Emma

Hi! My name is Emma and I am a high school English teacher, living and working in North Wales. Originally from the Wirral, I fell in love with Wales as a child on family holidays, and have now lived here for more than half my life. It sounds like a cliché, but I really have always loved English - right from being a little girl and 'reading' my first book. I was diagnosed with ADHD in my late 30s, and this has given me an extra level of empathy, understanding, and insight into the struggles that students often deal with.

Tutoring Experience

I completed my PGCE at the University of Wales, Bangor and have worked in two Conwy schools for the last 19 years. I have had the privilege of teaching English at Key Stage 3; English Language and English Literature for GCSE; and English Literature, English Language, and English Lang/Lit at A level. The pupils I've taught have had a wide range of abilities, and some have struggled with various Additional Learning Needs such as dyslexia, ASD, and ADHD, to name but a few. I also spent a year working with EAL students, helping to improve their basic skills and also to improve their exam results at GCSE level. I also mark exam papers for the WJEC English Language course and the A level Lang-Lit course.

I currently work part-time in a secondary school, where I have continued to teach a wide range of pupils with a variety of different needs, targets, and ambitions. Specifically, I currently teach the WJEC specifications for English Language and English Literature GCSEs, as well as teaching A level English Lang-Lit.

I have worked as a tutor for over 15 years now and I really enjoy it. I have tutored students from Year 4, right the way up to Year 13, and I have relished each and every opportunity. I have had excellent feedback from students and parents alike, as detailed on this profile, and I have other references available on request.

Tutoring Approach

I am very patient and I think that this is a must, for any tutor. It is important to make a tutee feel comfortable and so I am friendly, fun (I hope!) and fairly laid-back. With that being said, I am also firm when necessary and I do have high expectations. Initially, I spend the first session discussing the tutee's main concerns and coming up with a plan that will best suit the student's needs. I work methodically, equipping tutees with the skills they need to improve the areas they have previously struggled with. My aim is always to get tutees to understand things that used to confuse them and, ultimately, to aim higher than they ever thought possible.