Learning & Tutoring
Articles on learning English, writing, homework, study habits and choosing a tutor.
26 articles
- What Japanese Children Often Find Hard First After Moving to a Dutch SchoolRight after changing schools abroad, language, subjects, task formats and learning for Japan all change at once. Rather than assuming an ability problem, here are 30 days of observation points for seeing where your child is stuck.
- Learning in Amsterdam: Asking Better Questions and Studying IndependentlyPreparing for university abroad takes more than an English score. Starting from the official descriptions of UvA and VU Amsterdam, we set out how secondary students can practise forming questions, finding evidence, explaining and planning.
- A Learning Support Checklist for Families Moving to the NetherlandsAfter moving to the Netherlands, there is suddenly more to check: school procedures, language, subjects and learning for Japan. Six items to sort out before looking for a tutor, and a 12-item checklist to write down before an enquiry.
- 8 Things to Check Before Looking for a Tutor in AmsterdamLiving nearby and speaking English are not enough to tell whether a tutor suits your child. Separate the school's support from what you want to add at home, and sort out 8 items before you enquire.
- What Japanese Families Can Take from Dutch EducationWhat is easiest to borrow from the Netherlands is not a particular method but a way of thinking: how to observe a child's learning, choose, and review. Here are five ideas to try at home for two weeks.
- Dutch Schools vs International Schools: How Learning Support ChangesDutch mainstream schools, Dutch International Schools and private international schools are not the same thing. Separate the school types first, then think about the learning support you need at home to fit the real language and curriculum.
- How Do Dutch and Japanese Education Differ? Beyond Which Is BetterJapan and the Netherlands differ in how they align curricula, build school choice, divide pathways and what their achievement data show. Here is a way to compare by separating what is measured and what you value, not by asking which is better.
- Can Child Well-Being and Academic Results Go Together? Dutch EvidenceThe Netherlands is rated highly for well-being, yet PISA reading scores keep falling and many students feel burdened by school. We look at how to read well-being and achievement separately, and five things to check at home.
- Is Dutch Education Really the Best in the World? Strengths and ChallengesThe Netherlands is rated highly for child well-being, yet PISA shows reading scores continuing to fall. Before calling any system the best in the world, we separate out which measure shows what.
- Online or In-Person Tutoring in the Netherlands: Which Suits Your Child?There is no simple conclusion that online or in-person is always better. Compare six things: goal, materials, focus, travel, frequency and teacher quality, and check with a two-week trial.
- Learning Gaps to Check in the 90 Days Around an Overseas School TransferAfter an overseas transfer, a child may meet content they already learned, or start on content they have not yet covered. Instead of previewing everything beforehand, find the real differences and fill only those, using a 90-day frame.
- Keeping Japanese While Supporting English and School Subjects AbroadTrying to build Japanese, the school language and school subjects all at the same intensity is a heavy load on children and families. Treat each as a separate goal and try the plan for eight weeks.
- How to choose an English tutor that suits your child: 7 things parents should checkA tutor's background alone does not decide the match. Goals, age, teaching style, language, schedule and location, and what to look for in a trial lesson.
- Does an English tutor need to speak Japanese? How to decide on a bilingual tutorA tutor who speaks Japanese is not always better, and neither is English-only. Here is how to decide based on your child's goal and current level.
- What to do 30, 14, 7 and 1 days before an examA revision plan for any kind of exam: checking the scope, fixing weak points, rehearsing the real format and preparing the day before, for students unsure what to prioritise at each stage.
- How to judge the quality of an English lesson: 5 things parents can look atFor parents who are not confident in English themselves: five ways to judge lesson quality through goals, your child's engagement, specific feedback, adjustment to understanding, and the next step.
- Why words you memorised do not come out in English writing, and how to practiseHow to turn known vocabulary into usable vocabulary for learners who understand words but cannot produce them in writing or conversation, using example sentences, recall, short sentences, paraphrasing and review.
- What to check when English feels like it's too hard at international school“Struggling with English” is not one problem. Here is how to work out which one it actually is.
- Phonics, conversation or school English: where should we start?No single one of these is always the right place to start. Here is how to choose based on your child's current profile.
- What to focus on first so primary English remains manageableHow to choose between pronunciation, vocabulary, conversation and reading based on your family's situation.
- What to check when written homework comes to a haltWhen written homework stalls, check whether the question, structure and teacher's expectations are clear, as well as the student's writing ability.
- Why learning needs a person paying attention: the Petra Tutors approachWhy our support continues beyond tutor matching: finding an approach that suits your child, keeping parents informed and creating a manageable learning routine.
- What is analysis in IB? How it differs from summary and how to write itFor IB students told they write only summary: the difference between summary and analysis, thinking in What, How and Why, examples, linking back to the question and how to revise.
- Vocabulary memorisation alone does not always improve EIKEN scoresAt higher grades, the bottleneck is often not vocabulary. Here is how to tell what is actually costing points.
- Why EIKEN writing stalls, and what to do about itThe pen often stops before vocabulary or grammar even come into it. Here is where students actually get stuck, and what helps.
- How to Choose Tutoring or a Private Tutor for International School Students in Tokyo: IB, IGCSE, AP and School Support ComparedTutoring for international school students is not the same with any teacher who speaks English. We set out the differences between school-work support, exam preparation and English-skills building, and seven points to compare.