Experience

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  John R Sykes Online

  • Lisburn, UK

  • Business English Tutor and Coach

    • Oct 2011 - Present
    • Lisburn, UK

    I am John R Sykes Online's founder and principal educator/tutor.We specialise in coaching senior business managers who wish to improve their level of understanding and speaking of English to enable them to conduct business in an English-speaking environment.We also assist undergraduates and those intending to work in English-speaking countries to achieve the appropriate Cambridge C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency and IELTS exams for visa and university entrance requirements.We particularly specialise in the art of Writing in English with special attention to the correct use of grammar and punctuation, something that is often forgotten these days, even by native English speakers.My tutors and I run a number of one-on-one and group courses covering all the aspects mentioned above, using the latest technology and teaching methods.If you would like to know more about how we can help your employees or even your family improve their English, send me a message, and I will personally respond as soon as practical. In the meantime, have a look at my video.

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  Practise Speaking English.com

  • Belfast, Northern Ireland

  • Founder/Director

    • Nov 2012 - Jan 2022
    • Belfast, Northern Ireland

    PractiseSpeakingEnglish.com was born with one main purpose – to coach people learning English as a second language how to really speak English, using real, live conversation provided by English native speakers. We do not use recorded tapes!Courses are aimed at two distinct groups: the first is for those hoping to pass their IELTS exams and move onto an English speaking University and the second, those with professional skills who want to work in an English speaking country.At University, lectures are given orally and not written, often given by lecturers with a variety of regional accents. We coach students to understand different accents and different expressions and so make it easier to integrate into University life.English is recognised as the international language of business. Through our coaching, potential employees and those wishing to conduct business in English speaking countries, learn and practise the nuances of both the spoken and written word. It is more advantageous and certainly cheaper for English/US companies to be able to employ new foreign personnel who can read, write, but more important speak and understand English before they commence work. This way, they can “hit the ground running” and so little time is wasted in preparing those employees for the job ahead.We all learned to listen and speak our own indigenous language before we began to read and write. Why should learning a second language be any different? Unfortunately most schools teach reading and writing before a word is actually spoken. Even then it can prove somewhat difficult as many local teachers worldwide cannot actually speak English themselves.We coach students to THINK in English and not translate it from their own language. It is easier to write in a language when you can speak it, since you can write down what you would speak and then correct grammar and spelling later on. After all, we do not think about the grammar when we speak our own language.

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  Editing and Proofreading.biz

  • Belfast, United Kingdom

  • Proprietor

    • 2013 - Jan 2015
    • Belfast, United Kingdom

    Through my knowledge with Practise Speaking English coupled with my many years as a Loss Adjuster, I am often asked to either Write, Edit or Proofread documents for Writers, Lawyers, Web Masters and even Academics.I therefore decided to put this knowledge and expertise to good use and hence the establishment of http://www.JohnRSykes.comMaybe I can help you in the future!!

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  Adjusters International (ME) EC

  • United Arab Emirates, Iran

  • Principal Loss Adjuster/Director

    • Mar 1984 - May 2009
    • United Arab Emirates, Iran

    I was the founder of this firm of Loss Adjusters based in Dubai with representatives in Tehran and Abu Dhabi. We specialised in the investigation of Liability, Fraud, Marine and major Fire insurance Claims, covering an area from Cairo to Singapore and all of Africa.

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  Graham Millar Gulf E.C.

  • Nigeria, Iran and United Arab Emirates

  • Senior Loss Adjuster/Branch Manager

    • 1976 - 1984
    • Nigeria, Iran and United Arab Emirates

    International Loss Adjusters - I was initially based in Nigeria and then moved to Saudi Arabia when in December 1978, I was sent to Tehran to deal with a major fire loss. I became caught up in the Iranian Revolution and stayed through until June 1981 when it became no longer practical to operate out of that country. I then moved to Dubai and established a new base of operations for the region.

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  Thomas Howell, Selfe & Co

  • Loss Adjuster

    • 1970 - 1976

    Started as Trainee and gained over 6 years experience to become a fully-fledged Loss Adjuster, working in Liverpool, Belfast (for an extended period on Bomb Damage Claims), Stoke-on-Trent and Head Office in Birmingham