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A-Level and IB

How to Write a Good Personal Statement

Personal Statement Structure and Format

When it comes to structure and format, it’s important to remember that you only have 4000 characters and 47 lines to work with, so each paragraph must have both purpose and meaning, and include all the vital information. With qualifications, interests, experience and motivations all important to cover, how is it best to format your personal statement?

 

Sandwiched between an introduction and conclusion should be the majority of your content. We suggest starting with a paragraph on what is most important, your academic achievements, before explaining your hobbies and interests outside the classroom, followed by your experience if you are applying for law or medicine.

 

Some students have found arranging their personal statement in a past-present-future style offers an effective structure. In this method, the introduction describes why you have decided to study your course (past), the main body considers your current interests and motivations (present) and the conclusion summarises why you are looking forward to enrolling (future).

How to Begin a Personal Statement 

The introduction (along with the conclusion) is often considered the hardest part of writing a good personal statement. Whilst UCAS’ ‘Killer Opening‘ recommends starting with the main body, we advise students to start with whatever they are comfortable with. If you are not sure – try writing the main body first, then tackle the introduction and conclusion.

 

The perfect opening paragraph is original, avoids clichés, and confirms to the admissions team why you are a serious candidate. Mind mapping during the planning stage is ideal for this. With your course title in the centre, consider what particular modules you are drawn to and why you are enthusiastic about studying this course.

Concluding a Personal Statement 

Alongside the introduction, students often struggle writing an effective conclusion. A final chance to impart the admissions team with a lasting impression, the conclusion is a perfect opportunity to drive home the most important points in your application.

 

The best conclusions offer a clear snapshot of what you want to gain from your time at university, and come full circle from the points you established in your  introduction without adding any new information. Consider you are most looking forward to? Why this course in particular? And, most importantly: Why is this course right for you?

Tips on How to Make a Personal Statement Stand Out

There is not just one method to make a personal statement stand out  – as long as it covers the key questions within the general structure of an introduction, main body and conclusion, it can be highly successful. However, here are some general tips to ensure your personal statement is the best it can be:

 

  • Write in the first person, only using ‘I’ when you really need to.
  • Be informed. Research the course you want to study, and even try and speak to someone who is currently studying it so you have a clear picture of what you are applying for.
  • Avoid clichés, as well as words such as ‘fascinated’ and ‘passionate’.
  • Be prepared. Make a detailed plan and mind map to improve your structure and ensure you are covering everything you need to.
  • Don’t worry about the word count too much with your first draft, it’s much easier to take words out than put them in.
  • Draft, re-draft, and draft again.

 

When you are re-drafting, consider these key questions:

 

  • Have I repeated myself?
  • Is this cliché?
  • Is my wording consistent?
  • Does this sentence serve a purpose?

 

Above all, remember, be clear, concise and direct.

 

There are a lot of resources online to help you with your personal statement, from UCAS’S personal statement tool, to The Complete University Guide’s tips page. At Think Tutors we’re expertly equipped to consult on personal statements (at any stage in their creation) and we have a strong track record of bringing out the best in each and every applicant. Please contact us to find out more.

Contact Think Tutors 

From taking the first steps of writing, to polishing your final draft, this blog has covered the key steps for making your personal statement as good as it can be. For more information on Think Tutors services such as A-Level tuition and University tuition please contact us.

Categories
A-Level and IB

How to develop an outstanding essay: two top-level tricks

Building Creative Confidence

Dull writing can leave examiners yawning. At Think Tutors we have refined the art of essay writing instruction to perfection, working with industry-leading professionals trained at many of the world’s top universities. Here are just two tips that will brighten up your essays and make them exciting to read.

Creative Thinking Skills: The drop intro 

Capture the reader’s attention with a drop intro. Look at the essay title and think of a strange or striking example. Discuss it for a few lines, then zoom back in and answer the question head-on.

 

You might start with an anecdote, a quote, a shocking fact, or a story in the news.

