Category: Online tutoring

How to answer A-level biology evaluate questions

One of the most popular requests from online A-level Biology students is “How do I answer A-level biology evaluate questions?” (AKA assessment objective 3 (AO3) questions)

Usually, these questions involve scientific data and a conclusion made by a student, journalist or politician. The idea is to discuss their conclusions and decide how much you agree.

Here are a few tips to try:

1. Don’t be afraid to agree AND disagree

Evaluate questions are usually looking for a balance of your opinions. You probably won’t agree completely, or disagree completely with a conclusion and that’s fine. The good news is there are marks for providing evidence for and against.

2. Look for “sweeping” statements

Usually “evaluate” questions are testing your ability to spot where the “story” in the science has been misinterpreted. Often the conclusion over-reaches – maybe it says a drug “cures lung disease” when the data only shows an effect on cells in dish, or in rabbits rather than humans. Look for places where the conclusion and the data are mismatched. Continue reading “How to answer A-level biology evaluate questions”

Business German tutoring – language skills in a changing world

We offer online business German tutoring for individuals and teams. Perhaps you are working for a German company? Or collaborating in one of Germany’s many academic or business sectors?

Germany leads in industry areas such as pharmaceuticals, automobiles, engineering and electronics, and  German is the most spoken native language within the EU. Having a functional understanding of “German for business” will help you to collaborate effectively with German partners and clients.

Our flexible online business German tutoring will help you:
  • Improve German language skills whether you are a beginner or sharpening your language skills.
  • Learn practical up-to-date phrases and vocabulary to help you communicate effectively with German partners and clients.
  • Prepare for relocation.
  • Practise German conversation in and around our taught sessions.
  • Strengthen and develop new and existing relationships.
  • Practise conversation around topics you suggest – preparing for a meeting or presentation perhaps (see below).
  • Improve your pronunciation and listening skills.
  • Increase your confidence when speaking German in person on during online meetings.
  • Learn the language in a way that is flexible to your schedule.
  • Get expert help in proof-reading important emails or reports.
Business German tutoring to prepare for a number of situations:business German
  • Important meetings
  • Job interviews
  • Professional development
  • Team building
  • Relocation
  • Advancing your career in a multinational company

 

Prices start from £50 per hour – please get in touch to discuss your needs.

Sessions are hosted by Sammy Ankers. I am an experienced modern foreign languages teacher, and a former Head of German with a 1st class degree in German.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sammy

Sammy@wooltontutors.co.uk

Woolton Tutors

Sammy Ankers is a specialist German tutor
Woolton Tutors

Woolton Village, Liverpool, UK and online.

 

How to revise for A-level biology (and everything else)

Students often ask for advice on how to revise. Learning is different from understanding, but we need both to get the marks in exams. We can prepare for different questions, like describe and explain, evaluate or application A-level biology questions. But sometimes there is no avoiding it – there is also a lot to learn. So how best to do it?

Here are a few tips for how to revise effectively. (I’m using “How to revise for A-level biology” as an example here, but these tips can be applied to other subjects, too): Continue reading “How to revise for A-level biology (and everything else)”

Online Italian lessons for couples

Ciao! We offer online Italian lessons for individuals and couples. These have been very popular in recent years, with Italy a well-loved travel destination, while Italian culture and food gets a warm abbraccio in the UK. Learning Italian with your partner brings a little more of Italy into your life.

Why not book an Italian taster session as the perfect Christmas gift? 🎄 🇮🇹

Couples’ sessions cost £50 per hour.

Sessions are hosted by Sammy Ankers. I am an experienced modern foreign languages teacher and I love Italy.

Our tutee couples really look forward to our sessions, where they can sit back, relax, and learn the language in a fun but practical way. Our job is help you have fun learning together – a new hobby! – and leave you prepared and confident for your next trip to Italy.

Couples’ Italian lessons are completely flexible to you, but they can involve:

  • Practical phrases and vocabulary to help you on your next trip to Italy.
  • Tools to practise Italian conversation with your partner (this can be a lot of fun!)
  • Conversation practice around your favourite topics – cookery, culture, or even your last holiday.
  • A chance to relax and slip into Italian language and culture.
  • Boosting your confidence, improving mental function and even delaying dementia.
  • While you’re having fun, you are also learning a skill that may be attractive to future employers.

Single taster sessions or blocks of sessions can be given as a gift – an ideal way to start your new hobby together!

Get in touch to book an Italian taster session as a last-minute Christmas gift and start 2024 with something new.

We wish you all a peaceful Christmas, and all the best for 2024.

Buon Natale!

Sammy, John and Woolton Tutors

 

Sammy Ankers is a specialist Italian tutor 
 Woolton Tutors

Woolton Village, Liverpool, UK and online.

 

How to prepare for mock exams in Liverpool Schools

While we’re helping students nationally and internationally, we’re also working with local Woolton and Liverpool-based GCSE and A-level students facing mock exams just before or just after the Christmas break.

Students attending schools like Calderstones School, The Liverpool Bluecoat School, St Edwards, Belvedere and Life Sciences UTC might be wondering what the mocks are, how to prepare, and what the point of them is? Well, ok – let’s answer those questions:

Mock exams – what are they?

Both GCSE and A-level courses have mock exams designed to mimic the experience of the formal exams at the end of your course. The difference is they are not assessed nationally, but by your school. The school can choose their own dates, and also to set the content for the test.

