Rachel

Languages are my passion, and from an early age I loved to learn them. I find them fascinating and fun, and this comes across in my approach to teaching - my pupils would never describe me as a boring teacher! I have a love for learning and try to pass this on to my students; learning is lifelong! For 16 years I taught French, Spanish and German in secondary schools, but over the past 7 years have concentrated on private teaching and consultancy instead. I have also taught Business Studies up to A-level. I understand exam pressures, and the difficulties we parents have in ensuring our child does their best, having tried to encourage my son during his teenage years! (It never turns out quite as bad as you fear at the time!!). Due to family commitments during Covid I stopped tutoring for a while but resumed teaching in early 2023, so please also read my reviews pre-2020.

Prior to entering teaching I had a successful 15-year career in international sales and marketing; I lived and worked in France for several years, and for three and a half years I worked for the French Government's food marketing agency, running the UK wine campaigns. I am therefore bilingual in French, having used the language in my work for many years, and have an excellent knowledge of business-related language and terminology. I speak fluent Spanish as I have family who live in southern Spain,whom I visit on a regular basis.

My experience in the "real" working world has proved invaluable in teaching, both in helping my students to appreciate the relevance of languages, and in providing real-life examples as illustrations. My former colleagues would describe me as someone who generally has a smile on her face, friendly, approachable and patient with my classes.

I enjoy learning about other cultures as well as languages, so I keep up to date with the French and Spanish press as often as I can. A written profile on a website cannot convey my outgoing personality, so I would be pleased to meet you to discuss your requirements without obligation before starting any tuition.

Tutoring Experience

After a successful career in international marketing I retrained as a MFL teacher on the Graduate Training Programme, learning from first-hand experience in a secondary school from day one, as well as a formal training programme. I taught full-time for 12 years in a large secondary school in Doncaster, which encompassed Modern Foreign Languages (French/Spanish/German), Business Studies and other areas such as Work-related learning and Key Skills - some eleven subjects by the time I left. In my supply teaching I've taken that even further, covering everything from Design Tech to Info Tech, via the core Maths, English and Sciences - and I've loved that variety, because I love learning new stuff.

I have taught French to A-level, Spanish to GCSE and German to KS3. I also have experience of A-level Business Studies and BTEC Business Studies Level 2, and have tutored/mentored VIth Form students on university entry programmes at Level 3. My students have usually achieved or surpassed their target grades at GCSE, but there will always be those who do not fulfil their potential for various reasons. I endeavour to enthuse and motivate them, and focus on the areas where they will benefit from additional help. Part of the pleasure for me of teaching is using my creativity to find new ways to get the message across to the students when they are having difficulty grasping a concept. But the great relationships you build with your pupils is equally rewarding.

I have also mentored university students undertaking a range of subjects, who need help in putting their ideas down on paper coherently and succinctly for their assessed work. This does not mean doing the work for them, but rather asking pertinent questions that a lecturer might use to guide them, giving them advice as to what an examiner might look for within their texts, and on the style and variety of writing they need to use.

Tutoring Approach

Whether you just need a refresher or are preparing for an exam, I'm sure I will be able to help you. My 23 years' experience has shown me that individual students have differing needs, so a range of tuition approaches is called for. For example, I use my own IT-based resources, games, puzzles and songs with actions to get the message across. I've also been known to teach the French alphabet as an Ali G-style rap! However a more formal approach may be appropriate, such as when teaching Business French, or if a student needs drilling in a particular area such as tense formation.

I provide a short record of each lesson, including a vocabulary list to take away for reference. I can also provide revision materials where appropriate. I do not charge for the first half hour of the first lesson, as I see this as a chance to discuss students' requirements.

I am based in central Yorkshire, can teach via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or if needs be, WhatsApp, and am willing in certain circumstances to undertake tuition at your home if necessary, for a small additional fee.