 

Imagine you’re writing an essay about the climate crisis. You’ve been asked to discuss whether renewable energy can fully replace fossil fuels in the next 50 years.

 

It’s not exactly an inspiring question, and could yield some boring answers. Dodge the trap and dive straight in with some action:

 

Climate protesters set out to “swarm” the capital in April 2019. Organisers staged simultaneous demonstrations across London, blocking roads and even gluing themselves to trains to make their cause known. 

 

In the last few years, the fight for action on the climate crisis has reached fever pitch.

 

Now comes your argument. You could say: “But it’s too little, too late,” or “keeping the pressure up is the only way we will meet our zero-carbon goals”.

 

You can then build in material on renewable energy and fossil fuels. The trick is to get the reader excited first.

 

The key skill here is pulling back from your example and making sure you link it neatly to your argument – the line that normally comes first in an essay. It might help if you draft this part first, even though you’ll be saving it for your second paragraph.

 

It can be difficult to pull off, but a good drop intro shows you’re in control of your material.

 

From this point, it’s up to you — as long as you engage with the question and provide some strong examples, you’ll be on the right track.

Creative Thinking Skills: the snap judgement

The best essays pack a punch. For humanities questions that ask how successful a decision was, or how a writer achieves an effect, a quick snap-take response can lift a good essay to new heights.

 

Imagine you are answering the question: “How does Shakespeare use language and structure to portray King Lear’s death?”

 

Somewhere in your response, tell us exactly what you think. You can be quite chatty. The line can take on the tone of a review, or a boxing match commentator sizing up the competitors:

 

“Shakespeare pulls out all the stops as Lear cries in disbelief at his daughter’s death. It’s a heart-wrenching scene, and Shakespeare makes sure the audience knows it.”

 

Don’t be afraid to answer the question bluntly. You can heap up your evidence later.

 

Each paragraph could do with a line or two like this. They will help guide your analysis and signpost your argument in an exciting way for the reader.

 

These lines give your points a crisp framework – and lend your essay some welly.

 

Private Tutoring, Academic Mentoring and University Tutoring

It doesn’t matter where you are in your educational journey, essay writing skills (and writing abilities more broadly) are fundamental to your success and the realisation of your personal and academic goals. At Think Tutors we offer a wide range of services to help students hone their creative and analytic writing skills. We have worked with everyone from young children to graduate students.

Categories
A-Level and IB

Learning Latin

The Latin Language

Some say Latin is a dead language. In so far that it is not spoken widely anymore, that is correct. However, others see it rather as an eternal language, useful in so many ways to understand not only the times we live in but also to connect us with the past. Just think how many times you have seen a company or organisation with a Latin name or motto. I’d reckon quite a few.

 

It is no accident that the subject that Latin is a part of, Classics, comes from the Latin word classis meaning ‘fleet’. When one comes to studying Latin, and Greek, ancient history and civilisation, you are learning a whole fleet of subjects encompassing history, politics, law, poetry, philosophy, drama, science, geography and more, that make up and can be found within classical literature. It’s also a sought-after degree at both Oxford and Cambridge, with many distinguished alumni in fields ranging from politics and literature to the military and journalism.

Learning Latin

This is what lies ahead for a student beginning Latin. Immediately, a student will be able to recognise the connections between Latin and English, the roots of our language, where words derive from, and how languages work. In this way it most definitely helps increase attainment in English and subjects requiring analytical thought such as Maths.

 

The Latin Language can also lead students to learn and love the Romance languages as well such as French, Spanish and Italian which have similarities. However, when learning Latin through translating Roman myths and history, and other writings, you can perceive the very roots of Western Civilisation and humanity itself; that there are things that we can learn about ourselves and our society and, if we open our minds to it, take it as an inspiration or a warning as to where we are heading.

Why Learn Latin

Latin is a wonderful language, and wonderful to study. It is delightful to hear that the British Government is encouraging more state schools to take up Latin, along with other modern languages as part of a pilot scheme. It is already building on a lot of work over the past decade by the charity Classics for all in giving more state school pupils the opportunity and resources to study Latin, Classical Greek, Ancient History and Classical Civilisation.

