CUNNINGHAM CLASSROOM

Quality support for attaining

Excellence in English

National 5, Higher, Advanced Higher, A level

Contact e-mail: tutoring@cunninghamclass.co.uk

What does tutoring support offer?

Students who may experience difficulty in the mainstream classroom will benefit enormously from one-to-one support, as we can focus on problematic areas and strengthen understanding where required. Whilst our aim is always to achieve the best possible examination result, the learning and route to that goal has to be both enjoyable and tailored to the individual student. The key to success will lie in ascertaining a student's level of understanding and skill, and to challenge and extend these in line with SQA standards.

Tutoring support offered with:

National Five

Close Reading (suited to one-to-one or paired work for cross pollination of ideas)
Critical Essay (can be undertaken in a pair or small group but only if all students are studying the same literature)
Scottish Text (can be undertaken in a pair or small group but only if all students are studying the same literature)
Coursework (creative and argumentative writing can only be undertaken on a one to one basis)

Higher

Close Reading (suited to one-to-one or paired work for cross pollination of ideas)
Critical Essay (can be undertaken in a pair or small group but only if all students are studying the same literature)
Scottish Text (can be undertaken in a pair or small group but only if all students are studying the same literature)
Coursework (creative and argumentative writing can only be undertaken on a one to one basis)

Advanced Higher

Literary Study/Dissertation/Textual Analysis and Creative Writing (best suited to one to one tutor support because of the level of complexity)

A-level

Study of wide variety of Literature to University level (best suited to one to one tutor support because of the level of complexity)

Support with proof reading right up to undergraduate level ; writing of UCAS Personal Statements and pre-exam support for S1 and S2 pupil is also available and rates negotiable in line with time commitments.

Click Here for Pricing and Availability

Gail Cunningham - contact e-mail: tutoring@cunninghamclass.co.uk

Covering St Andrews, Cupar and East Neuk + Zoom/Teams anywhere

Based in Crail, I am a teacher of English with over 30 years of experience both in the maintained and independent sector. A graduate with a first-class honours degree in English, I have extensive knowledge of teaching at all levels – from Primary core literary and comprehension right through to Advanced Higher and A Level. I am a qualified ESU debating coach with over 30 years’ experience of training. During my time at McLaren High in Callander I coached and trained the national winners of the Debating Matters Competition, and was national finalists in the ESU Mace and Scottish Juniors.

For the last eleven years I have taught English at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. This involved presenting at A Level and GCSE Language and Literature. This involved working within my subject at the highest level; many of the students were aiming at Oxbridge entrance. Literary context, using critical opinion and constructing a line of persuasive argument are transferable skills at the core of any literary argument – and are particularity relevant to the teaching of Higher and Advanced Higher.

I aim to offer the highest quality of one to one teaching. This can be completed using Zoom / Teams or face to face with social distancing measures in place if required. I have enhanced disclosure under the PVG scheme.

With Higher English I can offer support with close reading and all literature essay writing including the compulsory Scottish text. The teaching of literature does require extensive preparation and does require one to one support. This can only be done in a paired or group situation if the students are all answering on the same literature.

However, close reading can be taught individually, but is best undertaken in pairs or as a small group activity. Indeed, I consider the process of close reading often involves unlocking a code; a code better understood when more than one mind grapples with it.

Homework will be set and marked in relation to all these aspects of the course. All students must make a real effort to complete the homework set, as feedback on this will be crucial to the learning process.

With regards coursework, support can be offered with both the creative and the argumentative essay. Again, this necessitates a one-to-one approach, as it requires research and preparation.

Support can also be given with the writing of UCAS Personal Statements.

Reviews from 2022 students:

Gail helped with all aspects of both my Higher and National 5 exams, going from having had little idea how to structure folios and critical essays, to getting full marks in both. It really showed the benefits of Gail's approach. Beginning Higher I got Cs in most of my mock tests, but with the help of Gail I managed to get As consistently. I couldn’t recommend her enough. She’s really easy to talk to, and listens to all of your ideas, adding her own comments here and there. Having Gail on a regular schedule and seeing her enthusiasm and dedication to English really motivated me to keep on going. She organised everything clearly and explained everything in a comprehensible fashion making the course seem relatively easy - AP (Peebles Academy)

Gail is superb. I would not have achieved over 90 percent at National Five without Gail’s help. Coursework support, critical essay planning and writing and the skills needed for close reading meant that I entered the exam as a confident student - TA (Dunfermline High School)

I was studying at Advanced Higher and was very much left to my own with challenges of the dissertation. Gail helped me clarify the literary angle and how to use secondary sources and critics. She was also able to support with the creative writing and really listened to my suggestions. She offered concrete advice on how to turn ideas into something meaningful. I was predicted a fail and ended up with a B pass - JC (St Mungo’s High School)

Gail really helped with the literature preparation for the May exam. I had no idea how to plan and write critical essays. Each time we met up via zoom we looked at a different essay question and I was shown how to use text evidence and topic sentences. It really helped my confidence. I ended up going from a C at prelim to an A pass - JS (Mary Erskine School, Edinburgh)

I have worked with Gail for two years – one year with Zoom during Covid, and the other with face-to-face teaching. Her enthusiasm and commitment has really help me at National 5 and Higher level – A passes achieved at both. The help with critical essay writing and coursework has been brilliant, as these were the hardest parts of the course. I cannot recommend her enough - HP (Peebles Academy)

Useful Links

SQA: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/70972.html

UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/

Poetry Society: https://poetrysociety.org.uk/

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