Tomas O'toghdha

During my career, I have learned that personality is one of the keys to communication, which is what language is all about at the end of the day – the ability to share information in person and from a distance.

Being friendly and sociable, I do my best to help people relax and make communication smoother – one barrier to using a foreign language is dealing with the unknown: using strange words and phrases with strangers. Mistakes will always happen, but I am there to help you realise when they are made and develop your ability to self-correct if you should say something wrong.

Lessons always depend on student needs, so, for example, if examination is practice is required, then exercises, homework and correction is the course of medicine. However, for the last five years, I have been focused on working remotely with students to help them brush up their speaking skills, because conversation and speaking is why language was created. Without this natural oral practice, it’s so easy to forget words – just like a password for an email account. During the conversations, which students dominate (with some cues and guidance from myself), errors are noted, hints and tips are provided, and feedback is given; we all need to know if we are doing a job properly. Homework is given, but it is not mandatory. Nevertheless, writing helps develop vocabulary and grammar because this is where you can take time to express yourself, see how you express yourself, and note any problems when you express yourself.

I always say to students, “Never worry about mistakes – English is not your first language – and we can learn from our mistakes!”