Your Tutor Ella
Ella has been an EFL tutor for over 15 years and enjoys arranging outdoor learning with students in and around London. Combining English training with cultural and historically oriented trips, Ella finds this method of teaching fun and incredibly effective for ongoing independent learning. Here Ella tells us more about the interesting trips and experiences she combines with her English tuition, to create a fully immersive training experience.
About Me
My own independent travel and language experiences started when I was 18 with a gap year trip to India, Thailand and Laos (and this was well before smart phones telling you what to do!) I headed back to Southeast Asia whenever I could through my late teens and early twenties, eventually participating in a 2-year long VSO Education programme in Cambodia. This set the course for my work-life experience that has held people and communication at its heart ever since then. Landing back in London in 2009, after a deeply enriching and extraordinary time over-seas, I trained professionally to teach English in language centres, and more recently became a Fellow in Higher Education at Regent’s University.
Course Overview
In our understanding, Trips and Activities in and around London are the best way to put your English straight into practice and experience natural and spontaneous conversations with fellow learners and tourists. What better way to learn English, than to see and talk about the city stopping off at cute cafes, and people watching wherever you go!
Having taught English in London to young people and adults from all over the world (for over 15 years) I have had plenty of opportunities to get out and about in London, delving into the rich history of the city I was born in, whilst designing trips. I always find it makes our communication and use of language come alive when we leave the classroom and simply wander about places, taking time to absorb and express things more naturally.
Ferry to Greenwich
One of the most memorable trips I’ve led is a boat ride down the Thames to Greenwich village, before a gentle walk up to the Royal Observatory and a playful time jumping over ‘the line’ of time! Taking in the city scenes from the water often opens up a deeper sense of the changing landscape of London over centuries past, and photos of Tower Bridge and the City never fail to impress! On arrival at Greenwich Pier, we ambled through the old town, weaving in between street food markets and creative arts stalls and into Greenwich Park, where we headed for the world-famous original Greenwich Meantime Line. It’s a popular place to ponder time and space, up there looking back at the city and the eastern meandering of the river on its way out to sea. The museum itself holds many a fascinating object for those who enjoy knowledge of nautical navigation.
South Bank
The South Bank is another place to meander along the river, this time with a walk towards the Tate Modern as our destination for arty tours of weirdness and wonder, where exploring your creative expression comes to the fore – pick this for all your wildest wonderings to find their imaginative home!
Richmond-Upon-Thames
West of the city centre is one of my favourite spots, Richmond, another old town set on the River Thames. Here we explore alleyways with little treasure troves to be found, or head across the green to the old castle walls for a bit of Elizabethan history. And for those who are more energetically inclined, a walk up the hill into Richmond Park provides the nature hit and expansive river views; you can see right out to the South Downs from a place of inspiration for poets over the centuries at Henry’s Mound. All this topped off with a cream tea at Pembroke Lodge relaxing on the terrace, if you’ve a sweet tooth!
Other Locations
Kew Gardens – World Climate Education, Nature and Conservation projects
The British Library – Language and Culture
Tate Britain – Classical Art and architecture near Westminster (North Bank)
South Kensington
Contact us today to book an English Immersion Course in London – info@languagetraining.com