Testimonials
Adult learner of Spanish - via Zoom
A group of us (adult learners) were thoroughly enjoying our Spanish conversation lessons with Hilary when lockdown struck. Not to be defeated, it didn’t take long before Hilary had mastered Zoom so that we could continue our lessons online which we have done throughout lockdown and will probably still be doing for quite some time yet. Technology has proved to be excellent for language learning:
Hilary sends us our lesson plan in advance of the lesson usually by WhatsApp; she emails us the relevant worksheets; she sends us the link to YouTube for any videoclips we need to watch for the lesson and then we receive our Zoom invitation.
Our lessons on Zoom are varied and enjoyable, always with some element of challenge but always fun. I would thoroughly recommend Hilary as a teacher as she is absolutely able to strike the right balance between helping us improve our language skills by explaining any grammar points we need along the way, and encouraging us to talk and share our ideas with her and with each other which is really helpful in boosting confidence. All that’s missing on Zoom is Hilary’s tasty tea and cake and that’s a real shame!
Adult learners of Spanish
We are hoping to reach a “conversational “ level of Spanish with a basic understanding of grammar so that we can confidently engage in conversations with our Spanish friends.
Regular lessons have given us a much better understanding of the language to a point where we can translate text and understand basic dialogue.
We had a basic knowledge of greetings and small talk when we started. Now we feel we can understand or get the gist of conversations going on around us, order at restaurants, read written passages, tell the time, book travel and generally have much more confidence in our appreciation of the language.
Personal tutoring at home is very convenient for us, as the two of us can learn together and help each other. Hilary recognises areas for improvement and helps us to focus on and practise those aspects of study.
We feel we have a good understanding and relationship with Hilary, who is very understanding and shows great patience with us. We often have a few laughs in the sessions too.
Flexibility is the key with Hilary; if we can’t make a session or want to take a break for a couple of weeks, it’s never a problem. We learn in a relaxed way, but we do learn.
A level French student
I started having weekly tutoring sessions with Hilary about 6 months before my French A Level. I lacked confidence when speaking French and was unsure of some of the grammar I had been taught at school, so I was hoping to improve in both these areas, as well as my pronunciation.
The benefits of 1:1 tutoring for me were:
1. Learning in a relaxed, comfortable environment.
2. Being able to ask any questions without fear of embarrassment and taking as much time as I needed to understand key points.
3. Focusing on specific areas not previously understood and where I needed more confidence, which is not always possible in school.
4. Hilary explained things really well with clear examples to practise.
5. I went into the exam with greater confidence and understanding.
Before having sessions with Hilary, I was predicted a grade D at A Level. At the time of the exam I felt calm and prepared and a lot more confident, which enabled me to exceed my target grade by achieving a C. I also retook an AS exam in which previously I had got an E, but after these sessions I achieved a B!
During these sessions I enjoyed being able to see my own progress and being able to speak and understand French more easily. I enjoyed learning more grammar in the relaxed atmosphere at home. Hilary is very easy to talk to and really helped to boost my confidence. It was rewarding and definitely worth having the tutoring sessions.
GCSE Spanish student
Amy was six months away from her GCSEs and felt she was not achieving the grades she was hoping for in Spanish. We agreed that having a tutor once a week would be helpful to try and boost her grades. In addition, Amy was keen to feel more confident and to be more fluent in class with speaking and translating.
Quite quickly after tuition started, Amy's Spanish grades improved and she felt much more confidence. Hilary helped with specific exam preparation; for example, Amy would complete written preparation for an oral exam and Hilary would then help her to correct mistakes, as well as to expand her range of vocabulary. They would then work together to improve Amy’s pronunciation. This immediately improved Amy’s grades and her Spanish teacher, at parents evening, commented on the transformation.
One to one tutoring is so helpful as it helps overcome lack of confidence in using Spanish in front of the class at school. As a result Amy felt less pressure and competition from her classmates. The one to one time with Hilary gave Amy the opportunity to ask questions and correct mistakes.
Hilary is a friendly person who makes other people feel comfortable, and this is especially so with young people. She is also very positive and encouraging, making Amy feel like she was making real progress. Her organisation was really good, always discussing with Amy what would be helpful for the next session, so both of them were well prepared.
All in all, Spanish tutoring with Hilary was very beneficial and great value for money.
Amy was predicted a D grade, actual grade achieved was an A*.