Larissa

I am a retired teacher with more than 30 years’ experience of teaching English and Russian in different educational settings. Having lived most of my life in Moscow, I moved to the UK in 2020 to spend my retirement in the country which I love and where my grown-up children live. I am an active and outgoing person with a passion for travelling and good food and a penchant for laughter and having fun. I enjoy meeting new people, making friends, and learning new skills. My motto is that it’s never to late to try something new, be it a new sport or a new language!

Tutoring Experience

In Russia I taught English as a foreign language, preparing students of all ages and abilities for international examinations, such as IELTS, FCE and CAE. In 2008 I took a sabbatical from work and spent a year on the Isle of Wight teaching Russian as a foreign language to students at Ryde High School as well as to a group of very enthusiastic adults who took weekly evening classes with me. What a wonderful experience that was! Russian is one of the most difficult languages in the world, and yet all of my students, who were complete beginners in the language, made excellent progress in just 9 months, achieving at least a C grade in the end-of-year examination. My adult students (who did not take a formal exam) reached an equivalent level and felt confident enough to take a trip to Moscow and St Petersburg. I’m still in touch with some of them.

Tutoring Approach

My teaching approach is flexible, empathic and centred on the student. We all have different abilities, but I believe that everybody is capable of learning a new language. After all we all speak at least one language, that is our mother tongue! I think that it is very important to establish a personal connection with your student and to make sure that they feel completely at ease with you. This way you can help them achieve their personal goals. Russians have the reputatation for being a bit stern, but I certainly don’t fit this stereotype! I give plenty of encouragement, as I believe that praise is the best motivator. My extensive teaching experience has convinced me that the most vital qualities that a teacher should possess are patience, tact, enthusiasm and creativity. I also think that it is impossible to separate language and culture. If you decide to take Russian lessons with me, you will not only learn Russian grammar and vocabulary but we will also talk about Russian literature, history, music and cuisine. I’ll do everything I can to make you fall in love with Russian culture, which will strengthen your motivation to learn this beautiful language.