PGCE-qualified French tutor with over 10 years' experience teaching adults and schoolchildren

Find out more about Adam

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I don't have any family who speak French or Spanish - I had some excellent teachers in school who pushed me to learn as much as I could. By the time I went to university, where I studied French and Spanish, I was extremely motivated to learn as much as I could!

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  Honestly, no - French and Spanish are spoken so widely throughout the world, and by so many people, that I'd hate to reduce them to one person.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behavior in the language that you particularly like?

  French has a way of repeating elements of a sentence for emphasis - for example, the 'il' and 'lui' in the sentence "Il est content, lui" refer to the same person. I can't put my finger on why, but it's a speech pattern that I really enjoy!

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Learning languages in general is important to me because there's so much to learn - at the level of vocabulary, grammatical rules and pronunciation, and at the level of learning new ways of describing and learning about the world. French and Spanish were the first languages I learned besides my own, which gives them a special place for me. Plus, learning these languages has given me opportunities to meet wonderful people who I wouldn't have met otherwise.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  With French it's the sound-spelling connection - the rules are fairly simple, but very different from a lot of other languages. It's a challenge to get your head around, but once you do it can really unlock your listening and speaking skills. With Spanish - I learned European Spanish - I found the speed that people speak at really intimidating at first. It's something you can learn with practice though.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  I remember when I first started French and Spanish A-levels, the number of lessons per week increased; the expectations of how quickly I would progress increased too. I found that the increased challenge pushed me to improve very quickly - I started spending a lot of time memorising vocabulary and verb endings. I think some of the work I did then might not have been the most effective use of my study time, but I was also learning how to learn a language! I do think that the period of pushing myself to discover as much as I could was very valuable.

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  I spent time in France and Spain as part of my degree. In both places, making friends (who I'm still in touch with) was extremely valuable for learning the language. Firstly because it gave me a reason to improve, because I wanted to communicate with these new people I'd met. And secondly because using a language in a real setting makes you pick up little bits and pieces of language and culture that are impossible to learn in the classroom.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  I absolutely love language learning, am always learning a new language, and am always trying new tricks and techniques on myself. I've got years of experience, and am qualified to teach all ages. A particular interest of mine is identifying the particular needs that my students have, and discussing ways that I can help with them. This could mean a kind of vocabulary somebody needs to master - for work, for example, or it could mean finding ways to help people overcome nervousness around speaking or writing. Inclusive teaching is extremely important to me - I have ADHD, which means that I know from first-hand experience that what works for one student does not work for all. I am always ready to discuss ways of learning and engaging with a language that work for you as a student.