Englisch | Native |
---|---|
Afrikaans | Fluent |
Deutsch | Just a few words |
Koreanisch | Just a few words |
Hello there!
My name is Grant. I was raised in South Africa—a land of great beauty and variety. I am a native speaker of English, and my accent approaches RP (standard British) English. At school, I often acted in plays and took prizes for English. In elementary school, I won a scholarship to study speech and drama. Ever since then, I have been fascinated by the magical power of words. Perhaps this explains why I love teaching and writing.
After managing a bookshop for 12 years, I entered the University of Buckingham in England, where I obtained my BA(Honours) degree in English Literature in early 2005. History was also a large part of my studies. I completed my postgraduate studies in South Africa.
Since graduating in 2009, I have taught English to students from four continents. I have taught in Korean elementary schools and at a Korean university. I have also taught in a South African language academy and online for several years. I teach individual students, but I have also taught classes of up to 30 students.
History is very interesting to me, and I love conducting historical research. I have published several articles on historical subjects in peer-review publications.
In all, I spent about 5½ years in Korea. The experience was life-changing. I feel that Korea has left a positive impression on my character. I hope to write a book about that fascinating country.
I love old buildings and antiques. I own and live in a 200-year-old house in a small country town. I am passionate about country life, books, language, culture, and history. I would really like to share my enthusiasm for these subjects with you.
MY TEACHING STYLE
I am a lifelong student, and I learn much from my students. This is what I like most about online teaching. I try to keep your lessons relaxed and chatty. I try to be responsive to your interests and your language level.
I speak clearly and in an unhurried way. For beginner students, I limit my vocabulary to words I think they are likely to know, and I try to explain new words. For more advanced students, I extend my vocabulary and may use more complex sentence structures and idiomatic language. I want my teaching to match your needs closely. You can feel free to ask questions at any time. I want to give you as much opportunity as possible to speak.
I strive to be adaptable. So, if it is just conversation that you want, or if you would like help with a specific topic, I will try my best to give you a top-quality lesson. In time, I plan to introduce many historical and literary topics in my Cafetalk lesson portfolio.
Students from all parts of the world are welcome to request lessons. (Koreans, please note that I have an elementary knowledge of your language.) I teach all ages and levels. Students younger than 12 should have an adult in attendance during lessons, unless they are very mature for their age.
I am respectful of diversity and of your personal dignity. My aim is to increase your confidence and to make you conscious of your strengths. I want you to achieve your goals! If you have only ever studied in a conventional classroom situation, here is a chance to study at your own pace and in ways that work well for you.
I can use Zoom or Skype. Let me know which of these platforms works best for you. If my advertised lesson hours don’t match your schedule, please let me know. Perhaps I can adjust my schedule to fit yours.
I prefer that students keep their cameras on during lessons. If you prefer not to use your camera, please understand that I may turn mine off too.
I am confident that you will not regret your decision to request a lesson from me.
Have a great day!
Dr Grant
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