Alex James

As mentioned elsewhere, I have a level 3 Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) qualification which has given me all the necessary skills and resources that I might need in order to teach a language effectively. I also have experience of teaching and practising English with young children in Spain where I was an au pair for 3 months, and experience working individually with children in a school in Colombia for a further 3 months.

Whether it be with a focus on speaking, listening, reading or writing, I aim to keep my lessons dynamic and fun where possible, following a loose structure of present, practice, produce, as recommended by TEFL. This means introducing or presenting some specific vocabulary or grammar before practising and learning it in a controlled exercise, and finally allowing you to produce the vocabulary or grammar in a situation that allows for more freedom and fluency.

I use a variety of resources throughout the lesson, but the priority is finding what works best for you. Similarly, the content I teach can be from complete beginner up to GCSE level, but I will adapt to your specific needs within that range.

I can also set homework or create mini tests to allow you to learn and practise more in your own time, or recommend other ways of expanding your knowledge and ability. For instance looking at an article, a film or a song allows students to be in touch with Spanish culture as well as its language, and an ensuing discussion would give the student a clear purpose to engage with said resource.