English language (EFL) private tuition

I can help adults who are following an English language language course either at home, online or at a college. I can also provide an in-house English language training course for small groups.

Additional options – MP3, written summary, e-mail support
I make use of modern technology. I use an Apple MacBook Air computer, e-mail, electronic documents and online media. But I also use good, old fashioned traditional methods requiring no more than a pen and paper. There is no substitute for intense study activity and active use of mental abilities, but modern technology provides some additional options.

MP3 recording of lessons

I often record a summar of the lesson for later revision. The recording is provided as an MP3 file for transfer via USB stick to the student’s computer or MP3 player.

Recording your spoken performance on an audio file, along with my corrections and feedback, means you have a permanent copy of your personalised learning that can be used for revision later.

Playing the recording after a few months will reveal the progress you have made. You can also pause the recording to write down vocabulary and phrases.

Lesson Diary
Using the MacBook Air I make notes on each lesson as we go along. The notes can include vocabulary, phrases, grammar, pronunciation, snippets of text or longer pieces of writing. Over time the lesson diary builds up into a very valuable record of what we have covered as well as an extremely useful revision aid. At the end of the lesson the Lesson Diary is copied to a USB and the student’s computer.
My credentials and why I am well suited to teaching English

Unlike many EFL teachers, I have learned two languages myself – I have a BA Honours and MA degree in Modern Languages (German and French) from Trinity College Dublin. The course included linguistics and phonetics. It is essential to have reached a high standard in foreign language in order to be able to teach your mother tongue.

I have taught English as a Foreign Language in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Germany and the UK. In Saudi Arabia I taught at the Institute of Banking in Riyadh, and as well as providing classroom tuition, I was examinations officer. In the UAE I was an English language instructor with the Military. As well as teaching in the classroom, was in charge of the Computer Assisted Language Learning labs.

Professional experience in online media

Since 1996 I have been a writer-photographer, using written English to produce articles and other material, illustrated with my photographs. My photos and articles are a major source of information. I have contributed to books, and been interviewed on TV and radio.