Gail Vettraino

Hi ! I like to use a person centred approach to a students learning. I like to base teaching on subject matter that interests the student. I have a relaxed, easy style and I encourage interaction and questions. I' ve volunteered with ESOL learners and love seeing a student progress and gain confidence in their conversational skills. Mistakes are part of the learning curve, but I regard a tutorial as a safe space, where a student can make a mistake, but develop the confidence to carry on and keep trying. I like to base tutorials in real conversation. Naturally, grammar is important, but I like to ground the coversation in real scenarios, such as making an appointment with a doctor or understanding written English such as bills or formal letters. By using real life examples, it helps to build a students confidence in asking questions, problem solving and feeling more independent. When I was working with ESOL students, I'd ask them to describe where they come from, the kind of food they like and any cultural traditions that are important to them. I usually base conversation around the seasons and festivals. It's fascinating understanding a students experience of festivals such as Christmas, Easter or family events like weddings. I also like to focus on any ambitions a student may have and discuss with them diffences in approaches to education or work. I look forward to working with you, encouraging and see you develop confidence with your conversational skills in English.