Meet Martin, your British English Trainer...
Confidence before you land
Preparing to go to a new country can be daunting and overwhelming; as somebody who has lived and worked in 4 countries, I understand this! Studying English or at a university in the UK can be intimidating; as somebody who has worked at universities and language schools around the UK, I can help! Relocating and doing business can make you question your ability to deal with native speakers in their own cultural setting; my extensive experience of Business English and British culture make me aware of your needs. Taking online lessons in preparation for your time in the UK is a great opportunity to build confidence before you arrive in the UK.
I am looking forward to meeting you online and sharing my passion for, and expertise in, the English language.
I believe that 12 years of experience teaching British English for business, study and travel makes me your perfect trainer! I have worked at universities, language schools and major businesses in the UK, Italy, Spain and Ecuador. In recent years, I have been working online for businesses and universities in Italy, Germany and across Eastern Europe/ Central Asia. I have extensive experience helping students prepare for exams like IELTS and TOEFL.
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THE ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE LESSONS
Online lessons are massively convenient compared to 'in person' lessons. Instead of taking a chunk out of your day to travel to a classroom, you can switch your laptop on and attend a lesson from the comfort of your home or office. Online lessons can be worked around all your existing commitments and can fit seamlessly around other calls if working from home.
Furthermore, you are not restricted to the quality of tuition in your physical locality. Online learning gives you the opportunity to work with fellow students and teachers from around the world, who you would never meet otherwise.
HOW REALLY BEING IN A COUNTRY DIFFERS FROM LANGUAGE LESSONS
Living in another country is a much more intense and accelerated learning experience than studying a language course. It is definitely good to be as prepared as possible before you arrive in the country; in a language class, people are patient with each other and might speak more slowly. In another country you will hear speech which is much quicker and more complex than in a classroom. In a foreign country the highs are high and the lows are low. There is no buzz quite like operating effectively in a new country, but there are few things more frustrating than struggling to get a difficult task done!
It is also important to be aware of how things work in your new country as even a 'simple' task like opening a bank account or joining the local library can become complicated.
THE BEST WAY TO BOOST YOUR LEVEL QUICKLY
Like all other skills, language skills require practice. Speaking is the best way to improve your level quickly as you will build confidence and fluency, even if you make a lot of mistakes along the way.
Curiosity is another key to quick learning. Try to get into the habit of observing and listening carefully, looking up words or phrases you aren't familiar with. Furthermore, reading is useful for familiarising yourself with grammar structures and new vocabulary.
It is important to read and speak about topics which are interesting to you as this makes 'studying' much more painless.