A Level
English Language online course

English Literature and English Language are both living, breathing subjects. It’s exciting to think that there has not been a word invented yet that can describe what we will be doing in the future. Indeed, a time-traveller from only twenty years ago would probably think ‘hangry’ an extreme sport and be baffled that we were all ‘tweeting’ like birds.

Moreover, how we use language is also changing. No longer must we seek an agent for our creative and literary efforts – we can all self-publish for free online. We are in a global community of writers and speakers of a multitude of English languages, and the change is exhilarating.

I am unashamedly a subject geek, having obtained a first class BA in English Literature with English Language and an MA in English Language amongst other qualifications. I have taught in high schools and Further Education colleges in the UK since 2005, holding managerial positions in both pastoral and academic areas. I have examined for two major UK examination boards and have had articles published for an exam board magazine. I write daily, read at any opportunity and talk constantly, even in my sleep.

Experience has taught me that the traditional school environment is not always the best in which to study. I myself completed my MA at Lancaster University via online distance learning and have also qualified as a Clinical Aromatherapist in much the same way. Online study allowed me to contextualise my learning and go at my own pace. I had experienced tutors who could differentiate and scaffold lessons to make my experience personal and enjoyable. I endeavour to emulate these positive experiences with my own online students.

Lately, I have taken a different direction in my career in order to raise my family and pursue other, albeit related, ambitions. I look forward to working with you on your journey to achieve your own.

I’m keenly aware of the power of education. I love discovering and rediscovering. I love considering different perspectives – not just in English but also in History, Psychology, Philosophy and Science. You name it, I’m interested in it! This passion for knowledge is something I’ve been told I pass on to the pupils I teach.

Language is power. Learning the rules by which you can manipulate language and gain a top grade can be life changing. It takes time and you will need to practise but it’s worth it and I’ll be here to guide you through.

Over the last 15 years I’ve been a teacher of English, Media, and Drama. English is my specialism and I love the way my subject is in two parts. In Language, there are rules to learn and apply, whereas in Literature, the words unfold themselves in so many different ways.

I’m very much a people person. For the past 14 years I’ve enjoyed working as whole school literacy coordinator, Key Stage 3 Lead and Head of Department. I’ve written plays which have been performed to acclaim from parents, governors and pupils. I’ve run multiple after school clubs for drama, media, reading, creative writing, calligraphy and more.

I’ve always been a GCSE examiner for English Literature and English Language. More recently being appointed as a team leader for English Language. The benefit of knowing the examination specifications inside out means I can pass on this expertise to you. Passing exams is a game of sorts, and I’m here to help you learn and apply the rules.

I have two daughters, aged 19 and 13, a husband who is also a teacher, and a very naughty golden cocker spaniel named Maisie. I’m taking a break from the classroom right now and spending some well-deserved quality time with my family. This means I get to work with you, and all the wonderful people at Wolsey Hall Oxford. I get to share my love of English and guide you as you meet and conquer the challenges of this amazing subject. Whether it be looking at the rules of the apostrophe or zooming in on the multifaceted meanings in poetry by Shakespeare, Hardy or Owen, I can’t wait to meet you.

I came to teaching later in life, having had a career in the travel industry that allowed me to travel the world and get paid for it.

I have always had a passion for Literature and the theatre that was instilled in me through my own education. Throughout my teaching career, I have taught English Language, Literature, Drama and Media Studies. My great passion is the theatre, notably Shakespeare. I was fortunate enough to gain my MA in Shakespeare and Education from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford upon Avon. I have been appointed to the education committee of The British Shakespeare Association.

Understanding English Language and Literature is the key to accessing so many other subjects. The analytical and presentational skills the study of English offers can set you up for any future career. Part of my first degree included History and I love the links that can be made with History and Literature.

My teaching experience ranged from senior comprehensive to large independent schools. Every Summer, I spend time in Oxford with a group of American teacher trainers discussing and lecturing on the variations in teaching English Literature in the two countries.

For most of my teaching career, I tutored from home and supported parents who were homeschooling. I firmly believe that there is a different educational route for each individual. It is our job to find a way for that person to access education. There is nothing more rewarding than that “light-bulb” moment. The best decision I made several years ago was to leave teaching in school and focus on tutoring and examining; this decision led me to Wolsey Hall Oxford, where I work with students studying English Language, Literature and History.

I am a Senior Examiner for GCSE, IGCSE and A Level. I appreciate the understanding of the student at the other end of the paper that this gives me. I am still surprised by some of the amazing interpretations I get to read of texts that I thought I knew well.

I have two grown-up children; a son who is a Biochemist but loves to read and a theatrical daughter who loves Shakespeare too. So, along with our two cats and a dog called Gatsby, we are very busy. But we always have time for Literature and theatre. I volunteer at The Globe Theatre in London and spend far too much money on theatre tickets. I am involved with local community theatre and have worked on various productions, including Phantom of the Opera, The Importance of Being Earnest, An Inspector Calls, The Great Gatsby, and several Shakespeare productions over the years.

I am really looking forward to working with you.

I took my BA in English Language and History at the University of Manchester followed by a PGCE. And I’ve been teaching English and Drama in schools since 2011. While at college, I volunteered to run a writing club and a drama club for the ‘littluns’ where we had put on shows for the members’ parents (my favourites were Shrek and King Lear the Comedy). I also liked giving speeches and taking part in debates, so teaching seemed an obvious career choice for me.

I have always encouraged my pupils to take an active approach to their studies and pursue topics they enjoy. If my class isn’t enjoying a book or an activity, I’ll stop and find another approach. Although I’m now tutoring instead of teaching in a classroom, I believe this mentality is why homeschooling works well for so many. You get to take charge of your own learning, knowing that I’m on hand to guide you along the way.

