Ivana B.

I have worked as a lecturer at De Montfort University for over 15 years. I hold a PGCE in further Education, an MA in English Language Teaching, and a BA honours in English. I taught English for Academic Purposes at university. This enabled me to develop various teaching approaches at different levels of English usage. I have also taught KS3-KS5 in the UK and abroad during which I have been observed several times and demonstrated that I was outstanding. I have used various teaching aids ranging from pictures, flash cards, to a variety of IT techniques. I have also used peer interaction and assessment to develop learners. Teaching at university enabled me to teach presentation skills. This has enabled me to do the same during training, coaching and mentoring sessions with colleagues. I have mentored a number of tutors. In my experience as a university lecturer I have used a variety of online platforms to teach students during the Covid-19 pandemic. I began my journey into English in 2002 when I did a BA (hons) in English at Demontfort university. Following this I did an MA in Children’s Literature in 2005 due to my immense love of reading. However, it was only when I landed a job at a resources centre that I decided to specialize in teaching and so I did a PGCE in education and an MA in English language teaching both in 2007-2009. I absolutely love teaching since then - as cliche as it sounds it is truly my passion and the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I love my students and to see them excel truly makes me content. I’ve been told that I have a gift for building a rapport with learners and I to feel this is something that comes naturally to me because as a student I myself struggled with being misunderstood and branded as a ‘bad student’. I feel as a result I can relate to students and their struggles more easily. I’m also very patient and an excellent listener.

ABOUT ME I have a deep interest in history, human and physical geography, anthropology, technology, architecture and engineering. I especially enjoy the history and geography of languages and language families. I'm into all sorts of things if I'm honest. I am a keen traveller (but who isn't nowadays), audiophile and technophile, with a love for all kinds of technologies, analogue and digital, new and old. Thanks to COVID I learnt a lot of DIY skills through necessity. My house also has a garden full of fruit trees, so I guess that would make me an amateur gardener by default. I try to keep fit by cycling when possible, but my favourite sport is swimming. TEACHING EXPERIENCE/PREFERENCES The subjects I teach are History, English Literature and Language for GCSE and A-level, as well as ESL English. I tend to teach students aged 14+, so from Year 9 to Year 13 or more mature students for ESL, but I do have a few students younger than this. I use a variety of teaching approaches, ranging from traditional methods of text analysis to modern forms of teaching, such as interactive quizzes, questionnaires and even YouTube videos if they benefit the students learning style. Exam Board Experience: Experience of all English assessment boards, but especially AQA and Edexcel in the, and WJEC/Eduqas and OCR to a lesser extent. Languages: English: as a first language to advanced/professional level. Turkish: fluent to college level, but nor advanced enough for teaching purposes.

Hi! My name is Layla, and I tutor Sciences, Maths, and English as a Foreign Language. I work with students of all ages, from primary and KS3 through to GCSE and A-Level, and I support all major exam boards. I help students with exam preparation, strengthening core skills, and building confidence in English communication. My teaching style is friendly and adaptable—I break down difficult topics into clear, simple steps, use real-life examples, and tailor lessons to each student’s learning style. I believe learning should be enjoyable as well as effective, and I aim to create a supportive environment where students feel motivated and confident. I completed my A-levels at a Sixth Form College in Biology, Maths, Chemistry, and an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) dissertation, where I researched how sleep and stress intertwine and affect wellbeing. After finishing school, I spent my gap year in Istanbul, studying Arabic and Turkish, which gave me valuable cultural and language-learning experience. This year, I will be starting my degree in Mechanical Engineering at university, and I am excited to apply my strong foundation in maths and sciences to both my studies and my tutoring

I’m a native Spanish speaker an theatre nurse from Argentina, TEFL-certified, and experienced in teaching English and Spanish to students of all ages. I use a communicative, student-centred approach, helping learners gain confidence, improve fluency, and reach their goals in a friendly, supportive environment. I hold a university qualification in teaching English as a Second Language and have been a certified TEFL teacher since 2014. I also trained as a theatre nurse in Buenos Aires, which developed my communication, organisation, and patience — skills I bring to my teaching practice.