Heidi B.

I am fully bilingual, fluent in Afrikaans as well as in English and I also have an excellent grasp of the Dutch language. I hold, amongst other qualifications, a Proofreading and Editing Diploma, a BA & Honours degree in Languages & Linguistics, a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education and a CELTA diploma. Having always been a voracious reader, I have an extensive knowledge of various literary genres and writing styles and spend a lot of my time on creative writing myself. Although I have always enjoyed teaching a wide variety of subjects and students, my main passion is language. Therefore, I always return to the written word. At present, alongside my full-time position as Class Teacher and Grade Head, I am also editing and proofreading books, reports, documents and academic essays, translating and writing children’s stories on a freelance basis and writing articles for two local newspapers. I have over 26 years of teaching experience, having worked in a variety of full-time and part-time positions within the education sector in South Africa and the UK, as well as in a freelancing capacity. My years of working in an educational setting allowed for lots of opportunities to extend and sharpen my writing, editing and proofreading skills. I have taught students from as young as four years of age to adults. I also ran my own private tutoring company for five years in North London and Oxford in the UK. While I was doing private tutoring I, amongst other things, prepared students for 7+ & 11+ exams for entrance to prestigious private schools in London (UK) and supported students with a variety of academic subjects and learning difficulties, with specific focus on story writing and formal writing. During this period, I also successfully taught and prepared adult students for Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE) in the UK, supplemented by a variety of English Language teaching, with specific focus on correct use of grammar, fluency in spoken language and developing English written skills. Years of writing and proofreading educational and various other documentation, as well as creative writing from various genres, gave me the necessary skills to write, edit and ultimately deliver documents with precision spelling, punctuation and grammar usage. Contact me if you need: - your documents, websites or essays flawlessly and perfectly presented; - impeccable translating work done – English to Afrikaans and vice versa; - creative writing done or improved upon; - poems written or edited.