 

The linguistic links between Latin and English were the initial fascination for me, and enough of a spark to pursue Latin further and find my talent. Then I eventually transitioned to studying Classical Greek too, developing an interest in historical writing and rhetoric, and eventually leading to study Classics at university and a route into Law.

 

I have had the privilege to study Latin at school. It has also been a privilege for me to share my passion for Latin and Classical Greek for over ten years to independent and state school students alike, and it has been so rewarding to see them do so well. I look forward to even more students seizing this opportunity in the future… carpe diem!

Academic Support

If you’d like to find out more about learning Latin with an expert tutor, please contact us. We also offer online tutoring, and academic mentoring  across a variety of subjects. If you’re interested in studying classics at university (especially at Oxford or Cambridge) then connect with us as our academic and university mentors can offer invaluable insights and guidance on the admissions process and including tutors for university students.

Categories
Homeschooling

Is Homeschooling Right for My Child?

With homeschooling becoming more common, you might be wondering if this could be an option for your child. There are many benefits to homeschooling, particularly for families who need to relocate frequently. Home education is not the best option for every child, as we understand that each individual has a different learning style. Alternative options that could be considered are remote tutoring or mentoring support.

 

This blog aims to help you identify whether homeschooling could be right for you and your child, by answering the following questions:

  • What is homeschooling?
  • Who might homeschooling be good for?
  • What are the benefits of homeschooling?
  • What are the alternatives to homeschooling?
  • How can Think Tutors help?

At Think Tutors, we offer homeschool tutoring support tailored to your child’s learning style and needs. You can contact us online to find out more about how we can support your child with tuition.

What Is Homeschooling?

Elective Home Education (EHE), commonly referred to as homeschooling, is where a child’s education occurs outside of school. Home education can be undertaken on a short-term or long-term basis, depending on what works best for you.

Your child’s education is extremely important, therefore you must think carefully when considering if homeschooling is right for your child. You might take the following questions into consideration:

  • Is homeschooling in your child’s best interests?
  • What does your child think about being home educated?
  • Do you have the time, resources and home environment to adequately educate your child?
  • Are there any alternatives to homeschooling that might suit your child better?
  • Do you, as a parent or guardian, have enough support from others? Homeschooling in the UK can be difficult and you need a good support system in place for yourself
  • What are your long-term intentions for your child’s education? Is homeschooling temporary, short-term or permanent?

At Think Tutors, our homeschool tutoring complements your child’s home education. Our expert tutors can travel around the world with you, if required, to ensure your child has educational stability no matter where they are. Get in touch to find out more about how we can help support your child’s educational journey.

Who Might Homeschooling Be Good For?

Homeschooling in the UK tends to be the most effective option for children and families for the following reasons:

  • Convenience – You may not have any issues with your child’s current education but want to go full time with a homeschool tutor because it is more convenient. Home education cuts down on travel expenses and saves you precious time that can be better spent elsewhere.
  • Health Issues – There can be hundreds, or even thousands, of children studying in a single school at any one time. If your child has health issues, keeping them away from the crowded school environment may help to protect from viruses or colds spread around the school. If your child has a mental health condition such as anxiety, the school environment can be overwhelming which could have a negative impact on their overall mental health.
  • Special Educational Needs – Sometimes, children with special educational needs do not have their requirements met in schools, particularly those that are not experienced or have the necessary facilities. Homeschooling is a personal, unique type of education that ensures your child’s requirements and special educational needs are met to help support them in their skills and growth, and most importantly making it a place they feel safe and happy.
  • Bullying – If your child is being bullied at school, or you feel that they are being treated unfairly by teachers, opting for homeschool tutoring support may help to prevent their education and mental well-being from being impacted in a negative way.
  • Relocation –  At Think Tutors, our homeschool tutors can travel with you around the world, and even relocate with you. We understand that, due to personal circumstances, some families have to relocate multiple times a year; this is common if someone within the household travels for work, or is in the armed  forces. As a result, one of the advantages of homeschooling is your child’s education will not be disrupted from frequently moving schools.
  • Covid-19 – The pandemic has seen a rise in homeschooling in the UK. Homeschooling can be undertaken on a short-term, temporary basis or can be made permanent for the entirety of your child’s school life. If you are concerned about the disruption that Covid-19 has had on your child’s education, or you still do not feel comfortable with your child mixing with other school children, you may opt to homeschool instead.

