Expert Tutors
You want the best tutor to help you learn efficiently and quickly.
We recruit only the best linguists - all our tutors have postgraduate qualifications in language teaching and many years practice in helping people learn in a flexible, sympathetic way. They passionately want to enable their students to enjoy speaking the language as much as they do.
So meet the Team!
Shaomian Deng
Shaomian studied English language (BA) and linguistics (MA) in Beijing Foreign Studies University. She teaches Chinese with us and at Cambridge University and the School of Oriental and African Studies of London University. Shaomian's experience of teaching adults and children spans 16 years in the UK and China. She is a Chinese examiner for Edexcel and assessor for the Institute of Interpreters and Translators (ITI). She translated Anne of Green Gables, which was published by China Translation and Publishing Corporation. Shaomian is enthusiastically promotes the Chinese language as one of the most important tools for commerce in the coming decades. Through the study of language some understanding of the very different mindset and culture can be achieved - again essential for business.
Sue Howe
Sue was born and grew up in Basel, Switzerland and has since spent the majority of her adult life in the UK. She has a BA in Humanities, a MA in German and French Language in Education, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (German and French). Her career as a teacher for over 30 years includes many years as Head of Modern Languages in secondary schools, and a decade teaching adults individually and in groups from beginner to advanced level in French, German, and English as a Second Language. She is very skilled at helping school students achieve significantly higher examination results at GCSE, A-level and International Baccalaureate. Sue also has held successful commercial and export sales roles in technology based companies.
Dr Slawomir Lis
Slawomir comes from Kalisz, the oldest city in Poland. He was educated in Poland, Italy and England. A qualified teacher and translator, he also holds a First Class MA in Theology from Lublin University, Poland; a PhD in Canon and Civil Law from Pontificia Universita Lateranense in Rome; as well as the Common Professsional Examination qualification in English Law. At present he is working as a translator, interpreter and language tutor of Polish and Italian. His language teaching career started 15 years ago and includes teaching Polish for Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence personnel. Slawomir also provides Executive and Cultural Briefings for businesses contemplating establishing themselves in Poland.
Cristina Louriero
Cristina has 17 years of experience teaching modern foreign languages. She always challenges her students to get the maximum out of lessons and her goal is to make learning fun for everyone. She focuses on teaching Spanish, Greek and Portuguese. She holds a BA Hons in Languages and Literature - English and German Studies - and a MA in English Literature from the University of Porto, her home city. After living in Greece for five years she obtained a Proficiency Certificate of Modern Greek from KEG in Salonica. In February 2011 she obtained a Certificate in Spanish DELE C2 from Instituto Cervantes. Cristina has an absolute love of languages, speaks perfect English and is currently studying French to C2 level. She completed her teacher training overseas and has obtained her QTS in the UK. She is a member of the Association for Language Learning (ALL).
Anna Marsal
Anna has a BA Joint Honours in English and Classical Studies and the Diploma in Teaching English to Adults (DELTA). She teaches General English, Exam Preparation Courses and Business English and has worked in the English language training industry for 18 years as both a teacher and an Academic Manager. Anna has a passion for teaching English and will tailor her courses to suit the students. She ensures all students have a chance to practise the skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing as well as focusing on grammar and pronunciation. She creates a friendly atmosphere where students feel comfortable and confident to practice their English.
Sue Woodbridge
Sue has been teaching English and French for just over 20 years, having first qualified in 1991. She has lived and worked in France, Portugal, Mexico and Hong Kong teaching both adults and children. Now settled back in the UK she supports students in a secondary school as well as continuing with her language classes. Sue is a language graduate (BA Hons in French from Reading University) and TEFL qualified (1991) and has worked for many well known institutions including the British Council, the University of Hong Kong and the French Education Department. She has a passion for languages and aims to make every lesson she teaches as dynamic and enjoyable as possible whilst ensuring lesson content is pertinent to the students’ needs.
Suki Heath
Suki holds a BA in German and French, a MPhil for research on the use of authentic television in modern language teaching, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. She taught German and French in secondary schools for over 10 years including holding the post of Head of Modern Languages. She was a County Advisor assisting the modern languages departments of all schools in Essex before turning to teaching adults French, German and English in companies for another 10 years. She is also qualified as an Analytical Psychologist and has her own psychotherapy practice in Bishops Stortford.
Should your teacher be a Native Speaker?
Just because someone is born speaking a language does not mean that they use it correctly and, more importantly, does not mean that they can teach the language. Fluency in the language is important, especially at the higher levels. The most important factor however is their ability and enthusiasm as a teacher of languages. Our team spend a lot of time ensuring that their fluency is maintained and that their idiomatic use of the language is current. Even a native speaker living abroad will lose contact with their language without effort - we don't let this happen!