George Howell

I have 18 years of tutoring experience in German, Spanish and modern Greek, having graduated from the University of Bristol in 2006 with a BA 2:1 (hons) plus oral distinction in German and Spanish. I am half Greek. My approach to teaching is to treat every student as an individual, with a thorough assessment of their ability and weaknesses / needs during the first lesson. This enables me to develop a strategy of how to best enable them to fulfil their potential and achieve the best grade possible, whilst also aiming for long term retention of language skills rather than simply preparing for the test. I believe strongly in embedding linguistic structure in order to boost confidence. I teach all age groups, from teenagers for GCSE / A level to adults who are learning for pleasure. Lessons are usually one hour.

I grew up in Cornwall in a trilingual household with a British father and a Greek mother who grew up in Germany, so have been exposed to many languages from an early age. I spoke three languages fluently before reaching secondary school, where French was added to the mix. Languages have always been my passion, which is why I studied German, French and Spanish at A-level and then went on to gain a degree in German and Spanish from the University of Bristol. Since graduating in 2006 I have been tutoring in Spanish, German and Greek, as well as running summer immersion courses in Greece for foreigners learning Greek. I have also used my language skills in the paper industry and for a while in the SEO industry shortly after graduating.

I have a strong track record with high overall results achieved by exam level students, all having achieved A*-C / 9-5 at GCSE and A-level. Those learning for pleasure or professional reasons have also achieved high standards. I also act as oral examiner in GCSE exams for many of my students. Over the last 18 years or so of tutoring I have gained more than 10,000 hours of experience.

I have worked across the range of exam boards and am very familiar with the syllabus at both GCSE and A level.

During the summer months I run a summer school offering Greek Immersion Courses in Greece, called Grecophone.

As a result of my own language learning experience i relate very closely to those learning a new language, understanding what difficulties can arise and have a number of strategies for overcoming these hurdles. I draw on my experience and recognise the varying needs of learners, tailoring my lessons to the needs of the person in question. I am very patient and encourage students to recognise linguistic patterns with which they become familiar in order to feel secure in the new language. I also motivate my students to set themselves high standards in order to make progress. My aim is to make lessons enjoyable and well structured to aid progress, so that students have a sense of achievement at the end of sessions. I also guide exam level students in exam strategies in order for them to be able to use their skills in the most effective way possible in order to achieve good results.