Emily O'callaghan

I have lots of experience working with all types of literature: books, films, music... you name it! When I was at school, I loved English but I really struggled building good relationships with my teachers. I didn't like the books we were reading in class, and I constantly felt like I was being ignored when I brought up my grievances about a certain text. I started to lose my passion for literature, and almost gave it up completely, until my Year 13 English teacher showed me that reading and writing didn't just exist within the confines of a classroom. I learnt that literature existed in my favourite films, music, and video games, and managed to find themes that connected what I was interested in to what I was learning about at school.

If you choose me to be your tutor, we'll start by getting to know each other a little, and find out what types of literature you're interested in, and how we can link that to your learning at school. Maybe think about a song, film, or book that you love, or a genre you're interested in. We'll then get stuck into the texts you've been assigned to read by your school, especially the ones you're struggling with, and ascertain what areas you need to improve in. If you struggle with the physical act of reading, we'll try and find some alternative ways to "read" a text, such as an audiobook or video essay. If it's comprehension you're not sure on, we can do some close readings together and discuss ideas in a context where no answer is wrong.

As much as I'd like to give you an in-depth breakdown of what each tutoring session will be like, I know from my own experience at school that every students learns and retains information in different ways. If you're a visual learner, I might ask you to watch a documentary or create a storyboard on a certain texts, whereas if you're an auditory learner, we might listen to a podcast or spend more time discussing a certain text. I'm always here to learn from you as well - if something isn't working for you, or you have any ideas about what might help you learn a little better, I will always be all ears!