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I’ve been teaching English as a foreign language since 2014, and have worked in the UK, Italy, Poland and Hungary. I’ve taught at Whitgift Summer School since 2017 and it’s definitely one of the highlights of my year! Not only are the facilities and activities fantastic, but I feel that all the staff at Whitgift Summer School care about their students and always go above and beyond to help them reach their full potential.

When schools closed in March 2020, my classroom moved online overnight. I’d been against the idea of teaching and learning online for years, but when I logged in and saw my class waving and smiling at me, I realised it couldn’t be that bad! Since then, I have also participated as a student in online learning, so I have seen it from both sides of the coin. Online learning has both helped us stay connected and to keep our learning moving forwards. It’s shown me just how resilient, creative and adaptable my students are. As teachers, we have worked hard to create experiences which replicate the learning you would do in the real life classroom.

What are the advantages of online learning? Online learning forces you to focus on your pronunciation and the clarity of your speech. It requires you to listen carefully to your classmates while developing your non-verbal communication. It has provided so many opportunities for developing our writing, and has allowed us to use the huge range of reading and listening texts available online. In some ways, it has also made collaborative learning easier. That’s as well as all the things you would be learning in-person too. Of course, I’m sure my students would say that the main advantage of online learning is being able to do it in your pyjama bottoms!

Whitgift Summer School’s online course is looking to be a wonderful opportunity for students from all over the world to develop their English. Just like at the regular summer school, you’ll be able to make friends from all over the world while improving your English. A preparation course like the one Whitgift is offering, will put you in a good position to start your studies in English - whether that’s this year or further down the line. In addition to developing your language, you’ll also develop your study skills in English. Academic reading, writing, speaking and listening is very different to general English, but with this course you’ll be better prepared to undertake this challenge.

My top tip for improving your English is reading. Luckily, reading is something you can continue to do, even in a global pandemic! Why is reading so beneficial for your language skills? Reading helps you develop your vocabulary and grammatical knowledge. It’s often said you have to see or hear a word 15 times before you’re able to use it naturally when speaking and writing. Reading is a good way to see those words. And what about grammar? While you might know the rules for different grammatical features, reading will help you see these features used in context. The more you see it, the easier it’ll be to use it.