Homeschooling might not be the best option for all children, it is important to take that into consideration when thinking about home education for your child. If you do decide that homeschool tutoring is the best option for your child, you’ll need to take into consideration their current academic level. At Think Tutors, we offer academic assessments in each subject at every level, in order to help understand your child’s overall academic abilities including strengths and areas where additional support might be needed.

What are the benefits of Homeschooling?

Although homeschooling in the UK is not right for every child, there are many benefits of homeschooling that you should know about:

  • Unique, tailored learning – Homeschooling your child means  they receive a personalised education that is unique to them. Depending on what your child responds best to, what they enjoy, how they learn and their personal requirements, you can tailor their learning to get the most out of their homeschool tutoring.
  • Flexibility and freedom – Homeschooling in the UK does not need to follow the national curriculum which means your child has the freedom to study any subject they choose. This means they can concentrate on their strengths and weaknesses in different subjects. The flexibility of homeschooling is particularly useful during exam seasons as lessons can be adapted to prepare your child for their exams, whether that be through focusing on a specific subject or working on their time management skills.
  • Increased emotional and physical safety – One of the biggest advantages of homeschooling is that it removes your child from the school environment. This can protect their physical and emotional safety, for example, if they are being bullied or have mental or physical health conditions. If you are planning on removing your child from the school system for health reasons, our remote tutoring can complement your homeschooling efforts without your child leaving the house. Find out more about the benefits of remote tutoring, and whether this could be a good option for you and your child.
  • Stability – Children need stability to thrive, but Covid-19 has meant that the last two years have been uncertain. This may have been confusing and disruptive for your child’s education. One of the benefits of homeschooling is the stability it provides. Whether your family needs to relocate frequently, or if you are still cautious about Covid-19, UK homeschooling provides an alternative option to attending school.
  • Less stress – Homeschooling reduces stress for a child in many ways. Even if you decide to follow the national curriculum, you are able to follow it according to your child’s requirements, preventing unnecessary stress. Most schools have a heavy focus on mock assessments and exams, you can prepare your child for their exams according to their learning style.

There are many advantages of homeschooling, from flexibility to stability. You might however be concerned about your child’s socialisation skills if homeschooling, in this case there are other options such as, face to face tutoring support or even mentoring support which allows your child to attend school and can be provided outside of school hours.

 

Whether your child is in their younger years, or studying for their A Levels, Think Tutors provide tutoring support for all stages to help students flourish academically.

What are the Alternatives to Homeschooling?

If you are questioning whether homeschooling is the best option for your child, the answer could be no. Although there are many benefits of homeschooling, not all children will thrive in an elective home education environment. As a parent or guardian, you might also decide that homeschooling is not the right choice for you either.

 

You might decide against homeschooling for the following reasons:

  • Work-life balance – Your child’s home environment will also be their working environment, you might find that they struggle to maintain a work-life balance.
  • Reduction in socialisation – Although homeschooling can create experiences that are tailored to your child’s learning style, they will not experience the ‘standard’ experiences of a school pupil.

If you decide that homeschool tutoring is not the right choice for your child, there are alternatives to homeschooling that you should consider, such as:

Legal Responsibilities of Parents or Guardians

As a parent or guardian you take sole responsibility for the following:

 

  • Ensuring that your child is being adequately educated – You do not need to be the person who teaches your child. You could hire a homeschooling tutor or make use of online tutoring services, such as the tutoring support that Think Tutors offers.
  • All Costs – You must cover all the costs of education, including exam or assessment fees.
  • Any special educational needs/requirements – Local authorities are not required to provide extra support for your child, it is up to you to meet their requirements

Taking sole responsibility means that you could be held accountable by local authorities and be given a School Attendance Order if your child is not being adequately educated.