In the past I’ve had pupils ask me what is ‘the point’ in studying English. “I can already speak it, and my phone has autocorrect,” they tell me. Although being able to read and write accurately are of some importance (well quite a lot actually), I didn’t settle on teaching English because I like spelling. I decided on English because it encompasses so many other topics; you can choose whichever genre suits your mood, whether fiction or non-fiction, it doesn’t matter!

I also love getting into the nitty-gritty of how words and sentences are put together. I love the way you can invent new words just by speaking them; my two-year-old referred to my bracelet as a ‘hand ring’ the other day which makes perfect sense! I like knowing how a cleverly phrased tag line or quirky change of font can convince you that your life is not complete without a Harry Potter style TV remote control wand (yes I’m a Potterhead). Most of all, I love how English is in a constant state of flux and that we are all playing an active part in it, whether we realise it or not.

I look forward to joining you on your learning journey!

I have been teaching A level English in sixth form colleges, and privately, for over twelve years. I have also worked on various Oxford summer schools, delivering short courses in Poetry, Shakespeare and Essay Writing and have taught American undergraduates studying modules in Postmodern and Feminist Literature.

I studied English Language and Literature at Oxford University, and then for a Certificate in Further Education teaching because I wanted to specialise in A level teaching. The Oxford degree course takes students from Anglo Saxon poetry through to contemporary literature, but my special area of interest is twentieth century literature, particularly World War One poetry, Modernism, post-war literature, dystopian literature and Postmodernism. I am fascinated by the relationship between texts and the contexts in which they were written and I enjoy the study of literature because of what it tells us about the society we live in. English links to so many other disciplines and there is always something new to learn or some new angle to consider.

English Language brings yet another set of ideas and skills to the table; the connections between language and culture, and the ways in which the language we use shapes our thoughts and values are widely debated topics. Language is one of the defining characteristics of being human. Understanding how we acquire, use and even change it, both as a society and as individuals, tells us a great deal about human nature. As Wittgenstein said, ‘The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.’

I am passionate about breaking all kinds of texts down, analysing how writers (and speakers) create the effects they do. Teaching students to recognise these techniques and to write about them with confidence, is for me, the most rewarding aspect of teaching the subject and I enjoy the challenge of honing my approach to fit the needs of those with whom I am working.

I have been an A level examiner for both English Literature and English Language and Literature, a valuable experience which has helped me give my students the specific advice they need to build on their existing skills and to perform as well as possible in their examinations.

I started my career teaching in secondary schools in Bristol and North Somerset in the UK. My main teaching subject is English, but I have also taught Media and Film Studies and Psychology. I am also a tutor for Thinking Skills at AS Level. I have been working for Wolsey Hall since 2014 and I thoroughly enjoy helping students across the world.

I have a degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Bath, but I also obtained a conversion degree in English alongside my PGCE. I am also an examiner and mark papers for English Language GCSE.

I love all types of storytelling, so I like to spend my free time reading and visiting theatres and cinemas. I enjoy the escapism; the ability to travel to any time or place in history – if only in my imagination!

I always like to encourage my pupils to read as much as possible and I like to share book recommendations. I’ll read almost anything but have an interest in gothic literature and Thomas Hardy in particular.

I grew up in Bristol and love city life, but I equally like relaxing in the countryside when the UK weather permits! I also like to travel when I can to experience new cultures and visit historical buildings, especially cathedrals.

Learning should be an enjoyable process and I like to continue my own studies in other subjects as well. I have attended summer schools at Cambridge University and have recently enjoyed Art classes. I hope to study for my Master’s degree in the future.

I hope I can share my passion for education, and I am keen to ensure that all students can reach their potential.

I have been filled with wanderlust from a very young age. After completing an MA in English at St Andrew’s University, followed by a PGCE and a few years of initial teaching, I departed Scotland for adventures in foreign lands. For the past 20 years, I have been teaching, coaching and mentoring in international schools in New Zealand, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Malaysia and, most recently, Bali, Indonesia.

As an English specialist and Head of Department, I have been delivering Cambridge IGCSE and A level for many years and have substantial experience teaching and tutoring students for whom English is not their first language. I have marked for CAIE at all levels. I am a warm, caring and perceptive tutor who enjoys unearthing my students’ literary interests – and also their big dreams for a wild and adventurous life!

For me, the study of literature and language allows us to understand the human experience more deeply. It provides the communication skills necessary to skilfully connect with others, whatever their cultural, economic or social background. Through reading, we get to experience ways of life that would be otherwise unknowable. With this knowledge, we can learn to have a fuller appreciation of what it means to be alive in the 21st Century.

In addition to teaching English, I am an experienced university and career guidance counsellor and life/career transition coach. It is incredibly fulfilling for me to support young people, fellow educationalists and ex-pats from all over the globe on their path to creating meaningful professional and personal lives. Currently, I also volunteer for the Matchlights Scholarship programme that supports high achieving, low-income students with free college counselling.

Outside of my professional roles, I love to go hiking in wild spaces and, after many years in tropical climates, I am currently looking forward to exploring the hills and glens of Scotland on brisk autumn days. I have been a dedicated yogi for over a decade and this year am delighted to be continuing my learning through a year-long Ashtanga teacher training programme. I also enjoy creating healthy bakes with some of the native flours I have been introduced to through my travels, knitting and reading contemporary women’s fiction and memoirs.

I can’t wait to meet you through your English courses and to be your learning companion as we work together to achieve your literary aspirations!