Sharon

Specialist SEN Tutor – Building Trusting, Meaningful Relationships

I have over twenty years' experience working with children and young people, including extensive specialist work with both primary and secondary-aged students with Special Educational Needs.

At the heart of my practice is relationship. Young people learn best when they feel safe, understood and respected. I take time to understand each student's strengths, interests, anxieties and aspirations, creating a calm, predictable environment where trust can develop.

For many young people with additional needs, previous school experiences may have affected confidence or self-belief. My approach is patient, consistent and relational, ensuring that learning begins from a place of emotional safety. I work closely with families where appropriate, recognising that consistency between home and tutoring strengthens outcomes.

Teaching GCSE English

I am an English specialist with substantial experience teaching GCSE English Language and Literature. I have also examined GCSE English Literature, giving me strong insight into assessment expectations and marking criteria.

My GCSE teaching focuses on:

• Developing analytical writing with clarity and structure
• Building academic vocabulary and subject terminology
• Teaching essay planning and timed responses
• Strengthening inference and interpretation skills
• Reducing exam anxiety through structured preparation

For students with SEN, I adapt materials carefully to maintain academic rigour while ensuring accessibility and confidence.

Primary English and Maths

I have significant experience teaching Primary English and Maths as class teacher in Years 1/2/3/4/5 and 6 over many years. This enables me to secure foundational literacy and numeracy skills where gaps may be contributing to later difficulties.

In Primary English, I focus on:

• Phonics and spelling development
• Reading fluency and comprehension
• Sentence construction and grammar
• Building vocabulary and expressive language

In Primary Maths, I prioritise:

• Number sense and fluency
• Mathematical reasoning
• Secure understanding of place value and calculation methods
• Reducing maths anxiety through structured practice

This breadth across phases allows me to identify and address underlying misconceptions, ensuring students build strong foundations before moving to more complex material.

Supporting Dyslexia and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)

I have extensive experience supporting young people with dyslexia as well as experience working with students with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

My teaching includes:

• Explicit instruction in morphology (prefixes, suffixes, roots)
• Structured vocabulary development
• Scaffolded writing frameworks
• Alternative recording strategies where needed
• Use of assistive technology and planning tools
• Sensory and motor-aware adaptations to support organisation and written output

For students with DCD, I am mindful of processing speed, working memory demands, handwriting fatigue and organisation challenges. I adapt tasks to reduce unnecessary cognitive load while preserving intellectual challenge.

I ensure that literacy or coordination difficulties do not mask a student's intelligence. The focus is always on enabling them to demonstrate understanding confidently and successfully.

Teaching Study Skills and Executive Functioning

I explicitly teach revision strategies, exam preparation, note-making, and independent study skills.

This includes:

• Breaking down long-term tasks into achievable steps
• Using visual revision systems
• Teaching retrieval practice techniques
• Supporting planning and sequencing
• Developing sustainable routines
• Strengthening organisation and time management

These skills are particularly valuable for students with executive functioning difficulties, including those with DCD or working memory challenges. They empower students beyond individual subjects and increase long-term independence.

Social Communication and Language Skills

I have experience supporting young people to develop social communication, emotional literacy and expressive language.

Through structured discussion, modelling and guided reflection, I support students to:

• Articulate ideas clearly
• Interpret texts and social situations
• Develop inferential understanding
• Build confidence in speaking and discussion

Where helpful, I integrate shared language around emotional regulation to support self-awareness and self-management.

Developing Confidence, Self-Esteem and Independence

Many of the young people I support have experienced frustration or repeated academic struggle. Rebuilding confidence is central to my work.

I ensure:

• Success is visible and celebrated
• Effort is recognised
• Learning is pitched carefully to stretch without overwhelm
• Students have appropriate choices and agency

As confidence grows, so does independence. My goal is always to equip young people with the skills, strategies and self-belief to manage their learning more autonomously over time.

Engaging Sessions that Inspire a Love of Learning

My sessions are interactive, structured and intellectually engaging. I draw on students' interests, use high-quality texts, and design activities that promote thinking rather than passive completion of tasks.

I believe young people thrive when learning feels purposeful and achievable. By combining specialist SEN expertise, cross-phase teaching experience, and strong subject knowledge, I aim to help each student rediscover enjoyment and pride in their learning.