One-on-one IELTS coaching with Sean.
If you've already seen what IELTS Guardian is about and you're ready to look at the practical details — what a session actually looks like, what a package contains, what it costs, and how to apply — this is the page for that.
What you're actually paying for
What a coaching session looks like.
Sessions are 60 minutes on Zoom. They're not lectures, not generic practice tests, and not me reading from a script. Here's the rough shape of every session.
Check-in
What you did since last session, what worked, what didn't, what came up in your practice. The honest version, not the polished one.
Today's focus
One specific thing that's costing you marks. Not five things. We work on the one that matters most this week, based on your diagnostic and your last week's practice.
The work
You do real IELTS work — Speaking, Writing, Reading, or Listening tasks under realistic conditions. How that goes depends on what we're working on that day. Sometimes you'll stop the moment something breaks and we'll figure it out together. Sometimes you'll work through a full task uninterrupted and we'll debrief at the end. Either way, you're improving the specific thing that's been costing you marks.
The plan
What you'll practise between now and next session. Always specific — a Writing task to draft, a Reading passage to time, a Speaking topic to record. Usually 30–60 minutes of focused work.
The structure stays consistent so you know what to expect. The content adapts every week based on where you are.
The bigger arc
How a 10-hour package unfolds.
Most students work with me on the 10-hour package, spread over 5-10 weeks. The shape isn't rigid, but it usually looks like this.
Diagnostic
I see your real Speaking, Writing, Reading, Listening, and the moment things break. By the end of this session, both of us know what's actually wrong — not what you think is wrong.
Foundation
We tackle whatever's most broken first. If your Speaking is freezing — that. If your Writing structure is collapsing — that. If your Reading timing is the problem — that. Foundation comes before refinement.
Targeted skill building
Once the foundation holds, we move through the rest of what your diagnostic surfaced. Usually a different skill each session. Practice between sessions builds the habits.
Full mock practice
Mock Speaking interviews, timed Writing tasks under exam conditions, full Reading or Listening passages. Pressure rehearsal. We see what holds and what still breaks.
Pre-test calibration
Final tune-up before your test. We rehearse the Calm Performance routine for the actual exam day. You leave knowing what you'll do at 7am the morning of the test, in the waiting room, and in the seconds before each section begins.
If your test is more than 10 weeks away, the 20-hour package builds in more practice and pressure-training rounds. If your test is sooner, we compress the foundation phase and weight more toward calibration.
Be honest with yourself
Who this works for, and who it doesn't.
I'd rather you not buy if it's not right for you. The trial session protects both of us, but most of the work happens in the package — so the fit needs to be real before you commit.
This works for you if:
- You've taken IELTS before and scored Band 5.5–6.5, or you're a first-time test-taker who wants to do this properly
- You know your English has real room to grow — and something also happens to you under pressure
- You have at least 4 weeks before your test, ideally 8–12
- You can commit to 1 hour per week on Zoom plus 30–60 minutes of practice between sessions
- You want a teacher who'll tell you the truth, not someone who'll keep selling you encouragement
- You're willing to do uncomfortable work — speak when you're scared, write when you're tired, fail in front of me so you don't fail in front of the examiner
This is probably not for you if:
- Your test is less than 3 weeks away — there isn't enough time to build new habits before exam day
- You want a guaranteed band score — no honest coach can promise that
- You can't commit to practice between sessions — coaching alone won't move your score without your work
- You're hoping for templates and shortcuts that bypass the actual skills — I don't teach those
- You currently have clinical anxiety that affects daily life — that's a professional's job, not mine. I work with exam performance anxiety, not anxiety disorders
- You're at Band 5 or below — you'll get more value from the modules first, then coaching once you're at 5.5+
The practical questions
Things students ask before signing up.
Honest answers below. If your question isn't here, email me.
What time zones do you work in?
I'm based in Bangkok (GMT+7). My main teaching schedule changes week to week, so I don't publish fixed coaching hours. When you apply, tell me your usual availability and time zone, and I'll find sessions that work for both of us. I take most sessions in evenings (Bangkok time) and on weekends.
Do you teach Academic or General Training?
Both. I've worked with university-bound students (Academic) and immigration/professional registration students (General Training) for many years. When you apply, tell me which one you're sitting and your target band, and I'll tailor the sessions accordingly.
How do I pay?
For Thai students: bank transfer or PromptPay — I'll send you the details after we've agreed on a package.
For international students: Wise (formerly TransferWise) is my preferred method — you pay in your own currency, low fees, fast.
