Student: How much do you charge?
Kelly: I am not selling tomatoes. I cannot quote a fixed price. Even if I was selling tomatoes, prices would depend on the season, sales, etc. A professional teacher would never throw a fixed price at you without getting some backgroundi nfo.
My prices range from 9-28 euros an hour depending on what you qualify for and what you need, not just what you want.
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Student: I want the CAE-advance!
Kelly: Fantastic! Do you have the upper intermediate-FCE level?
Student: Yes! I did intermediate classes last year.
Kelly: That´s not the same.So you have the intermediate- PET? Certified?
Student: No..I have never done an exam/nobody told me to do an exam/I didn´t want to.
Kelly: Then you don´t have an intermediate level. You think you have an intermediate level. I need to give you a proper level test- for free of course, it´s part of my job!
One day later student does the test and his level is high elementary. He needs 3 years to get to advance!
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Student: I need to practise my speaking! I need conversation classes.
Kelly: Fantastic!What is your level?
Student: Intermediate.
Kelly: Certified? I need to know because my lesson plans depend on this!
Student: No..I have never done an exam/nobody told me to do an exam/I didn´t want to.
Kelly: Then you don´t have an intermediate level. You think you have an intermediate level. I need to give you a proper level test- for free of course, it´s part of my job!
Student: And I want to speak more at work!
Kelly: That´s not general english. That´s business english. But you said you want to practise your fluency before. At your existing level. Do you also want to improve your level?
Student: What do you mean?
Kelly: Do you want to develop your speaking skills at your level-intermediate- or improve your level? raise your level?
Student: Yes!
Kelly: Then you don´t need conversation classes. You need a proper CEFR-aligned program. You need to develop all the skills- reading, writing, listening, AND speaking!
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Student: I want to do advance classes.I have the FCE. I got it 2-10 years ago.
Kelly: Fantastic! But you can´t, yet! You need a refresher course first because if you haven´t maintained your level, in all likehood you forgot a lot.
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Student: I want to do the advance.I have the FCE. I want to do the CAE exam in 3 months.
Kelly: I want to be an astronaut...but it´s not gonna happen! Let´s be realistic! Even if you can dedicate 40 hours a week to classes AND study time and even if you have a strong B2 -FCE level, no serious teacher would guarantee exam success in that time frame. It isn´t impossible; if there were special circumstances at play, with students who had lived abroad for years, did a Master in english, etc. But in general, I advise against it. 3 months isn´t enough time to incorporate the syllabus. And that reflects in the Proficiency program, too. The students who pass the C1 in 3 months are students who already have the C1 level, so all they need is exam prep. Let´s not confuse the two!
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Student: I don´t want books. I have never finished a single book I bought in my life! And I never learnt anything!
Kelly: You never had me as your teacher. I don´t get paid for fun and games. My teaching is result- driven and I need proper tools to do that. Don´t blame the books. Blame your past teacher for not doing his/her job properly.
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Student: How much do you charge, what´s your availabilty and can you come to my house?
Kelly: First of all, I do not share this information over the phone. Secondly, I need to meet my students in person. Some people might not care about who they hire, but I definitely care about who I will invest in. I have a lot of respect for what I do and I am fully aware of the resposibility that comes with it. For individual adults, getting a certificate might transform their lives. For companies, the HR needs to know the budget will be put to good use.
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Student: I don´t want an exam.
Kelly: If you are going to invest time, money and energy in language training, I have an obligation to inform you that certification, even if you do not need it, is proof that can only benefit you. I have an obligation to give you some facts that will allow you to make an educated decision as far as certification goes.
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If you cannot find 30 min. to meet me in person so I can assess your level and needs, and explain how I work then I cannot estimate what type of program you need, nor the cost.