Nick Weake

I am a CELTA trained native English teacher from the United Kingdom with 10 years of teaching experience. I am also a certified Cambridge Examiner. Although I have taught all ages and levels, my speciality lies in two areas:

1. CAMBRIDGE FIRST AND ADVANCED CERTIFICATE PREPARATION (FCE/CAE).
2. BUSINESS ENGLISH

I would like to take this opportunity to explain what I can offer you in these particular classes.


CAMBRIDGE EXAM PREPARATION

I have vast experience of preparing students for the Cambridge exams and I have a proven track record of ensuring student success. I also have experience of being an interlocutor in the FCE and CAE speaking exams so I have extensive knowledge of this accreditation.

Obviously I can help you improve your English but preparation for these exams is not just about learning the language. It’s about learning all the different techniques that will give you a distinct advantage and maximize your opportunity of passing the exam. As a certified Cambridge Examiner, I can offer essential tips and suggestions for every part of the test.

Speaking - I will tell you what examiners want to hear from you in each part and teach you all the tricks and phrases that will give you a huge advantage. I will also show you how to effectively interact with your partner during the exam.

Reading and Use of English - I will show you how to approach each part of this challenging exam and I will give you advice on time management, something which is crucial. The Use of English exam can test any type of grammar or vocabulary however with my experience I will teach you the specifics parts of the language which the examiners frequently test you on.

Listening - A key part of this exam is using the short pause at the start of each part effectively. I will teach you how to make predictions for this part of the exam, an invaluable skill which can give you vital extra marks. I can also help you identify distractors, something which frequently occur in all parts of this exam.

Writing - I will teach you how to go about writing the different types of compositions which appear in the exam. I can demonstrate how examiners assess your work and offer advice on how to maximize your marks. It’s not just your English they are looking at, it’s your structure and voice as well. I will show you all the different writing techniques and the difference between formal and informal styles.



BUSINESS ENGLISH

Before becoming a teacher, I spent almost twenty years working in commerce so I have a colossal amount of experience in the world of finance, sales and customer service.

In addition to improving your general English I can tailor your classes to suit your needs. I cover a variety of English in the business sector but to give you an idea, a lot of my classes focus on specific business situations, some of which include:

Meetings - Managing a meeting, getting involved, making small talk, brain-storming.

Negotiating - Building relationships, Questioning, Clarifying, Bargaining with clients.

Writing Emails - Differences between formal and informal writing.

Paraphrasing - Exploring different ways of making the same point to avoid repetition.

Differences between American English and British English.

Cultural differences between English speaking countries.


Whatever you want, I can design a class or course to cater for your requirements. Please feel free to contact me for a free consultation.


For your classes, we can either meet at your house, place of work, a public place or alternatively, I also do classes from my flat which is an ideal, tranquil teaching environment, located in the centre of Sant Cugat.