Our tutors - Eos Liao

Eos Liao - Japanese, University of Oxford

Hi! I’m Eos, and I’m currently studying Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Japanese) at Hertford College, Oxford. I’m originally from Cambridge, where I achieved all 9s at GCSE, including Japanese, French, Latin, and Ancient Greek. I also was an academic and music scholar, and received the Latin subject prize.

Alongside my A-Levels, I also took the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (N4), placing in the top 2.4% globally. Before studying Japanese, my academic journey took a different path from most of my peers! I actually started out in STEM, and received offers from Imperial, UCL, and BSMS for Medicine. Experiencing multiple pathways has helped to shape how I think about learning, problem-solving, and supporting students under pressure.

Over the past six years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with young people in a variety of settings, including teaching, sports, and healthcare. These experiences have shaped my belief that learning is a holistic process, and that academic progress is tied to confidence and wellbeing - things that aren’t limited to a classroom. During my gap year, I was also lucky enough to spend a month living in Hokkaido (Japan) where I volunteered as a teacher at an English school. This gave me invaluable insight into language learning from a non-native speaker’s perspective. Outside of the classroom, I am also the treasurer of our college’s film society and have represented England in rifle shooting during secondary school.

My approach to tutoring is centred on creating lessons that are engaging, supportive, and tailored to each student. I believe learning should be an enjoyable and collaborative process, where the teacher can learn from the student just as much as the student learns from the teacher. I focus on building a friendly, trusting relationship and enjoy explaining concepts with simple, creative examples that click for each student.