If you prefer cryptocurrency: I accept USDT (a stablecoin) for students who'd rather pay in crypto.
I'll send payment details after we've confirmed the package via email. For v1, all payments are manual — automated payment is coming later.
What if a session doesn't work for me — or the whole thing doesn't work?
Email me. I'm not running a refund-policy spreadsheet. If you've paid for hours you won't use, I'll refund them. If something happens partway through a package — a family emergency, a delayed test date, a job change — we'll work it out. The trial session is the main filter for fit, so most refund situations don't come up.
How much practice do you expect between sessions?
Each session ends with a specific practice task — usually 30–60 minutes of focused work before our next meeting. A Writing task to draft, a Reading passage to time, a Speaking topic to record. Real, finite work — not "do more practice tests."
Coaching students on the 10-hour package or 20-hour package also get free access to all 14 IELTS Guardian self-study modules. That means structured practice is always available when you have time between sessions.
Can my parent be involved?
Yes, on all three counts:
The initial 15-minute call: parents are welcome to join. Many families want to make this decision together, and I'd rather you both feel good about it.
Sitting in on sessions: yes, parents can sit in if you'd like. Many students prefer to work alone (it's easier to be honest about freezing without a parent watching), but if the family wants to be involved, that's fine.
Progress updates: on request, I'll send the parent monthly progress emails summarising what we've covered and where you're at. Just let me know at sign-up.
Do I have to be a certain age?
Most of my students are 17–24, but I work with older adults too — anyone preparing for IELTS for university, immigration, or professional reasons. I don't take students under 16.
How is this different from cheap online tutoring?
Honestly, the answer depends on the tutor. There are excellent tutors charging $15–20 an hour and there are mediocre ones charging $100. The questions worth asking any coach: How many years have they taught IELTS specifically? What's their qualification? Do they have a clear method? Can they explain what your specific problem is, or do they just teach generic IELTS prep?
My pitch isn't that I'm cheaper or that I have magic — it's that I've spent 25 years watching the same students fail for the same reasons, I have an M.Ed. from Manchester, and I've built a specific system around the two problems most coaches address poorly: targeted skill-building, and performing under exam pressure.
How is this different from AI coaching tools?
AI tools are useful for what they're good at — instant grammar feedback, basic practice partners, sentence-level corrections. I include the IELTS Guardian AI Coach as part of the self-study modules for that reason. What AI can't do is see you freeze, name what just happened in your head, and help you build a habit that prevents it next time. That's coaching, and it's a different job.
Do you guarantee a score?
No. Anyone who guarantees a score is either lying to you or has small print that makes the guarantee meaningless. I'll tell you honestly what's realistic for your starting point and timeline, and I'll work harder than most teachers to help you get there. But the actual score depends on you, the test, and a lot of variables nobody can control.
What if my test is in two weeks?
I'd probably say no to a full package. Two weeks isn't enough to build new habits. What I might offer instead: a few targeted sessions plus the pre-test Calm Performance routine. Email me and I'll be honest about whether I can actually help you in that timeframe.
How to apply
How to start with coaching.
You don't pay anything until you and I have both decided we're a good fit. Three steps.
Send me an email
Email sean@ieltsguardian.com and tell me four things: your last IELTS score (or estimate if you haven't sat one yet), your target band, your timeline, and what you think is going wrong. Two paragraphs is enough.
Free 15-minute call
I'll reply within 24 hours with a couple of available times for a free 15-minute Zoom call. We meet, I ask you some questions, you ask me some questions, and we figure out whether coaching is right for you. Parents welcome on this call if you'd like them there.
Trial session or full package
If we both think it's a good fit, we book a trial session ($45) or you commit to a package directly. Most students start with the trial. Payment details for your region will be in my email reply.
What it costs
Pricing.
All sessions are 60 minutes on Zoom. All prices in US dollars.
Trial session
- One 60-minute session
- Useful as a sample or for a one-off question
- Most students use this before committing to a package
Starter package
- Three 60-minute sessions
- For students who want a focused intervention on a specific problem
- No module access included
Focused package
- Ten 60-minute sessions
- Free access to all 14 self-study modules
- For students with 5–10 weeks until their test
- The most common package — recommended for most students
Comprehensive
- Twenty 60-minute sessions
- Free access to all 14 self-study modules
- For students with 10+ weeks until their test, or who want sustained coaching
Single hours can be added to any package on request. I work with a maximum of 10 coaching students at a time.
Ready to apply?
Email me with your last score, target, timeline, and what you think is going wrong. I'll reply within 24 hours with available times for a free 15-minute call.