Jessica

Specialist in GCSE and A-Level Japanese, I offer the only full textbooks available specifically following both the GCSE and A-Level Pearson Edexcel specifications.

I offer a free 20-minute call for all new students, so we can discuss your needs and you can look through the materials we will be using together.

My textbooks are designed to be adaptable so that complete beginners can use them from entry-level, whilst more advanced students can move straight onto exam-specific material, bolstering their understanding of grammar from the main textbook. This means I can offer a smooth transition for students from newcomer level through GCSE and beyond, whilst adapting lesson content to suit the needs of each individual student.

GCSE classes are split between a focus on the specification grammar, and exploring the five themes. We do this by studying written examples of short and long essay questions (extensive example paragraphs per theme, covering all aspects of each theme) and guides to specific skills, such as describing appearance, family, buying tickets, ordering in restaurants, discussing school clubs, jobs, future plans and environmental issues. These are skills needed for the role-play test in particular, but are essential in general throughout the four papers.

I offer targeted support for students who already have some level of Japanese: those taking Japanese classes at school who feel they need extra guidance, or heritage speakers of Japanese who need to formalise their language skills before taking the GCSE.

My A-Level Japanese course is unique. Students will find very little support from the exam board when aiming to take either set of Pearson Edexcel Japanese exams, but in particular, support for A-Level is near non-existent. I have written original materials covering all four A-Level themes, plus guides to writing the thematic essays and research essay. Lessons are split between a focus on the specification grammar; analysis and essay work around the fiction and film sources; and comprehension work, using using a range of published and original Japanese written materials to explore the specification themes.

I also support students looking towards all levels of the JLPT exams (N5-N1), using a variety of original materials and multi-lingual textbooks. Finally, of course, many of my learners are taking Japanese classes casually for personal or professional development, without aiming for formal exams. I adapt all lessons to the needs and wishes of my students, and can support learners with any goal, at any stage of their journey with Japanese.

BA / MACantab Japanese (Double First Class) University of Cambridge, 2014
MA Musical Theatre (Distinction) Royal Academy of Music, 2016
DipRAM Diploma, Royal Academy of Music, 2016
LRAM Licentiate of Teaching, Royal Academy of Music, 2019
Japanese Proficiency JLPT Level 1 (Business-level Japanese)
Best Actress Nominee, Stage Debut Awards 2017

Tutoring Experience

I graduated with the highest results in my year for BA Japanese University of Cambridge (Double first-class honours), alongside a national prize for best Japanese dissertation. During my degree, I passed the highest level of the JLPT Japanese Proficiency test (N1) whilst studying at Doshisha University, Kyoto. After graduating, I went on to volunteer in rural Japan for a year, before entering Royal Academy of Music, London, to study Performance and Teaching (LRAM, MA, RAMDip - distinction). I began teaching privately in Japan in 2013, and have taught internationally ever since.

I love working with young people. I have two decades experience working with young children in childcare and academic settings, having grown up in a home that doubled as a childcare centre in the evenings, weekends and holidays.

I use my own original textbooks and teaching materials, offering an experience you won't find with any other tutor. This is particularly important for students who wish to take GCSE and A-Level Japanese, as there are currently no official textbooks for the Pearson Edexcel exams.

Over the past decade, I have taught Japanese, Oxbridge / University Entry, Musical Theatre and Drama, Presentation Skills and Public Speaking, EFL, 4-plus, 7-plus and literacy lessons. I have worked with children as young as 2 in formal tutoring settings (4-plus examinations / EFL / literacy) both in-person and online, and have extensive experience working part-time in childcare centres, supporting children from just a few months old.

I now offer exclusively online teaching, having developed a strong, highly successful online programme for all my subjects over the past few unusual years.

Tutoring Approach

JAPANESE
I specialise in GCSE and A-Level teaching, but offer Japanese classes to students of all levels, from beginners' level through intermediate, GCSE and degree-level Japanese.

Japanese can be a challenge to master. As a non-native speaker, having been through the process of learning Japanese as an adult, I deeply understand the challenges that students face. As such, I can offer more support in learning methods, tips and tricks than a native speaker might. This has been key to writing textbooks that can really explore and explain the most challenging areas of Japanese for learners.

Using these textbooks allows me to:
a) support the many students who feel totally lost on their GCSE or A-Level journey, helping them finally feel confident that they have covered all the material they need for their exams
b) edit and adapt materials for each individual student
c) develop online quizzes and interactive games to match each lesson I have designed (essential for effective online learning)
c) support students through beginners' level and through to GCSE and beyond (JLPT exams, A-Level) at the pace that suits them

OXBRIDGE & UNIVERSITY ENTRY
I work as a professional Asian and Middle Eastern Studies mock exam officer, but also offer general interview training for all students applying for Oxbridge interviews, and support for students applying for Japanese at any university.

Having trained as a professional actor and worked on stage and screen (CBBC, Royal Lyceum Theatre) an emphasis on confidence, communication and creativity are embedded in all my sessions. Some of the students with the best grades and prospects may struggle to gain a place at Cambridge or Oxford unless they understand the ethos behind the schools: an emphasis on individuality, independence and creativity.