Belen Gomez

Hola and Bonjour. I hold an honours degree in Spanish and Arabic from the University of St. Andrews and a Masters degree in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies from the University of Edinburgh. I thoroughly enjoy the literary, cultural and historical components of my subjects as they have opened up new aspects of the languages I study.

I have been exposed to the Spanish language from a very young age, as many of my family members are native Spanish speakers, so I have developed a real passion for the language and its importance as a global modern dialect. Despite my background knowledge of Spanish, I have worked hard to master grammatical areas and complex vocabulary so I understand, from a pupil’s perspective, the complications involved in learning a language. Preparing for language exams is sometimes a daunting prospect however, as a very patient and enthusiastic teacher I hope to inspire the pupils I teach so as to develop not only a stronger understanding of the language but also of the colloquial and idiomatic elements that make a language exciting and inspiring.

I am an experienced tutor with more than four and a half years of tutoring. I have tutored all ages and abilities, from beginners to native speakers wanting to practice exam technique. I am very familiar with both the AQA and Edexcel exam boards for both Spanish and French GCSE and I frequently use resources that help directly with revising exam content.

During my time at school studying for my GCSE’s I found that focusing on smaller details was the most effective way in which the wider scope of my learning could be mastered. Thus, I responded well to those teachers who took the time to explain smaller aspects of my learning, something that I wish to mirror within my own teaching. I am also a firm believer in focused practice and immersion when it comes to learning a language especially when cultural and colloquial elements of the language, that reinforce a more native approach to both written and spoken work, are included.

I always like to adopt a very positive and lively atmosphere during my tutoring sessions, so as to assure my pupils that each question or query they have is important and essential to improving their Spanish.