking and writing about literature. I have been tutoring continuously for over 19 years, and before teaching at university I held a variety of other professional roles - in publishing and social policy among others. I have a wide range of interests. I have a passion for the arts and I also love cinema, travel and cooking.

I teach in North West/Central London. At the moment I am mostly teaching online, to avoid risk, but please feel free to get in contact to discuss practicalities as things change.

Tutoring Experience

I have been tutoring successfully since 2004. My students have excelled in their English exams, attaining 100%s in A-Level modules, A*s and Level 9s in English Literature and Language GCSEs, A*s and top-level grades at A-Level and Pre-U exams. The students I work with see dramatic grade improvements (from predicted grades and sometimes in re-sits) and attain places to study Literature and other degree subjects at top universities, including Oxbridge, Russell Group universities, and Ivy League universities in the US.

I have a great love of literature and a deep and broad knowledge of my subject. I teach all the most popular exam boards and specifications, including Pre-U, AQA, Edexcel, iGCSE, CIE and OCR. I have taught school-aged students from 11 to 18 years old, both in one-to-ones and class arrangements, and I have worked with undergraduates, adult learners and foreign-language students.

I work closely with students on university applications, assisting them with their UCAS statements and personal essays. I have tutored medical applicants working towards their BMATs, and university students working on their PhD proposals.

I have over three years experience of university teaching, during which time I have taught advanced study skills and undergraduate literature modules on subjects such as modernism and literary theory.

Tutoring Approach

My tutoring approach is centred on helping students to improve their vocabulary, analytical skills and essay writing abilities, to contextualise their studies and to develop their confidence in interpretation. Confidence, literary knowledge and a strong critical vocabulary are essential to academic success, and I aim to foster an interest in language and literature and to encourage students to see the challenges of their subject as both enjoyable and manageable. I teach exam technique, essay planning, coursework preparation and revision practice (both in the summer and through the prior academic year/s) for students commencing GCSEs, A-Level and Pre-U courses and university programmes.

Strong communication and trust are at the core of my teaching practice. Literary skills are honed through stimulating conversation, which I aim to develop in my lessons. Tuition often - although, of course, not always - involves a degree of mentoring; and this is an aspect of my work which I value greatly. Listening to students and helping them to express themselves is a vital part of helping them to learn. Similarly, I find that sharing my enthusiasm for literature and the arts enhances the tuition experience both for student and tutor.

Due to Covid, I am currently conducting all my tuition online, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable. I have found that one-to-one online tuition generally works very well with students, and that there is no detriment to the quality of teaching sessions as a result. I generally prefer to use Zoom for lessons, but can be flexible as to the student's platform of choice.