 

There are different types of homeschooling, so flexi-schooling is an option to consider if you are concerned about taking sole responsibility for your child’s education. Flexi-schooling means that your child splits their education between an education provider, such as a school, and home education.

Contact Think Tutors

There are many benefits of homeschooling in the UK because it provides unique learning opportunities that are tailored to your child’s personal requirements. Home education has the flexibility and freedom to focus on strengths and weaknesses of particular subjects, rather than being limited by the national curriculum. It is also more convenient as it reduces travel, time, and hassle if you frequently relocate, as our homeschool tutors can travel with you around the world.

 

If you are still wondering ‘is homeschooling right for my child?’ you might decide to consider alternatives to homeschooling, such as online tutoring or mentoring. Whether your child is studying for their GCSEs, A Levels or is in their younger years, we provide tailored tutoring services available to support them.

 

If you have an enquiry about homeschool tutoring, or you want to know more about our other tuition services or mentoring support, then please contact us and we will be in touch shortly.

Categories
Homeschooling

Setting the Standard for Safeguarding in Private Tuition

Private Tutoring and Home Educating

The past 12 months of lockdown and social distancing behaviours have impacted the education sector at all levels. With schools closed for considerable periods, exam schedules torn up and some exam results ending in political headaches, it has been a tough year for schools, colleges and universities.

 

These shortcomings have highlighted the suitability of private tuition as a supplement to the problems listed above, as parents are rightly worried about the choices their children will have in the future. Private tuition can offer dedicated, one-to-one focus from a qualified tutor to help beat the uncertainty and give a child the support they deserve.

 

The recognition of this fact has led to an increase in the number of companies who are offering tuition services, often competing on price rather than quality in order to gain as much ground in the marketplace as possible. More and more evidence has emerged that, in the process of doing so, some companies are sidestepping critically important safeguarding elements that are so important to working with children.

Safeguarding

As a well-established and trusted provider of private tuition, Think Tutors has a safeguarding process that is unrivalled in its thoroughness. At the heart of this process is the fact that we treat all our tutors as a community, who share our values and strive to offer the best quality tuition to every child we work with.

 

We do not operate like many agencies do – our tutors are well known to us and we work with them in a way that benefits the child the most. From the very outset, our onboarding process is designed to evaluate the quality and suitability of tutors to work with our clients.

 

This begins with a formal interview, during which we take the time to find out about the tutor’s motivations in order to give us an understanding of how they can support the children we work with. All our tutors undergo an Enhanced DBS check, which is reviewed yearly. They are also requested to undertake, unless they otherwise have, a Safeguarding Children Level 2 course, providing an up-to-date knowledge of policies, guidance and legislation.

 

We also check two references from each tutor and explore questions related to safeguarding in their previous roles to determine suitability. We perform document and identity checks in order to satisfy ourselves that the tutors are who they say they are.

 

Once we are confident in a tutor’s abilities and satisfied that they have met all our safeguarding checks, we then send out our comprehensive onboarding pack, with codes of conduct, policies and agreements for tutors to read and sign.

 

If you would like to work with Think Tutors, or have any questions about our safeguarding process, please do get in touch.

Categories
Homeschooling

What are the Types of Tutoring Support?

What Is In-Person Tutoring?

In-person tuition with Think Tutors resumed it’s popularity since it was deemed safe to continue after the pandemic, with students of all ages benefiting from both the convenience, and chance to connect in-person with their tutor.

 

A typical session lasts between an hour and two hours and is located at your house at a time which suits you. It is important to note that all our tutors all are briefed with the latest government guidelines relating to COVID-19 before they undertake an in-person assignment.

 

In-person tuition takes many forms, as our tutors offer a personalised style for each of their students. In the past we have found that Early Years students benefit from the one-to-one attention of an in-person session, where tutors can utilise a wider variety of games and innovative methodology to keep the student engaged and learning.

