Funmilayo Alimi

I have worked with learners for over ten years, mostly in the classroom as a teacher and Montessori directress. I have a TEFL certificate, a Montessori diploma and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education. Reading and comprehension are among the areas I know best, because I spent years helping children who found reading difficult.
When I meet a new student, I first find out where they are. I listen to them read and ask a few simple questions, so I know what is easy and what is hard. Then we set achievable goals. If the sounds are weak, I go back to phonics and use rhymes, pictures and hands on activities. If the student can read but does not understand, we slow down and talk about the text together.
A normal lesson starts with a short warm up. We read a text together, and I let the student do as much of the reading as they can. Then we talk about it. I begin with easy questions like who and what, and move to harder ones like why, and what do you think will happen next. We finish with a short activity or game and a quick recap, and I tell the student what to practise before the next lesson.
I teach live online lessons to both young learners and adults, and I use games and interactive tools to keep lessons fun. I keep track of progress and update parents, so they can see how their child is improving.
My lessons are calm and friendly. I want students to feel free to try, make mistakes and enjoy reading.