Mock exams – how do I prepare?

Your teachers will give you a list of topics that may come up in the mock exams. If you’re in the first year of your course, this list may be pretty short. During revision, make sure you understand the topics on the list, then: practise, practise, practise! Find past papers on the exam board’s website (here is AQA and Edexcel). If you’re in the first year, stick to “paper 1” and skip any questions on topics that aren’t on your revision list.

Mock exams – what’s the point?

Mock exams give you valuable experience of the exam setting – questions against the clock in a room with your classmates. Take advantage of the chance to test yourself. Yes, your teacher will record your marks and follow you progress but that’s only to help you. Don’t be put off by the idea of the exam – treat it with curiosity – how well do you actually know the subject?

Good luck to all of our students, from home here in Liverpool or abroad and around the world. Hope your mocks go well.

Of course if you’d like some help preparing we can help with GCSE maths and sciences and A-level biology tutoring.

John.
Dr John Ankers
Woolton Tutors

John grew up in Liverpool, went to Bishop Martin Primary School, The Liverpool Blue Coat School, The University of Liverpool for an undergraduate degree, and back again for a PhD. He set up Woolton Tutors in 2014. He is also a parent governor at Woolton Primary School.

How to move from GCSE to A-level – tips for students and parents

A-levels can be a big step up from GCSE. There are more details, more depth and often some satisfying answers to questions left over from earlier lessons. For this reason, A-level subjects can feel like they make more sense than GCSE courses, while being more challenging.

Students sometimes wonder how to prepare for this leap. Parents often ask how they can best support their child in moving from GCSE to A-level, especially in subjects they themselves didn’t study at school. Don’t worry!

The transition to A-level doesn’t need to be scary, and what happens at home can be a big help – you may even have fun doing it.

Keep the end in sight when moving from GCSE to A-level

The good news is that, like GCSE, each A-level exam course has a clear path – its specification. Often, students are aware each exam board (AQA, Edexcel, OCR etc.) provides a course specification but often they don’t make use of it. It’s there for you to download. Treat it like a reference guide – it might not be bedtime reading, but it shows you where you are and what’s coming up. It also has some tips for what the exam questions will look like.
(As an example, here is a link to the AQA A-level biology specification) Continue reading “How to move from GCSE to A-level – tips for students and parents”

Online tutoring for expat children – is it right for you?

For expat students, online tutoring offers flexibility and the  comfort of learning from your own home. With a recent increase in popularity, online education allows expat students to take their pick from a huge choice of international qualifications (such as British/ UK International GCSE and International A-levels).

Expat families often hire online tutors to complement school learning with one-to-one support, wherever they are in the world.

Here we look at the pros and cons of hiring an online tutor for your children, and how to find the right tutor for you. I hope to give you the benefit of my experience as an online tutor and consultant specialising in science and maths tutoring for expats. Continue reading “Online tutoring for expat children – is it right for you?”

How to answer A-level Biology essay questions

The Synoptic essay question on paper 3 of the AQA A-level biology course carries 25 marks, so doing well can make a big difference to your overall grade. The essay encourages you to think across different topics (some call this “synoptic” or “holistic” thinking). This is also valuable for other areas of the exams, particularly the application questions.

Here are a few tips for tackling your A-level biology essay: (As an example, let’s use the title “The importance of movement in cells and tissues”)

  1. Think broadly…

Essay titles are deliberately vague to give you the chance to show your knowledge in a variety of topics. To help you to choose what’s most relevant, look out for subjective words like “movement” and “cells”. Think of the possible alternatives. “Cells”, for example, hints that you could discuss plants, animals, single-celled organisms etc. in your essay. “Movement” could mean short distances (across a membrane) or much further (circulation or mass flow) or even the whole tissue moving (phototropism). Continue reading “How to answer A-level Biology essay questions”

FIVE last-minute exam tips

Here are a few last-minute exam tips to help GCSE, A-level and international students with your exams. Let me know if they work for you – or if you’d add any more 😊

  1. Read the question.

This is the easiest piece of advice to follow, and the easiest to forget. Sometimes we scan a question quickly, spot a few key words and make an assumption about how to answer without reading on. I can’t understate this – please read the question. Read it twice. There might be clues in there. This is particularly important for questions with data and diagrams – make sure you understand what the chart shows before starting on your answer. Continue reading “FIVE last-minute exam tips”

Hiring an online tutor from the UK

Our job is to make hiring a British tutor in the UK as easy as possible for international students. We are currently working with online tutees in Dubai, The USA, China and Europe who are working towards UK exams like GCSE and A-levels as well as IB, IGCSE and International A-levels.

Many of our international students are ex-pats looking to return to the UK, or students who move around a lot.

We work to support their learning, answering questions they may have from taught lessons in international schools. Exam practice is also popular!

Our aim in to support you wherever you are – we are even on hand in-between taught sessions via Skype for troubleshooting on specific topics.

Our sessions are clear and focussed but also supportive and friendly. We are flexible around our student’s lives, fitting in around busy schedules – and time zones! If you are an international student, or perhaps a British ex-pat looking for extra help for your child please get in touch to see if we can help.

Dr John Ankers
Specialist in online biology tutoring
www.wooltontutors.co.uk

Continue reading “Hiring an online tutor from the UK”