James Kavanagh

I hold a Master's in Applied Linguistics from the University of Birmingham and a CELTA qualification. My first year after graduation was spent teaching English in Madrid, which gave me an invaluable perspective on the challenges second-language learners face.

Since returning to Birmingham, I have focused exclusively on English language exam preparation. I know the IELTS, Cambridge (FCE, CAE, CPE), and TOEFL formats inside out. More importantly, I understand the specific traps each exam sets and how to avoid them.

My method for IELTS is systematic: we work through each paper methodically, building skills in ascending difficulty. For writing, I teach templates that are flexible enough to handle any prompt while demonstrating the lexical range and grammatical accuracy examiners look for. For speaking, we do extensive role-play in simulated exam conditions.

I track every student's practice scores on a spreadsheet so we can visualise progress and identify plateaus early. Most of my students achieve their target score within two to three months of regular sessions. I am particularly effective with students stuck at Band 6 who need to reach Band 7 or above.