If you cannot find the answer you are looking for, please, send us an email, contact us by phone or fill up the form on this site with your questions and we will reply asap. If you require us to call you back either send us a txt msg by phone or using the form mentioning the best time to contact you.
-
How many lessons can I have per week?
You choose how many hours and when you would like your lessons. You can have as little as 1-hour lesson
per week or do an intensive course.
Back to overview
-
Do I have to pay upfront?
Yes. Students attending a group pay in blocks of 10-12 lessons at a time, depending on the lenght of term. Private students pay in blocks of 5 lessons.
Back to overview
-
Where will the lessons take place?
Lessons generally take place at our classrooms in Shepherds Bush - West London, but you can have your lessons
at a venue you choose; your house, office, a cafe ,etc. We also teach via Zoom worldwide.
Back to overview
-
Do I have to buy a book?
It is up to you. I use my own grammar book, called DIA A DIA, available on amazon, volumes 1 & 2 for your lessons, but it is not compulsory to buy any of the books, as I can provide hand-outs for your tuition. They are not photocopies of the books, but based on the books. If you decide to buy the book for your lessons I can advise you which one is the right one for you, as at the moment I have two grammar books published. DIA A DIA volume 1 - from beginner to intermediate and DIA A DIA volume 2 - from intermediate to advanced level. Although the hand-outs I use are in black and white they very similar to the book. The main differences are: books in colour, with more information and you have access to most of my hand-outs in one book.
Back to overview
-
Will I gain a qualification after I complete the course?
Our groups or private tuition courses will enable you to use the language with confidence when abroad. If you intend to sit
for an exam and gain a qualification 'CELPE-Bras, GCSE, AS, A2 level', in Portuguese , we can give you all the advice and
information you need and we will prepare you for the exams. Note that: 1) we can prepare you for the OCR GCSE,
AS, A2, but you will have to find a center yourself to sit for the exam. 2) I can issue you our certificate for level achievement at the end of each level, by request.
Back to overview
-
What about CELPE-Bras? Do you prepare students for this Brazilian exam?
Yes. As I mentioned above, if our students want to sit for CELPE-Bras, we will prepare them for the exam. We use material from past papers of the exam during lessons and also our own and explain how the test runs. Students will have to achieve a good level of grammar and be able to understand a native Brazilian speaker before sitting for the exam. They will also need to be able to interact with the examiner in the oral part of the test to be able to pass the test, which has four different levels.
Back to overview
-
What is the cost for the private tuition? Are there any hidden fees?
If you attend lessons in Shepherds Bush, we charge £30 per hour for 'General Portuguese tuition' and 'Portuguese
for travellers', paid at the end of each lesson. (£28 for students paying for a block of 10 lessons in advance.)
For group lessons we operate an special rate with longer sessions. For lessons elsewhere, please contact us filling
a form on our site, as our fees will depend on the distance we will have to travel to get to you. It starts at £45 per hour.
We charge £40 per hour for lessons toward the OCR GCSE, AS, A2 level exam. (lessons in Shepherds Bush) We
have a different rate of pay for companies, depending on number of employees taking lessons and distance.
Once again we always offer discounts for pre-paid lessons and lessons longer than 1.5 hours.
Back to overview
-
What resources do you use to teach?
We use an Interactive whiteboard for the entire book one and once in a while for other levels. (An Interactive
whiteboard is the latest technology tool to teach.) On the board we project the lessons and from the board control
the whole computer. We can draw, write, show pictures, films, surf on the Internet, use Power-Point and all the
Microsoft package and many other interactive programs. -We also use CDs, DVDs, photos, games, musics, handouts,
tapes with dialogues, Slide Projector and much more.
Back to overview
-
Will I have to do homework?
Although you will always be given homework to do, I understand that this might not be of your interest or you might not have the time. I strongly recommend students to do a review of their lessons and homework at home, but it is your tuition we are talking about. If you think you don't need it or you won't have time to do it, just let me know. Also even if you accept homework you just do it when and if you have the time.
Back to overview
-
How many lessons per week for the groups?
Our groups generally have one lesson per week, unless the group agrees to meet twice or more a week. We start a group with a minimum of 2 students and my groups have a maximum of 6 students. When I have two students in a group attending a lesson it lasts for 1h. When I have 3-5 students attending a lesson it lasts for 1.5h. Any groups with 6 students, then lessons last for 2h.
Back to overview
-
Can you do a 2h session for small groups?
Yes. It will depend on the group. If the group is happy to have a two hour Brazilian Portuguese session once a week, I will be more than willing to do it. Fees are not going to be much higher.
Back to overview
