I started my language school at Lostwithiel in Cornwall so I could focus on my first love, which is language learning & teaching.
I remain fascinated by everything to do with language, and by the process of language acquisition, which still seems like a miracle to me.
I still love to learn languages myself & continue to develop my understanding of the Cornish language. I am a fluent French speaker & have also learnt some Latin, Italian, Spanish, German and Afrikaans.
With this undertaking I am very aware and can fully understand the challenges involved in language learning.
I am very passionate about my language school, the quality of my teaching & the care I take with each student. I use the Common European Frame of Reference for Languages to assess the level of my students. I then work closely with them to establish their goals in relation to each of the language skills like speaking, reading & writing. This leads to a learning/teaching contract setting out the best way of achieving those goals. We review this process each week. At the end of our time together, we celebrate our success.
The most important thing about my language school is the quality of my teaching and the care I take with each student. I use the Common European Frame of Reference for Languages to assess the level of my students when we first chat online or when they arrive at my home.
We work together to establish the goals of each individual student in relation to each of the language skills eg. speaking, writing. Then we make a learning / teaching contract about the best way of achieving those goals. We review this process each week.
At the end of our time together, we celebrate our success.
My qualifications for teaching English
I have a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education.
I also have a special certificate to teach English as a foreign language.
I gained my teaching qualifications in 1998.
I also have a Masters Degree in Contemporary European Culture: Language, Literature and Society. The photo on the left shows me receiving this award in 2008.
My language school has won several awards in the Cornwall Sustainability Awards:
Best Small Business in 2006 & in 2007 with its joint concerns for eco-linguistics supporting endangered and minority languages and cultures/ and the natural environment.
I have been a full-time, professional language trainer for fourteen years having established my language school back in 2001.
I teach four languages: English, French, Italian (for beginners) and Cornish.
My clients for Business English include Siemens, Imerys, Continental and Media-Saturn.
I have also provided courses in the following academic areas:
Anthropology, Aviation, Business Studies, Cultural Studies, Design and Innovation, Economics, Engineering, English Language Teaching, English Literature, Environmental Studies, Law, Marketing, Medicine, Philosophy, Psychiatry & Psychology.
My own experience of language learning
I know and can understand the challenges involved in language learning as I love learning languages myself & have thus experienced many of the pitfalls & joy’s during my own journey. I am currently learning the Cornish language, while being a fluent French speaker & I have also learnt some Latin, Italian, Spanish, German and Afrikaans.
I look forward to chatting with you…
