Hello I'm joy

You might like to know a little bit about me: my backround, my qualifications, my approach and so on.

I am a native speaker of English. I spent my early years in South Africa and moved to London 20 years ago. I am the mother of two teenagers which is challenging and joyous in equal measure. I like to swim in the morning and read in the evening. I enjoy river walks and I really, really, really love tea.

I have a BA degree in English and the Cambridge Certificate of English Language Teaching from International House, London. I have classroom and one-to-one experience using various different methods.

I recently completed IELTS Teacher Training at the British Council in London to update my knowledge of the exam and how best to prepare for it.

I also have Certificates in Editing and Proofreading from the Society for Editors and Proofreaders which can be very useful for students who are writing long essays or content of some kind.

We learn language essentially to communicate. I want to help you do this effectively by encouraging you to speak, read, listen and write freely within the context of an affirmative learning relationship.

We acquire language so easily when we are very young. Maybe because we are not as worried about making mistakes. We are also usually corrected straight away by a one-to-one "teacher". This is really a learning relationship not a strict scientific process and I think a nurturing method works best.

Of course it is necessary to get to grips with grammar, spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, pronunciation and so on. This is especially true for those who need to score above 5 in the IELTS, but English is a living and creative language and building confidence by using it is more important initially than trying to follow the rules. Ultimately, in exams and in real life situations, the real test is in understanding and being understood.

Let's talk about the best way forward for you.

Contact me

Hello I'm joy

An uplifting way to learn