Amanda
I obtained a first class degree in Chinese at SOAS, London University and then spent over 20 years living and working in Beijing, China. My husband is Spanish and so that is the language we speak at home but my mother tongue is English. I also speak fluent French and lived in Paris for a while. I have a Master's Degree, with Distinction, in Applied Linguistics,. This has really improved my understanding of language and language learning and I'm actively applying the knowledge I've gained to my teaching.
Tutoring Experience
I have over 20 years' experience tutoring and interpreting Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and French. I am currently working part time as a public service interpreter in both languages. As a native English speaker who had to learn these languages from scratch, I feel I am uniquely placed to know the problems and pitfalls that learners face.
Tutoring Approach
I believe that everyone learns differently and I will first spend time getting to know exactly what you want and how you learn best before coming up with a personalised plan. For me, learning languages has always been fun so I will make sure it is enjoyable and not dry, rote-learning. I believe the main purpose of language learning should be communication, so I work very hard to instill confidence and flexibility in my students to show them that there are many ways of making oneself understood and not just one correct answer. But one of my strengths is also getting students through exams when they're struggling. I am good at working out what they need to focus on and condensing important information so they can maximise their learning in a very short time. In this way I have completely turned around several students who were not predicted to do well in their GCSEs.
| Languages | English (British), French, Spanish, Chinese |
|---|---|
| Availability | Weekends, Weekdays (all times) |
| References Available | On File |
Qualifications
| SOAS London University | 1989 | Bachelors | 1st Chinese | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNWL NHS | 2016 | Professional | Certificate in Public Health Interpreting | |
| Birkbeck College | 2022 | Masters | Applied Linguistics |
Amanda's Feedback
| Feedback | |
|---|---|
| Published feedback | |
| Unpublished feedback (Usually negative) | 0 |
| Mandarin | |
|---|---|
| Primary | £30 |
| Secondary | £35 |
| GCSE | £35 |
| A-Level | £40 |
| University | £40 |
| Casual Learner | £35 |