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Online English Tutor Iona

Iona

Iona

Classics & Oriental Studies MA first class

I am an enthusiastic and dedicated tutor with an outstanding academic background and three years' experience teaching in international schools.

I love encouraging my students to take risks, be curious and think critically, in order to grow as courageous, independent learners.

Iona0 classes

Oxford University - Classics & Oriental Studies - MA first class

I am an enthusiastic and dedicated tutor with an outstanding academic background and three years' experience teaching in international schools.

I love encouraging my students to take risks, be curious and think critically, in order to grow as courageous, independent learners.

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About Me

After nearly a decade working abroad—in places as far flung as Sri Lanka, Guadeloupe and Poland—I am back home in London working with refugees and in social care, while tutoring on the side.

Apart from teaching, I have had a varied career—spanning academia, interpreting for the International Red Cross in Sri Lankan prisons, documentary-making, travelling and volunteering.

When I am not working, I write short-stories, read voraciously in different languages, and enjoy sports (especially swimming, long-distance trekking, horse-riding and yoga). I am addicted to adventures: I have lived and worked in eight different countries so far, and counting! I am insatiably curious and committed to personal growth.

I am fluent in French, German and Tamil. I have intermediate Czech, and beginner Polish, Ukrainian and Spanish.


Tutor Experience

I have three years of international teaching and tutoring experience. I have taught students of all ages and abilities, from age 3 to 60, one-to-one and in large classes, online and off-line. I am passionate about my students and I thrive on connecting with people from varied linguistic, cultural and educational backgrounds.

Previous teaching roles include:

* IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and English (Language and Literature) Teacher at ISB— a leading international school in Brno, in the Czech Republic
* Individual subject tutor and (A Level, IB and IGCSE) Oxbridge consultant for students aged 8 to 18— at Akademeia, Warsaw's top tutorial college
* Free-lance CELTA-trained English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher for kids (age 3+) and adults — at a range of language schools, local state schools and at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic


Teaching stats 2021-22:

IB TOK: entire class of 14 students passed with good marks; average 1 grade rise
English literature pre IGCSE: 30 students reached IGCSE level by the end of the year; average 1 grade rise
EFL: 15 individual students; moved up on average one band on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
Students taught: 70



Topic Expertise

I am skilled in:

*Building great student rapport, whether in one-on-one tutorials or classes
*Encouraging students to take risks, be curious and think critically, in order to grow as courageous, independent learners
* Creating imaginative and stimulating personalized curricula and learning strategies for individual students
*Providing rigorous, insightful feedback on written work designed to maximise learning potential

As an Oxford graduate, I am experienced in supporting students in their Oxbridge applications— including advice on choosing course and college, creative ideas for CV enhancement, UCAS support, personal statement and entry exam preparation, and interview technique.


I am able to teach:

English language and/ or literature (from beginner up to IGCSE, GCSE, A Level, IB)
English as a foreign/ second language (either taught in English, or in French or German) (from beginner up to Cambridge FCE, CAE, CPE, IELTS)
Ancient History (from beginner up to GCSE, A Level, undergrad)
Greek (from beginner up to GCSE, A Level, undergrad)
Latin (from beginner up to GCSE, A Level, undergrad)
Classics (from beginner up to GCSE, A Level, undergrad)
Sanskrit & Tamil (from beginner up to GCSE, A Level, undergrad)
French (from beginner up to GCSE, A Level)
German (from beginner up to GCSE, A Level)
History — (from beginner up to GCSE)
Theory of Knowledge (from beginner up to IB)

Oxbridge entry
Interview prep
Verbal reasoning
Critical thinking


Testimonials

English lessons with Iona were pure pleasure. She brought so much energy and adventurousness, and made me want to get more out of my life. She is also a very hard-working person and her lessons were very carefully prepared — Alexandra, adult EFL student

My daughter Sabina loved every minute of her weekly lessons with Iona. In two years with Iona she has gone from very basic English to reading Harry Potter and coming top non-native English student in her secondary school entrance exams in English. I am delighted— Nadja, mother of Sabina (12 years old)

Tutoring Subjects

Background Checks

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Qualifications

I have a First Class degree in Classics and Oriental Studies from New College, Oxford (2012), and was awarded a scholarship by Oxford for academic excellence. I graduated second in my year (out of over 100 students) in final exams in Classics at Oxford.

I have an MA in Sanskrit and Tamil (first class) from the University of Hamburg (2014), for which I won the Hanseatic Scholarship for two years' funded postgraduate study in Germany, open to over 6000 Oxbridge students and to just two outstanding candidates per year.

I hold a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) (2020)

While at Oxford, I won the following University Prizes: Gaisford Prize for Greek translation (2011); First de Paravicini Prize for outstanding performance in Latin in second year exams (2010); Latin and Greek recitation prizes (2009-10)







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