 

For older students at A-Level, undergraduate and postgraduate, tutors often draw from their own academic background to use the ‘Oxford Tutorial’ system. Through this method, the student and tutor engage in critical discussions about course material, coursework, exam questions and further reading.

 

We offer in-person tuition across the UK. If you are interested, please contact us.

What Is Online Tutoring?

Often, when people think of tuition, they picture the online tuition offered by schools, universities and mass market agencies in the past two years – impersonal and fraught with technical challenges. Online tuition with Think Tutors is available with our elite professional tutors, utilises an innovative combination of online resources, and students can be taught in the comfort of their own home. With 4K webcams, professional microphones and strong WIFI, all our tutors are equipped to deliver the same level of personal service, online.

 

Sessions typically make use of a video calling platform, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype as the major form of communication, with whiteboards and collaborative working software being used to supplement learning. If you would like to learn more about how online tuition can be scheduled to help meet your child’s learning goals, please do contact us.

What Is Homeschooling?

Homeschooling has increased in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the education system, with many parents choosing to educate their children with the freedom, both logistically and educationally, to design schooling around their lifestyle. There is no typical homeschooling assignment, rather, we cater for any request, offering homeschooling both in the UK and internationally in all subjects, at all levels.

What Is Mentoring Support?

Academic mentoring is offered to students who have a solid grasp of course content, but may struggle with the other challenges presented by full-time education. For example, students may need help with scheduling, essay techniques, revision methodology or a mixture of all three. With exemplary academic backgrounds, our tutors are fluent in helping them rise to the challenges of a demanding education to meet or exceed their academic goals.

 

Typically, students undertaking GCSE’s, A-Levels, undergraduate or postgraduate study, benefit better from academic mentors, however, students of all ages and levels can find a mentor helpful. Please see our mentoring page for more information.

Contact Think Tutors

From online tutoring, to homeschool tutoring and mentoring support, this blog has provided an overview of the key types of tutoring support offered by Think Tutors.

 

We also provide a wide-range of other services, such as Admissions Advisory, summer courses, easter courses, 7/8 plus tuition and 13 plus tuition. Please do get in touch if you would like to learn more about how our bespoke educational packages can help your child meet their goals.

Categories
Homeschooling

Leadership and Mentorship

Academic Mentoring

Parents, teachers and tutors are leaders in terms of nurturing young people to find their own attributes and activities in life. At Think Tutors we offer extensive mentorship opportunities and even succession assistance as we know the importance of learning leadership skills early in life. Based on my experiences both as a tutor for over ten years and President of The Tutors’ Association for three years up to 2019, here are some attributes worth exploring:

  • Create and pursue a vision, share that vision and instil belief
  • Have passion for what you do, especially in voluntary roles
  • Find allies, build your team and learn to trust
  • Be a good listener
  • Communication – with your team and advocate to others, both internal and external stakeholders. Be prepared for a lot of conversations
  • Seek out role models
  • Seek out opportunities
  • Seek knowledge
  • Learn to manage people and expectations
  • Learn from mistakes
  • Grow emotional intelligence and self-awareness
  • Grow awareness of different constituencies, other people’s perspectives
  • Take responsibility and be accountable
  • Be decisive. Don’t be afraid to take risks
  • Be willing to make sacrifices, typically being personal ones
  • Lead by example but delegate where necessary
  • Stay strong, stay resilient and never give up!

How To Build Confidence

If you feel completely daunted by the prospect of becoming a leader, do not be afraid to ask for help. Our tutors, mentors and education directors are excellent resources with extensive professional and life experience. Moreover, there are great resources, books and motivational speeches readily accessible to support you in your ventures. I found the following books incredibly helpful during my presidential tenure:

Legacy – 15 Lessons in Leadership by James Kerr

Winning Matters by Sean Fitzpatrick

Leading by Sir Alex Ferguson with Michael Moritz

Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R Covey

Turn the Ship Around! by L. David Marquet

How to Support Your Child

When it comes to nurturing children’s independence and exploring their own goals, whether through parenting, teaching, tutoring or mentoring, identify role models in their lives. In addition, getting children to think outside the box, to try a new sport or activity, bouncing ideas off them, is a gateway to new knowledge and new experiences. The recent books You Are Awesome and Dare To Be You by Matthew Syed are a great way for children themselves to do this. Autobiographies by public figures are also good: Mud, Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls and Becoming by Michelle Obama being just two examples. There are many more out there to spur students to success.

