omnium enim rerum principia parva sunt
(For the beginnings of all things are small)
Marcus Tullius Cicero
The great Roman lawyer and orator Cicero observed that, however great the achievement, the first steps are small. Every professor was once a beginner; if you are determined and work hard, you can achieve your goals.
Online lessons
I deliver online lessons using Zoom. The standard lesson length is one hour. Shorter lessons are available if desired, but I would not recommend lessons lasting more than one hour except in particular circumstances (e.g. a pre-exam booster session). For details of lesson arrangements and pricing please see here. Scheduling is dealt with in the FAQ's.
The cornerstones of my language teaching are that it is tailored to the needs and goals of my students and that it is clearly structured. Before we start lessons, we will discuss your (or your child's) aims and motivations and agree your goals. We will agree on textbooks/ learning resources that suit your interests and preferences.
Each lesson follows a clear structure. A typical lesson includes: setting learning objectives; review of homework and language points from the previous lesson including detailed feedback on any work that you have submitted to me; focus on a language point, skill or topic area or reading an original text (such as an inscription or piece of literature, depending on your interests). After each lesson I provide you with follow-up work typically including tailored vocabulary to learn and a written or other task.
I work hard to help you achieve your goals. Of course, your progress also depends on your commitment and the time you are able commit to your studies and to completing the follow-up tasks that we agree on at the end of each lesson.
Whatever your current level, and however challenging you may have found language learning in the past, if you are dedicated and determined, I look forward to working with you.
About me
Dr Sian Thomas
Teaching experience
I am an experienced and enthusiastic educator and researcher. I have taught ancient languages and civilisation for about 20 years in schools and universities and in adult and continuing education, both in the classroom and online.
I have a degree and postgraduate qualifications (Masters and PhD) in Classics and Egyptology. While working on my PhD in Egyptology and subsequently as a Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, I completed the Teaching Associate Programme for university teachers, and taught Ancient Egyptian (hieroglyphs, demotic and Coptic) to undergraduate and graduate students. I also developed and delivered Egyptology courses for continuing education providers such as the U3A and the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.
In 2015 I undertook a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) in Latin with Classics at Cambridge University; since then I have taught Latin, ancient Greek, classical civilisation, Egyptology and archaeology in schools in the Cambridge area and as an independent tutor.
I teach alongside my own research, study and development of educational materials. I have a particular passion for the design of digital language learning resources, which I enjoy sharing with my students.
Key academic and teaching qualifications
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1995 MA (Cantab) Classics and Egyptology
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2005 MPhil (Cantab) Ancient Egyptian Language
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2009 PhD (Cantab) Ancient Egyptian language and legal texts
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2009-2012 Research Fellow (Cambridge University) focusing on ancient Egyptian legal texts
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You can follow my Egyptology publications on academia.edu.
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2014-5 Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) (Cantab) in Latin with Classics
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Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in the UK
Summary of teaching and examining experience
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Experienced teacher of Latin, ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian in secondary, higher and continuing education
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2015-2020 teacher of Latin in the UK state secondary system, with outstanding GCSE results
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2006-2013 teacher and examiner of ancient Egyptian language for undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Cambridge
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I have organised seminar series and national conferences on the ancient world and have developed a variety of bespoke short courses for adult education institutions.
Professional memberships and accreditations
I am a member of the Tutors' Association (the UK professional body for tutoring and supplementary education) and as such subscribe to their Code of Practice and Ethics. I am committed to best practice in all areas of professional conduct and to continuing professional development. I hold a current enhanced DBS check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service (Disclosure and Barring Service – for more information see About us - Disclosure and Barring Service - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))
Comments from students
Sian is a very caring and patient teacher. I had dreamed of learning Middle Egyptian hieroglyphs since I was very young, and she made my dream come true. Her way of teaching is easy to understand, with some small challenges to boost your ability. Her rate is also very reasonable and I appreciate her making the inapproachable knowledge now part of my life.
Yuwan, adult learner of Middle Egyptian hieroglyphs, started as a beginner
As a very mature student studying Coptic, I really appreciate Sian’s expertise in tailoring our most enjoyable lessons to suit my particular needs.
She is skilled in clarifying the density of the few available published guides in order to make them accessible. This is one of the ways through which she encourages me to realise goals which I may initially feel are beyond my reach and to continue progressing in this challenging new adventure in learning.
I feel very lucky to have found such an empathetic and enthusiastic tutor and recommend her most highly.
Sandra, adult learner of Coptic, started as a beginner
Sian’s lessons are excellent. Each lesson is carefully planned and Sian’s delivery is very user-friendly. It is clear that Sian must invest valuable time and expertise so that each lesson is so well-tailored. Sian’s knowledge of complex grammatical rules is astounding and her ability to translate complex grammatical rules into simple, understandable terms is very impressive. I am thoroughly enjoying my weekly lessons and I am thankful to be tutored by someone with such a high level of expertise. Sian also creates interactive materials which are a fun way to learn vocabulary. I would highly recommend Sian to anybody interested in learning ancient languages.
Jason, adult learner of Middle Egyptian hieroglyphs, started as a beginner
We are really grateful to have Sian’s support to help our son improve his literary analysis and writing since year 7. He used to be struggling to get a pass in the subject, and we had no idea on how to help him improve on this. Thanks for Sian’s guidance and patience during lessons in helping our son to learn the skills and gradually build up confidence in it. We are thankful that Sian has great skills in coaching children as our son loses attention quite easily and Sian is able to use her skills in teaching and encouraging the child to participate so every lesson is so fruitful. We see great improvements in his performance in school assessments. Thank you so much!
June, parent of a secondary school student focusing on literary analysis
I have thoroughly enjoyed my lessons with Sian. Learning takes place in an incredibly supportive environment. Each session has been well-resourced and meticulously structured, building on progress made in previous sessions and refining areas of study which require further work. I have made significant progress and through exposure to original Latin texts - aimed at my level - I now have a strong grasp of complex grammatical structures. I cannot recommend Sian enough!
Adult learner of Latin, advanced (degree-level) student
Sian is a fabulous teacher. It's rare to find an Egyptian teacher - let alone a trained teacher - who understands how people learn. The published materials for learning aren't user friendly. Sian is a brilliant bridge to access the materials. She really understands my needs and interests and tailors her teaching to suit my learning style. And, learning to read the language is AWESOME!
Adult learner of hieroglyphs, started as a beginner, now intermediate level
Thank you for your hard work in supporting our daughter as she learns Latin. Your expertise in teaching has put our minds at ease from Day 1. Seeing how our daughter has grown in confidence since you have become her tutor, brings us such delight. We are well aware of the effort you put into her during your lessons and we are very grateful for going above and beyond. We appreciate that preparing for each tutoring session requires additional time on top of your own workload, and we wanted to let you know we are thankful for that. You make all lessons fun and interesting; thanks to your brilliant communication skills coupled with learning techniques you share, only made our daughter keen to study Latin and attain highest possible grades. Thank you so much for tutoring our daughter!
Parents of Year 11 GCSE Latin Student
This was really expert knowledge delivered in a comprehensive and entertaining manner. A very worthwhile study day for a large audience at our Sussex U3A. The comparison of the Egyptian and Greek legal systems of this period was enlightening
Richard, attendee at a bespoke U3A Study Day on Ptolemaic Egypt