Keara

I hold an MSc in Publishing and a 2.1 BA Degree in English Literature, Journalism and Creative Writing. I currently work for Scottish Book Trust.

I have 15 years tutoring experience and a high success rate of my students gaining A's.
Many of my students failed their prelims, and required intense tuition to reach their required B or A, so I am used to helping students reach these grades.

If the pupil has low confidence or anxiety - this is not a problem. I am very used to tailoring my teaching style to meet those needs.

Tutoring Experience

I have taught National 4, National 5, Int.2, Higher and Advanced Higher level students. For each level I have a unique approach to help students improve their English skills, whether it be reading, writing, or speaking. I prepare most of my own material and work closely with past papers.

Through my year of teaching English in Japan, I greatly improved my tutoring skills. I had 17 classes, each with different age range and abilities. I not only ran the school and dealt with parents, but planned lessons and materials as well as teaching the classes.

Tutoring Approach

I focus on honing close reading skills, first of all by teaching students methods to apply to each type of question (U, E or A). I then help them to see the pattern of similar questions that crop up. Finally, through vigorous practicing, pupils learn how to apply their skills to any question. It is difficult for young people to practice close reading on their own, as the marking sheet is not clear or helpful to them. I help them by answering questions and sorting common problems and mistakes at the first stage.

In order to improve my students' essay writing skills, I firstly develop their understanding of the text, providing analysis and helping them to understand the topic and themes more clearly. Then I help them to pick out the most important quotes, therefore simplifying the learning process. Finally, I teach my pupils how to use mind maps, and plan their essay. The planning stage is key, as it helps to develop structure when writing the essay, engages the student's mind on answering the question correctly, and ensures they use their time wisely.