If you would like further recommendations or want to organise new opportunities for your child through our extensive network contact Think Tutors for more information.

Categories
Topical

Using Creativity to Learn a Foreign Language

The Case for Creative Learning

Parents around the world are interested in developing their children’s creative thinking skills and providing them with creative resources. Interestingly there are numerous studies in the field of linguistics, language pedagogy and second language acquisition backing up creative writing as an effective method that engages the cognitive part of the brain, develops creativity and benefits the development of foreign language learning. It has been shown that writing activities give language learners the opportunity to improve their word and sentence formation, spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, cohesion and coherence.

 

Creative writing has been proven to engage both hemispheres of the brain, not only logic, strategy and organisation, but also imagination and emotion. Especially in the world we live in today, empathy, an aspect that creative writing not only relies on but also trains, is essential.

Learning Techniques

Language learning should be approached holistically as the broad picture matters as much as the details. Practicing creative writing in a foreign language helps you not only improve your grammatical accuracy and range of lexical resources, but also your sense of rhythm, imagination and humour. What creative writing can do compared to other language learning methods is that it encourages you to be inventive and make the most of the language you know, as you constantly try to find different ways to say the same thing or develop your ideas.

 

Sometimes less is more, so do not feel constrained or discouraged by a lack of knowledge. You do not need to be advanced in French or know all the Spanish tenses, nor do you need to master all the declensions in German to write a flash story or a short poem such as a haiku. A language learner does not need to have full control of the language studied to be creative, in fact, being creative helps you make the most of the little knowledge you have to play with. For me, creative writing activities are a true celebration of learners’ progress no matter what proficiency level they have.

 

Creative writing is a process: it takes time and dedication. Some people prefer to write their first draft as quickly as possible and then go through their text and edit it. Others prefer to reflect on each sentence written down as they had already decided on a genre, subject and format. Do not stress if you cannot come up with a good introduction: you can start writing your story fist and then decide on an introduction and conclusion at the end, once you have figured out the entire plot. What is amazing about writing creatively is that you can develop your language abilities without being under pressure, which in time helps you hone your skills. You can write a text based on your own interests, experiences, imagination and so it is one of the best ways in which you can counteract boredom. Not to mention that creative writing can be an individual, but also a collective activity. You can write a poem, a story or even a play online, with your friends, which improves not only your creativity, but also your communication and team working skills.

 

When you study foreign languages, practicing creative writing is not only effective, but also an enjoyable activity. It helps you break away from monotony, improves your language skills, nurtures your emotional intelligence and communication abilities and allows you to explore the language and the culture you are learning about without feeling under pressure. Creative writing helps you maximise your exposure to a new language, especially when travelling and social interaction are so limited these days. Step outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to write a little bit, if not every day, then once a week.

Academic Mentoring

Working with one of Think Tutor’s talented professional tutors or mentors could help you improve your writing skills, perfect your grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation, hone your personal style, as well as identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Categories
Topical

Seven Steps for Applying to Study in the UK

Register

All higher education applications in the UK are made through UCAS (University & College Admissions Service). To start with, you will need to register with UCAS and make sure that all your details are correct.

Find a Course & Apply

Use the UCAS website to research and find the right course and university or college for you. To help you choose, we recommend reading as much as possible about the subjects you’re interested in and compare them. Remember to check the entry requirements for each course which can be found on each course page. This UCAS guide explains most of the higher education terms used in the UK system. Undergraduate & Postgraduate courses have different entry requirements and processes so double check the course you’re applying to for guidance.

