Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to complete the course?
The course consists of fifteen videos with exercises. Students are free to watch and re-watch videos as they need to. I would advocate watching the video, completing the quiz questions, then reading through the relevant section of the guide and completing those exercises. This will take some time so I would usually advocate students giving themselves a couple of months to work through the course at a steady pace. This also gives students the time to begin using the strategies and techniques contained within the course.
Is this course designed to help with English Language or English Literature?
The course is designed specifically for the English Language GCSE. This is the focus of the material. Naturally, there is a substantial cross-over between the papers. The skills students develop in preparation for the English Language paper will also be very useful in the English Literature GCSE.
How is your course different from other resources?
The course is very different from anything else out there. In fact, the reason that I created the course was because I wasn't satisfied with the resources that were on offer for my students. For one thing, they had barely changed since I was at school.
The approach I take is one that I haven't seen replicated thus far in other resources. The biggest difference in this course and my teaching methodology in general is the level of focus on addressing students’ sticking points and the solutions that are provided in order to overcome those. After years of working with students, it became clear to me that many students are facing similar issues. This allowed me to create a resource that addresses these typical sticking points and areas of weakness.
How long does access to the course last?
Students will have access to the course for two academic years. The course book is downloadable so students will have lifetime access to that part of the resource.
Why was the guide created?
I created this course as I found that the resources available were not comprehensive enough and many were quite dated. As a private tutor, I wanted to deliver the feel of tuition in the form of a guide - this video and text course achieves that. The course is an ideal supplement to those working with me as a tutor or any other tutor for that matter. In addition it offers a very useful tool for students who may not have the means to invest in a course of tuition but who would like to have access to a more developed guide to prepare for their English Language GCSE exam.
Can this resource be used with a tutor/parent?
The guide is a great tool for students to use with parents and tutors. The course book and videos provide an excellent starting point for tutorials, lessons and writing exercises. The course material is an excellent tool for students, parents and tutors.
How does the price compare to other resources?
The price of the course is more competitive than other comparable online courses. As things stand, most courses of this nature are unaffordable or burdensome in cost for a lot of families. Many the students who would benefit most from supplementary resources are unable to access a course of this nature. As an educator, I’ve been excited about the success that students going through this course with me in person and online have had. My ambition is offer a high quality course to all students who are willing to invest time and energy on working through this resource regardless of their families income level.
Is the course worth my investment?
This course offers outstanding value to students. The financial return on having a GCSE English Language is very substantial. Even for a student who leaves school at sixteen, there is an average of £2000 per year greater earnings for somebody with this qualification. This figure will tend to increase each year as different career paths have different options for progression. For students who are able to access University level courses after gaining a pass in the English Language GCSE, the financial return will tend to be even more significant over time. My ambition for this course was to offer the content and feel of one-to-one tuition at a fraction of the overall cost. I believe that this course achieves this goal. Students who go through this course will see the small investment paid back hundreds of times over.
What is the difference between the 'Core' course and the 'Advanced' course?
The two courses form a continuum. The fundamental material that all students need to master regardless of their ambitions is contained in the 'Core' course. Once students have completed the Core material and all of its associated exercises, it's likely they will wish to move onto the Advanced material which offers further depth and additional techniques and strategies.
Can I just skip straight onto the Advanced course?
Absolutely not!
It's essential to complete the Core material first. The Advanced material builds on all of the concepts contained in the Core course. Even gifted or high achieving students must complete the Core course first. I have yet to meet a single student that didn't have several gaps or blind-spots in the knowledge base and understanding contained in the Core course. Once this material has been mastered, if a student feels that they would like to add to this base of knowledge they should continue to the Advanced course.
What if I don't find the course useful?
For anyone who doesn't find the course useful, I offer a full refund provided that the student/parent contacts me within thirty days of purchase.
Is your course protected by copyright?
All of the intellectual content contained in the course is protected by copyright. The video content, slides, multiple choice question bank and text guide are not to be plagiarised, reproduced or re-sold. The platform hosting the course - Teachable - affords legal protection to all of its course creators.
