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Hi, I'm Katie! I'm an online English teacher. I work with professional women who use English at work and want to improve their confidence and communication skills. |
Buying doughnuts in Poland
My first English-teaching job was in Poland and while I was there, I had a go at learning Polish. It’s definitely not the easiest language to learn!
One of my favourite things to eat was Polish doughnuts but to buy one, I had to go into a shop and actually talk to somebody in Polish! I was terrified the first time! What if they didn’t understand me? What if they spoke back and I didn’t understand them?
One of my students taught me what to say and eventually, I found the courage to go into the shop. There was a bit of confusion about my grammar but I got my message across, got my doughnut and survived the experience!
After a while, I gradually got more and more confident going into shops, ordering in a restaurant, buying cinema tickets and so on. I could also have a conversation with my Polish teacher or a Polish friend.
My growing confidence came from a combination of practice, having a sympathetic teacher, and a determination not to let my nerves get the better of me. I certainly wasn’t going to let my fear stop me from eating doughnuts!
One of my favourite things to eat was Polish doughnuts but to buy one, I had to go into a shop and actually talk to somebody in Polish! I was terrified the first time! What if they didn’t understand me? What if they spoke back and I didn’t understand them?
One of my students taught me what to say and eventually, I found the courage to go into the shop. There was a bit of confusion about my grammar but I got my message across, got my doughnut and survived the experience!
After a while, I gradually got more and more confident going into shops, ordering in a restaurant, buying cinema tickets and so on. I could also have a conversation with my Polish teacher or a Polish friend.
My growing confidence came from a combination of practice, having a sympathetic teacher, and a determination not to let my nerves get the better of me. I certainly wasn’t going to let my fear stop me from eating doughnuts!
Teaching one-to-one
After two and a half years in Poland, I worked in a language school in Cambridge, UK, for 18 years and then I switched to giving one-to-one lessons online.
Most of the students I’ve worked with one-to-one have been women who need to use English at work and I’ve noticed that one of the most common problems for them is not feeling as confident with the language as they would like to be.
For example, I’m currently working with Cansu from Turkey. She sells jewellery internationally and needs English to talk to customers and suppliers. Every week, we have conversation practice and I’m helping her with grammar revision too.
Some days she’s excited because she is finding it easier to communicate all the time and her friends and colleagues have commented on her improvement too. I can see her confidence growing as we work together.
A lack of confidence is an issue I can identify with as it’s something I’ve had to overcome in many ways in other chapters of my life too. And, having lived abroad, I know how frustrating and stressful it can be when you struggle to communicate in a second language.
My aim is to help professional women like you with their English so that they can use the language comfortably and confidently at work. I want to make your daily work life easier or maybe even help you get a job or move up the career ladder.
I have:
Most of the students I’ve worked with one-to-one have been women who need to use English at work and I’ve noticed that one of the most common problems for them is not feeling as confident with the language as they would like to be.
For example, I’m currently working with Cansu from Turkey. She sells jewellery internationally and needs English to talk to customers and suppliers. Every week, we have conversation practice and I’m helping her with grammar revision too.
Some days she’s excited because she is finding it easier to communicate all the time and her friends and colleagues have commented on her improvement too. I can see her confidence growing as we work together.
A lack of confidence is an issue I can identify with as it’s something I’ve had to overcome in many ways in other chapters of my life too. And, having lived abroad, I know how frustrating and stressful it can be when you struggle to communicate in a second language.
My aim is to help professional women like you with their English so that they can use the language comfortably and confidently at work. I want to make your daily work life easier or maybe even help you get a job or move up the career ladder.
I have:
- 24 years of experience teaching English.
- 8 years of experience teaching one-to-one online.
- certificate and diploma-level qualifications from Trinity College London and Cambridge University Press and Assessment.
- a sympathetic and patient approach to teaching.
- an interest in meeting people from all over the world and a desire to really help them overcome their difficulties with learning English.
Why work with me
🔷 If you prefer to stay quiet in a meeting because you're worried you might make a mistake if you speak and then other people might judge you...
🔷 If you worry that people won’t understand you because of your accent...
🔷 If you feel frustrated because you can’t communicate what you really want to say or awkward because it takes you too long to say it...
🔷 If you avoid situations where you might have to talk to somebody or you don't know what to talk about...
🔷 If you feel left out of the conversation or you feel embarrassed when you don't understand what other people are saying...
🔷 If you can’t find the words you need to say what you want or you find that words go out of your head when you speak...
🔷 If you've been trying to improve your English for some time but you're not seeing results...
… then I can help you with my “She Speaks English” programme.
🔷 If you worry that people won’t understand you because of your accent...
🔷 If you feel frustrated because you can’t communicate what you really want to say or awkward because it takes you too long to say it...
🔷 If you avoid situations where you might have to talk to somebody or you don't know what to talk about...
🔷 If you feel left out of the conversation or you feel embarrassed when you don't understand what other people are saying...
🔷 If you can’t find the words you need to say what you want or you find that words go out of your head when you speak...
🔷 If you've been trying to improve your English for some time but you're not seeing results...
… then I can help you with my “She Speaks English” programme.
Some kind words from my students
"First of all, Katie is a very kind and patient teacher. She recognises every mistake you make but always focuses on the most important thing. I started with conversation lessons and switched later to Exam English. She was able to help me in every part of the exam and provided a lot of tips regarding grammar, vocabulary, writing etc.. What I appreciated most was her reliability. The corrections were very detailed and always provided with further explanations. She knows the exam process very well. Katie also has a very good general knowledge and you can talk to her about various topics. To sum up everything: A very friendly, humorous and an attentive teacher with in-depth knowledge of the English language. I can highly recommend her for any topic you are interested in!"
Milo, Switzerland
"The reason for me to have English lessons with Katie is that I want to speak more authentic English. I noticed that I made grammar mistakes and had issues to articulate myself. And I could not address these on my own. So I need a professional teacher to point out my mistakes and give me advice.
Katie is professional and patient, so I don’t feel bad and anxious when I make a grammar mistake. I feel that I’m gradually improving my English and overcoming the mistakes I made. Now I am more aware of the mistakes I make and able to correct them."
Li, China
Milo, Switzerland
"The reason for me to have English lessons with Katie is that I want to speak more authentic English. I noticed that I made grammar mistakes and had issues to articulate myself. And I could not address these on my own. So I need a professional teacher to point out my mistakes and give me advice.
Katie is professional and patient, so I don’t feel bad and anxious when I make a grammar mistake. I feel that I’m gradually improving my English and overcoming the mistakes I made. Now I am more aware of the mistakes I make and able to correct them."
Li, China
