"Throughout my schooling I’ve always struggled in my study of secondary English, especially in the areas of expression, starting sentences, structuring essays, proofreading, spelling and knowledge of literature. Even though I didn’t enjoy English, I was still motivated to learn and performed well in subjects such as Maths, Physics, Graphics and Engineering. However, my English skills were still holding me back as I needed to be able to communicate more clearly and effectively when completing school assignments. By the end of Year 10, I was at a crossroads as to whether I wanted to pursue an electrical trade or an Engineering degree at university. This particular degree required an ATAR of 90 for entry into the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at the University of Queensland (St Lucia) campus. After many discussions we decided on the university pathway. I initially looked for a tutor near me, but my Mum ended up contacting Mr Laverty as he had previously been my sister’s English tutor. My Mum purchased the one-hour comprehensive package sessions through Skype. During these online tutoring sessions Mr Laverty showed me how to avoid repetition within sentences and demonstrated how to improve my editing and proofreading skills. I really enjoyed how he modelled essay prompt responses with a strong focus on crafting contention statements and supporting arguments. Mr Laverty also outlined the importance of consistent reading to improve my English skills and suggested that I read ‘Bear Grylls’ as it matched my interests to the outdoors. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down! In one particular online lesson, we covered feature articles and how bias is used to persuade audiences. Mr Laverty sourced an article on ‘State of Origin’ which I found easy to engage with as I love Rugby League! Over time, I noticed that both my spelling and grammar improved significantly which was then reflected in my grades. From Year 11 to Year 12, I went from a (C- to a B+) overall and received an (A-) on two of my final assessment pieces. Mr Laverty’s lessons were always positive and engaging, I really enjoyed his worksheets that he modified and was impressed by his knowledge of current events. We always reflected on what I had learnt and how I could implement these skills when it came to writing my own assessments. Without Mr Laverty’s online tutoring I wouldn’t have been able to achieve the ATAR that I needed to gain entry into my Engineering degree at UQ. Mr Laverty has been an incredible mentor and I thoroughly enjoyed his passion and enthusiasm for English! I would highly recommend him if you require an online tutor! Cooper Goodwin, Proserpine. Year 12- 2019. coopsj22@gmail.com"