John Milburn

Professional Teacher

Teaches

English

Native

Speaks

Spanish

Cambridge Speaking Examiner | B2 First (FCE) Expert | CELTA | 15 Years Teaching Experience

Teaches

English

Native

Speaks

Spanish

Cambridge Speaking Examiner | B2 First (FCE) Expert | CELTA | 15 Years Teaching Experience

About Me

Me as a Teacher

My lessons & teaching style

Resume & Certificates

From United KingdomLiving in Cancun, Mexico (12:19 UTC-05:00)

About Me

italki teacher since Apr 10, 2026

InterestsFoodFilms & TV SeriesTravelReadingSports & Fitness

Hi! I'm a CELTA-certified native English teacher and Cambridge Speaking Examiner. I have over 15 years of experience preparing students for the B2 First (FCE) exam, and, importantly, I have also evaluated hundreds of students in my role as an official Cambridge Speaking Examiner. I know exactly what examiners are looking for in every part of the test, because I am one!

Me as a Teacher

I've spent 15 years teaching English in schools and language academies around the world, from the UK, to Thailand, to beautiful Mexico where I now live. As a teacher I love to create a warm and friendly, but productive, environment for my students. Over the last 12 years my teaching has been focused heavily on Cambridge exam preparation. The combination of my experience preparing students, and my experience officially assessing students for Cambridge, means I understand the FCE from both sides: what students struggle with, and what examiners actually reward. My qualifications include: - Certified Cambridge Speaking Examiner - Cambridge CELTA - Cambridge TKT Modules 1, 2 and 3

My lessons & teaching style

In my lessons you’ll receive: - Full authentic FCE speaking mocks with immediate examiner-style scoring and detailed feedback on fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar - Targeted writing practice with band-score breakdowns, model answers, and specific fixes for task achievement, cohesion, and range - Practical insider strategies and personalised study plans that actually work in the real exam You’ll leave each session knowing exactly what to improve and how to do it. And exam prep doesn't have to be boring, we will have fun too! If you’re serious about passing the FCE with a strong grade, book a class today. Looking forward to helping you succeed!

My teaching material

Image files
Presentation slides/PPT
PDF file
Quizzes
Text Documents
Audio files

Certificates

CELTA Level 5 Certificate - Cambridge English - 2014Cambridge English Level 5 Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA)

Certificate verified

Level 6 Certificate in Teaching English - Language Link London - 2011120 Hour Advanced TEFL Course

Certificate verified

Teaching experience

2012 - 2014

English TeacherSrithatpittayakom School - Udon Thani, ThailandDesigned an entire English programme from scratch for Middle and High School students — creating the full yearly syllabus, scheme of work, lesson plans, and assessment materials with no existing template. • Sole English teacher responsible for all levels, managing the programme independently in a cross cultural environment.

2014 - 2014

English TeacherInternational House Riviera Maya - Playa Del Carmen, Mexico• Taught communicative English to adult learners at all levels in a professional language academy setting. • Delivered exam preparation courses for Cambridge English qualifications to younger learners. • Completed CELTA qualification during this period, achieving Pass B.

2014 - 2021

English Teacher and CoordinatorInstituto Playa Del Carmen La Salle - Playa Del Carmen, Mexico• Prepared hundreds of students for Cambridge KET, PET, and FCE examinations across seven academic years. • Served as English Coordinator for the school, taking responsibility for the English department’s curriculum, assessment standards, and teacher development. • Delivered internal teacher training sessions on Cambridge exam preparation techniques, classroom management, and assessment best practice.

2014 - Current

Speaking ExaminerCambridge English - Riviera Maya, Mexico• Certified Cambridge Speaking Examiner, assessing candidates across the full range of Cambridge English examinations: KET, PET, FCE, CAE, and CPE. • Assessed hundreds of candidates against standardised Cambridge marking criteria, providing accurate and consistent scores across multiple examination sessions.

2022 - 2026

English TeacherColegio Ingles - Playa Del Carmen, Mexico• Deliver English instruction to Secundaria and Preparatoria groups (ages 12–18) using CLIL methodology, preparing students for Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced examinations. • Lead the school’s Cambridge exam preparation programme end-to-end: curriculum planning, material selection, mock examinations, results analysis, and individual student feedback. • Consistently achieve high pass rates across Cambridge examinations, with the majority of students meeting or exceeding their targets

Education

2005 - 2009

Bachelor’s - American StudiesUniversity of SussexBA in American Studies with a focus on Literature

Work Experience

2016 - 2019

Academic CoordinatorIPC La Salle - Playa Del Carmen, Mexico• Served as English Coordinator for the school, taking full responsibility for the English department’s curriculum, assessment standards, and teacher development. • Redesigned the school’s English syllabus from the ground up, introducing structured progression aligned with CEFR levels and Cambridge exam frameworks. • Hired, onboarded, mentored, and formally evaluated teaching staff, driving measurable improvements in department-wide exam results.