A bit about Catherine L

Qualified teacher. Specialist in Specific learning difficulties. Autism. English as a second language teaching. I use online tools and a 22 year knowledge of teaching to deliver personalised learning to help you reach your own goal in English learning. From Primary to university. With learning difficulties or English as a second language, or simply to help you through your exams. To help you develop style for your online presence or create more business opportunities and get the right message across. I am ready to support you and structure your learning towards reaching your goals. I work with a range of students of all ages. I often support students who have a barrier where working one to one online can really help. Students studying a range of subjects but needing assignment support with structured, well written English. Students preparing for GCSEs and SATs, trainee teachers, nurses who need to be professional in their assignments and students internationally who need knowledge of English for a range of settings. Online profiles. Business English and also understanding of complex technical domunents to help you make the next steps in your work and social life. My lessons are led by your needs and based on an initial assessment session. I would expect you to share your background and the challenges you face. I set up a time frame with goals and discuss your ability to practice. I reflect on previous learning and build a strong relationship with you , so you will understand fully each step before moving on. It is a balance of activities which we will agree in advance and I can be flexible to share online any project that you are working on or work logically through a programme to devdlop key grammar skills if that is what you need the most. I began tutoring in 2000! So long ago but I had a wondeful family who wanted to learn English for business and to help them integrate into the local communities. They gave me a free pair of shoes out of gratitude!! I love the light bulb moments when something tricky suddenly makes sense. I also really enjoy seeing my students become more involved and immersed in their learning so they also learn to love their own growth. Knowing some of my skills will be passed on to the students as a lifelong skill. I try to match the needs of the student more than having my own way of doing things. I have favourite techniques using mind mapping. Talk for writing and reading discussions. I also incorporate my knowledge and experience of teaching so I can confidently select the type of strategies that will help you to achieve the most. Every session is different so I never get bored and I love to make connections and the academic challenge. Some of my favourite moments have been sharing good results. Giving students confidence to encourage their independent learning. Flexibility of time and not having work politics, so I can focus all my attention to teaching. I am influenced by a range of education influences and writers. My approach is a combination based on what I know works but with openness to learn from new ideas. For the most part my work follows a basic regard for the Carol Dweck's Growth Mindset. I am proficient in using and applying the Orton Gillingham method for Dyslexia teaching and have also followed the Thrive approach for supporting learners with emotional difficulties. Students find me easy to get along with but also very capable of matching their needs with a wide range of innovative and proven techniques to improve their learning. They also enjoy my cheerful attitude and the pace and progress we achieve together. I have had many great successes with students who felt they couldn't manage those course or thier next goal but I helped them to achieve it. One comes to mind where a student passed her midwifery degree with a first class honours after 3 years of support. I also loved developing new resources for pupils with Dyslexia and delivering training to the staff at 30 schools to help them support students on a tight budget with excellent results. National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordinator. 2021 Merit Dyslexia specialist teacher 2018 PGCE 2002 Teaching English to speakers of Other Languages. 2000 BA Hons Developments Studies with International Relations 1997 Having a career in which I felt fulfilled everyday by helping others. Probably from my parents values but also my early Career in Malawi where I was asked to join a fantastic international primary school whilst also teaching a Chinese family and it was a lifechanging year of my life. I'm a keen gardener and love cultural and music events. I travel abroad whenever possible and enjoy having a busy time as a mum as well as part of a large family.