Hi, my name is Vicki and I'm from the UK.  I am from London, and have a neutral and clear accent.  I predominantly teach students aged 17+ for General and Business English purposes, as well as Exam preparation - including TOLES (legal).  My passion for law comes from my 16/17 years of working in the field as a Legal Secretary.  The thing that got me interested in law was a book I read called Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra.  It was soon followed by a film. 

I became a TEFL teacher after seeking an opportunity for a new career; something that agreed with things I enjoyed such as travelling, meeting people but mostly helping others.  So, I applied for a 12-week Internship, not really knowing if I would be accepted as I was a little older than most people starting out a TEFL career.  Anyway, after discussing my professional background my interview concluded with an offer to join their 'school' in Barcelona for the March intake of 2016. Indeed, I attended Barcelona for a couple of weeks before transferring to Madrid for the remainder of my Internship.


 
During the Internship (which included 500 hours of classroom experience) the students' levels ranged from pre-intermediate (A2) to advanced (C1).  As I progressed, I found my niche to be with adults - so decided that I would like to teach both General and Business English, allowing me to pull on my years of profesisonal experience and skills. I have stuck true to this philosopy, specialising in conversation for improvement and confidencence.  Students (both past and present) gain confidence in giving presentation and/or communication with English colleagues as well as in social settings.  It is also noteable that while I worked in Spain (Zaragoza) I worked for academies with students aged from teenagers to retirees.  

In addition to General and Business English, I can claim other successes in Exam Preparation including Cambridge: FCE and CAE, and the Military SPL exams.  I also have knowledge and skills to help students prepare for the TOLES (legal) and IELTS exams. 


 

Before being a teacher, I worked as a Legal Secretary for 16 years, therefore have personal insight and understanding.  In addition I have a genuine interest in many fields so my teaching is not limited, in fact students come from a wide variety such as engineering, interior design, law, EU administration and medical.  Of significance, in 2019 and 2020 respectively, I obtained Certificates in 'English for Medical Purposes' and 'Legal English'. 

Lessons are focused on your needs and interests and are conducted in a safe, friendly, mature and professional environment.  You will be supported both inside and outside class.  As my student you will be corrected in pronunciation and structure.  You should also expect to practice talking and reading - both of which help the overall skills and confidence to reach your goals.  For those who want additional practice, we can also agree homework. 

In my spare time I have many interests including photography, music and writing.  On top of this, I really love to travel and enjoyed a 14-day self planned trip to Japan in 2014 where I visited Tokyo, Miyajima and Takayama.

I really enjoy teaching English or generally meeting people from different countries.  My professional motivation is the long-term relationships that I build in addition to the seeing students achieve - or indeed surpass their goals.      

I thank you for looking at my profile and look forward to meeting you.