Oxbridge Application

If you are applying for Oxford or applying for Cambridge (you cannot apply to both unless it’s for a graduate or postgraduate degree) then you will need to approach your application with special focus. We can provide expert advice on how to do this, offering services that cover everything from support on drafting your personal statement to conducting mock interviews.

Accept your offer

After submitting your application, your university or college will be in touch to let you know if you have received an offer to study, or not. Your UCAS portal will also be updated when an institution has made a decision. An unconditional offer means that you have a place regardless of any pending exam results. A conditional offer means that you need to meet the specified entry requirements in order to secure your place. This is commonly exam results.

Arrange Funding

There are a number of scholarships and bursaries available to international students studying in the UK. View the whole list to see if you may be eligible for one

Apply for a Visa

You may well need a visa in order to study in the UK. You can do a quick check via the Government’s website to ascertain if you require one. A student visa will allow you to live and study in the UK while you are on your course. There are two main types of student visa:

 

Tier 4 (General) Student Visas – for those over the age of 16 and looking to study at a higher education level.

 

Short-Term Study Visas – for students who want to join a course that is 6 months long, or, an English language course up to 11 months long.

 

If you’re looking to work during your stay, you will need to check your visa type and your sponsoring college or university as this will determine the type of work, and the number of hours that you can carry out.

Prepare for your stay

You’ve got your offer confirmed, a student visa sorted, now you just need to pack your bags and prepare for a life studying in the UK. Don’t forget to book flights and get student accommodation sorted with plenty of time before the start of term.

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COVID-19 Catch-Up Funding: 5 Key Questions to Support Your Child’s Education

So, why are industry experts asking questions?

The latest COVID-19 tuition catch-up plan announced on the 2nd June 2021 is comprised of an £1.4bn increase in funding, reportedly to be divided between:

 

  • Schools (£580m)
  • 16-19 year-olds (£220m)
  • National Tutoring Programme (approximately £100m)
  • Department for Education (£400m)

 

Whilst doubt remains whether schools will have autonomy to allocate the funds, it has been made very clear that investment is designated solely for the purpose of catch-up tuition. Despite widespread criticism of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), it is expected the organisation will be the indirect recipient of the new funds, of which the international recruitment company, Randstad, is going to be the ‘Prime Delivery Partner’ responsible for its success. It is also unclear how exactly the increase in funds for the Department of Education relate to COVID-19 catch-up, with sources pointing to professional development as its primary use.

 

With ambiguity lingering as this eventful morning has unfolded, what are the key questions for parents, teachers, tutors and students?

How exactly are the funds going to be allocated?

Despite the UK’s increase in funding for catch-up education being considerably lower than the US (£100bn) and Netherlands (£7.3bn), the question of particulars is very pertinent.

What role are longstanding providers of professional tuition going to play in the latest catch-up effort?

Criticism of the National Tutoring Programme from respected voices of the tuition industry, such as The Tutors Association (TTA), over the quality of tuition providers has not been addressed by the recent announcement. Simply, parents, students and teachers alike have no guarantee that the tuition being delivered will be from professional tutors.

When is there going to be time for tuition in the school day?

With the core purpose of the investment catch-up, plans for a longer school day have been swept under the carpet amid reports of a shortened lunch break. Concerns remain about pupil burn-out and time for co-curricular activities.

What role will the arts, music, sport and other co-curricular activities play?

It goes without saying that the key to a well-rounded education often lies outside of core subjects. Furthermore, with concerns about student mental health rising to the forefront of the agenda for education policy makers, how much time spent on co-curricular activities, therefore, is a pertinent question for parents, teachers and students.

Are there going to be safeguarding measures in place?

With quality of tuition provided a vital factor in the success of the catch-up tuition, concerns over the safeguarding protections in place born from NTP controversies to assure parents and teachers are yet to be addressed.

 

With much left to be decided, and the future of catch-up tuition seemingly at a crossroads, Think Tutors remain poised to provide tuition to students who need it most.