A recent report by The Daily Telegraph revealed that 72% of students in the UK used private tutoring to better prepare for their Common Entrance Exam.
Another survey by the Sutton Trust revealed that 24% of all students in Britain have used or benefited from private one on one tutoring, remote or online tutoring during their academic life.
The percentage increases to 40% for London alone!
To provide a better insight into how remote tutoring works, our experts at Gabbitas have put together some frequently asked questions and asked our highly experienced tutors to answer them.
If you are considering remote tutoring during these tough days of ‘home schooling’ do get in touch with us so we can help you choose the best solution.
Q
What is the difference between remote or online tutoring?
A
Remote and online tutoring both facilitate tuition using the latest computer technology.
Even though the terms online and remote are often used interchangeably, in the education world we define online tutoring to be when educational software is used to provide educational support. It is often tailored to the specific needs of a student. It is often used for teaching languages, verbal and non-verbal comprehension practice.
Remote tuition is a ‘live’ albeit a remote activity with screen sharing between a tutor and a student using an online video chat service such as Skype and Zoom. It is essentially ‘one on one’ tutoring done remotely through the delivery channel.
Whilst online tuition can be beneficial for a student’s improvement in understanding a particluar subject, remote tuition, in our experience, gives better results in the long term.
Q
Why do I need remote tuition?
A
Tuition has always been an important part of the British education system. We know this, as our business began with tuition and we have been working with high quality tutors for close to 150 years.
Gabbitas has tutored a wide range of international students from the young actors in the Harry Potter films to members of the Royal Family. We work with tutors who have a passion for education plus a strong academic background. Our tutors include qualified teachers and Oxbridge graduates.
Given the current circumstances as a result of Covid-19, social distancing and uncertainty on exam procedures, remote tuition has become even more important in helping towards academic success.
What GCSE students are currently facing is great uncertainty – when will teachers have to submit GCSE grades, which grades will be given based on the work students provided so far? Tough questions indeed at this important stage
Some of the grades will be awarded with work that students will need to submit from a distance if schools do not reopen.
That is why it is important for students to continue working hard and have a point of contact that they can consult if a subject isn’t understood.
Remote tutoring is also important for students whose predicted grades have not reflected their true potential.
These students need to study especially hard in the time between now and when final grades are submitted.
With the help of a remote tutor, families can consolidate the work a student has been doing via distant learning and bridge any gaps that might occur.
A qualified and experienced tutor will also be able to identify points of improvements for students which they can work on together.
Finally, with students being at home and having more time, remote tutoring can also open up new subject areas for students such as Greek Mythology, Creative Writing, Public Speaking, Problem Solving, Languages, Coding etc.
Q
What are the benefits of remote tutoring?
A
Academic success
It is not a secret that most students who receive tuition perform better in course work or exams than if they hadn’t received tutoring.
Remote tutoring increases the responsibility a student needs to take as exercises cannot be copied or shared with peers.
As a result, students have to work on tasks themselves and therefore increase their understanding of the subject at hand, ultimately leading to better grades.
Individual attention
Every person has a different learning style including children. A qualified tutor will work to accommodate a student’s own learning style so they can build confidence and help them become less intimidated by exams.
It is a great way to offer students more support on subjects in which they might not be as confident, as well as giving them an opportunity to ask questions they were not able to do in class.
An experienced tutor will create a stress-free environment where students can learn and express themselves without the fear of failure.
Ease of accessibility
Provided both the student and the tutor have a stable internet connection, remote tuition can take place from anywhere and by agreement with the tutor at any time.
Tutor availability
The majority of tutors hold academic degrees in the field they tutor and have an in depth knowledge of their subject.
In face-to-face tutoring a student might need to wait for the next time to ask questions, but with the use of technology they can message, e-mail or call tutors as and when it is needed.
This of course needs to be arranged with tutors individually, but in general it is common practice.
Regular feedback on Academic Progress
A remote tutor can provide parents regular feedback on the performance of their children as well as areas that need to be improved.
Some parents find this service crucial to the relationship between a tutor and the family. It not only gives a closer and more in depth indication on how their child is performing but also helps to evaluate the effectiveness of remote tuition.
If you need more information on remote tutoring and how it can benefit you or your child don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. You can always email us at info@gabbitas.com or call +44(0) 203 026 7443.
