Tony Sexton

I have long and varied experience in teaching and coaching language learners and company employees in English communication skills. I enjoy helping a learner reach their potential in English, building up their confidence in speaking, and making them feel comfortable when communicating, whether for business or personal purposes or to reach a certain level of competence for an exam such as IELTS or Cambridge. Too often, I find even the more basic skills of pronunciation and idiomatic expression have been neglected, and I always focus on these areas as they boost the learner's confidence and allow them to feel a sense of ownership of the language. I get the student to engage in conversation on a subject they are interested in, this enriching their vocabulary while using many expressions that are often used in discussion and negotiation. I use articles from well-known newspapers and magazines as well as videos to practice listening comprehension. As grammar points crop up, I elucidate whenever needed. I try to introduce points of grammar only as needed and in response to a learner's perceived difficulty. I often ask the learner to read or listen to a text or video to be ready to offer their opinions about it for the next class. For presentations and interview practice, I use real-life examples, asking the learner to prepare and present in order to reflect and revise for improvement in performance. I find these methods help and enthusiasm my students who find them both enjoyable and effective on their language journey.