Sarah
English Language, Literature and Academic Writing Specialist
Why families choose Sarah
13 years of teaching experience across secondary and higher education
English, Academic Writing, Linguistics, and Creative Writing Specialist
Extensive experience in curriculum review, assessment moderation and teacher education.
Successfully coached students in public speaking and debating
Holds TESOL & TEFL Certifications
About Sarah
Sarah is an accomplished English educator, lecturer, editor and published poet with over 13 years of experience across secondary education, higher education and creative writing. Her experience spans English Language, Academic Writing, English Literature, Linguistics, Creative Writing, Public Speaking and Debating. She has taught Grade 8–12, and higher professional levels.
She holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing (Cum Laude), a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education, and a Master of Arts in English Studies. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Languages and Literature with English. She combines strong academic expertise with a creative approach helping learners develop confident communication, critical thinking and effective written expression.
Teaching Approach
Sarah uses a learner-centred approach and adapts her teaching to the individual student. She incorporates flipped-classroom methods where appropriate and draws on social learning principles to make lessons interactive and relevant.
Her goal is to connect learning material to the student's own experiences while developing both academic understanding and confidence. She places particular emphasis on critical thinking, clear expression and applying skills to real assessment requirements.
Subjects & Levels
English
- English Home Language
- English First Additional Language
- AP English
- English Language
English & Humanities
- English Literature
- Linguistics
- English Syntax
- Academic Writing
- Business English
Communication
- Public Speaking
- Debating
- Presentation Skills
Creative Writing
- Poetry
- Creative Writing
Exam Preparation Focus
Sarah has extensive experience assessing and moderating academic work and teaching students how to meet specific assessment requirements.
She can support students with:
- English exam preparation
- Academic writing
- Essay writing and structure
- Literary analysis
- Critical thinking and argumentation
- Assessment technique
- Understanding and applying marking criteria
- Public speaking and debating
She also taught AP English and coached competitive public speaking and debating teams, with students achieving top-10 provincial and international rankings.
Achievements & Experience
13+ years of teaching and academic experience
English Lecturer & Curriculum Advisor
High School English Teacher
Speech Coach
Published poet and creative writing mentor
Dean's Merit Award for Master's distinction, Premium Homes Prize for Best Postgraduate Student in English Studies
Students coached in public speaking and debating achieved top-10 provincial and international rankings
Education
PhD in Languages and Literature with English | North-West University — 2025–Present
Master of Arts in Creative Writing — Cum Laude| University of the Western Cape — 2023–2025
Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education | Varsity College, International Institute of Education — 2021–2022
Master of Arts in English Studies | University of the Free State — 2016–2017
BA Honours in English Studies — Cum Laude | University of the Free State — 2014–2015
Bachelor of Arts | University of the Free State — 2009–2012. Majors: Psychology, Criminology and English Literature
Reviews
1 review from parents and students
Rushaad
ColleagueSarah is a people person by nature. She establishes a good presence with both students and colleagues, always being helpful toward any intervention within her scope of work.