What is your teaching philosophy?

There is more than one facet to my teaching philosophy but, in brief, I think that we remember best what is most personal. This is why I put a lot of thought into tailoring my tutoring sessions to your personal needs. It may be a cliché, but I am a firm believer in the old adage: people don't care how much you know unless they know how much you care.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

Typically, I will spend some time understanding what the student's real objectives are and figuring out with the student the best method to follow in order to reach these objectives as quickly as possible. Then, I will assess the student's level and establish a mutually agreed upon tutoring plan.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

My tutoring style is all about making the student become independent. I give students a lot of references to online materials and applications; most of them are available free of charge.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I make sure to let students know how much progress they have made and how much closer they are to their main objective. This is particularly important in language learning, because many learners underestimate their progression.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

I start by asking the student how they first learned about the concept. In most cases, learning difficulties have more to do with misconceptions and unclear explanations than with learning abilities.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension issues can stem from lack of vocabulary, lack of interest in the type of material being read, lack of focus when reading, or even incomplete knowledge of phonics rules. It is important to test each hypothesis and have a clear idea of what the main problem is in order to be successful at providing help.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

It is important to start by understanding who the student is rather than focusing on what he/she knows. We all learn quickest what we like best. Since there are multiple ways to learn, the most effective tutoring strategy is to provide help in the way that best corresponds to the student's personality.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

In my experience, students often struggle in subjects that they regard as useless. Making them understand how unsuspectedly useful a subject may turn out to be is the best way to get students engaged.

How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?

I gradually move from a lot of support to very little support (if any at all), in order to demonstrate to my students that they can manage on their own after having studied a particular topic with me.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I start by talking to them and asking them to describe what they think their needs are. Then, I ask them to do a few exercises with me in order to check whether they know their own strengths and weaknesses. As part of those exercises, I include some questions about areas in which I think they may need more help than they originally thought. At the end of this initial test, I ask my students to draw their own conclusions, and we decide together on which particular points to start focusing.

How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?

My method of tutoring is based on providing the kind of help that is best suited to the student's personality. I do not follow textbooks or predefined progressions. I know the various stages of progression in a particular area, and I attempt to clear the most suitable path for my student to go from one stage to the next.

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

I use those materials that are most suited to my student's personality.

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

In the field of language learning, the best way to show that you understand the material is to successfully implement its contents in individual productions (whether written or spoken).