What is your teaching philosophy?

Teaching should involve the student.

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

I have us introduce ourselves, and then I try to understand what the student knows about the subject.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I would suggest watching films and cartoons, and this may be the best way to be involved in the language environment (after living in a country that speaks the language).

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Don't give them too much difficult information! Using humor can also be relaxing.

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

There are a lot of different approaches, and I would try to use all of them.

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

I've found it helpful if we take difficult aspects of subjects and put them in games.

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

I like to use writing tests and ask the student questions directly.

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

I try to repeat the previous materials at the beginning of each lesson, and I compliment them from time to time; it helps a lot.

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

Nowadays there's a great range of materials available. With some students I follow the course book, with others I do my own planning. It depends on the student's needs.

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

Try to find the correct structure and keywords that they need to understand.

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

I try to do different activities during the lesson, which helps prevent them from becoming board.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I mainly use tests.

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

I figure out which approach is best for the student, and try to do more exercises to improve their skills.