- Grammar
- Present simple, there is/are, imperatives, basic prepositions, plurals
- Functions
- Greetings, simple requests, asking for equipment, following instructions
- Vocabulary themes
- Court and kit, body parts, numbers and scoring, days and routines
- Pronunciation targets
- Word stress, final consonants, /s/ vs /z/ plurals
- Assessment criteria
- Portfolio task + 2-minute spoken drill demo (accuracy checklist)
- Sports context
- Warm-up commands: “Racket up.” “Ready position.” Students run a 3-minute drill in English.
Online 1:1 · Vietnam Business English specialist · France, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Indonesia & worldwide
Where English Trains Like an Athlete.
Drills, feedback, match play — for your English.
Online English teaching for ESL students worldwide — with a Vietnam Business English specialty.
I teach English online 1:1 to a genuinely international student body: French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian and Vietnamese learners, among others. Vietnam Business English is a major focus and a fast-growing part of my school — but every ESL student is welcome, from exam prep and daily conversation to accent work and professional communication.
Daily ConversationIELTS PreparationBusiness EnglishReceived Pronunciation
Personal, prepared 1:1 lessons from a warm, professional workspace — the same teacher every session, with clear goals and weekly progress tracking.
For Vietnam professionals
Business English for meetings, calls, email and presentations with a teacher who understands the context of working in and with Vietnam.
For students
Academic English teaching for university success — writing, presentations and confident seminar communication.
For players
Performance tennis coaching online — analysis, training plans, match strategy and accountability.
Not only online · Cebu City, Philippines
A real school, with real wooden desks.
Alongside the online lessons I run a physical school at Asmara Resort in Cebu City, with accommodation on site. It is a proper classroom — old-fashioned solid wooden desks, a board, and the quiet that makes study work — a few steps from the courts. Students learn English in the morning, train in the afternoon, and sleep where they study.
The tone is borrowed from the British schools I grew up around — Eton and Harrow: formal desks, proper handwriting, reading aloud, standards held politely but firmly. That combination is the whole idea behind the school: language taught with the discipline of an athlete's week, in one place, with the same teacher and coach throughout.
The classroom
Traditional wooden school desks, board teaching and printed workbooks — no screens required.
Accommodation
Rooms at Asmara Resort included, so study, training, meals and rest sit in one place.
Morning English
Structured lessons: grammar, writing, reading and speaking, taught in person.
Afternoon tennis
On-court coaching that reuses the day's language — the playbook goes to court with you.
Formal curriculum · CEFR aligned
A1–C1: scope and sequence
Every level has a defined scope: grammar points, communicative functions, vocabulary themes, pronunciation targets and assessment criteria — and every unit is connected to a sports context, so language is learned, rehearsed and tested the way athletes train.
Step 1
Classroom
Target grammar and functions taught explicitly, with model language and drills.
Step 2
On-court
The same language used in live sport tasks — instruction, cues, correction, collaboration.
Step 3
Pressure
Timed speaking under match conditions: negotiate, persuade, respond to the unexpected.
Step 4
Assessment
CEFR-aligned rubric scored on accuracy, range, fluency, pronunciation and interaction.
- Grammar
- Past simple, comparatives, adverbs of frequency, going to
- Functions
- Describing a match, giving simple opinions, agreeing and disagreeing
- Vocabulary themes
- Technique verbs, weather and conditions, injuries, training plans
- Pronunciation targets
- Sentence stress, weak forms, -ed endings
- Assessment criteria
- Match report (120 words) + paired role-play, CEFR A2 rubric
- Sports context
- Report yesterday's session; compare two players; set a weekly training goal.
- Grammar
- Present perfect, first and second conditionals, modals of advice
- Functions
- Coaching a partner, explaining tactics, polite correction, clarification
- Vocabulary themes
- Tactics and patterns, fitness and recovery, mindset and pressure
- Pronunciation targets
- Connected speech, intonation for instructions and encouragement
- Assessment criteria
- Coach-the-coach on-court lesson (10 min) + written drill plan
- Sports context
- “If the ball is short, step in.” Students design and deliver a tactical drill.
- Grammar
- Passives, relative clauses, reported speech, hedging language
- Functions
- Persuasion, negotiating rules, structured argument, giving feedback
- Vocabulary themes
- Sports science, media and interviews, ethics and fair play
- Pronunciation targets
- Stress shift, contrastive stress, pace under pressure
- Assessment criteria
- IELTS-style Part 3 discussion + 250-word opinion essay, B2 rubric
- Sports context
- Press-conference simulation; debate a rule change; deliver post-match feedback.
- Grammar
- Inversion, cleft sentences, nuanced modality, cohesive devices
- Functions
- High-stakes persuasion, mentoring, chairing meetings, nuanced critique
- Vocabulary themes
- Performance analysis, academic and business register, idiom control
- Pronunciation targets
- Prosody, emphasis, register shift, near-native fluency targets
- Assessment criteria
- Formal presentation with Q&A + analytical report, C1 rubric
- Sports context
- Present a player development plan to a panel; mentor a lower-level student.
Parents & students: free tasterRead the full A1–C1 course plan60 units · 540 taught hours · one complete unit per level free to read
Placement is by intro assessment; progression requires a pass on both the written task and the on-court speaking task. Reports are issued at the end of every level.
The Topball Circuit
One school, played on a circuit — a campus-and-satellite model
Our Tennis & ESL English School is built around a distinctive, continually evolving structure that combines the strengths of a dedicated residential campus with the flexibility and international reach of a global satellite network.
Main campus · Asmara Resort, Cebu City
The heart of the school: an integrated environment built for focused study and training. On-site accommodation for a stable, immersive daily routine, tennis courts on campus for consistent practice and structured coaching, and one schedule that coordinates English study with tennis development. Live, study and train in one place.
- On-site accommodation
- Courts on campus
- One coordinated daily schedule
International summer · Oxford & Sussex
Beyond Cebu we operate as a satellite school. Each summer we run programmes and study/training options connected with internationally recognised institutions — Oxford University and the University of Sussex — giving students a different academic and cultural environment while staying on the same English-learning pathway.
- Oxford University summer camp
- University of Sussex campus programme
- Short-term international study, one school philosophy
Additional locations, global outlook
We continue to develop further locations for training and studying worldwide. This is not a static list of destinations — it is a carefully managed, expanding network shaped by partnerships, seasonal availability and student needs.
- Partnership-led growth
- Seasonal availability
- Shaped around student needs
Standards that travel between sites
The model is being formalised continually — refined through experience, aligned to CEFR, strengthened by new collaborations and updated so standards stay consistent across locations.
- Clear programme structure across campus and satellite sites
- Reliable student support and coordination between locations
- Quality and continuity in both tennis training and ESL instruction
Why this is unique
Most schools offer either a single campus experience or a set of disconnected short-term programmes. Our approach deliberately combines both: a stable residential base in Cebu City and an international satellite pathway that can include prestigious summer environments such as Oxford and Sussex, alongside other developing global options. Integrated, adaptable and continuously evolving — for students who want structure and international opportunity.
Accreditation and standards
Held to a public standard, not our own opinion
Our teaching method is unusual — English trained like an athlete — so the measurement of it must be conventional and transparent. Everything a student earns here is described in language other schools, universities and employers already recognise.
- 1In place now
CEFR alignment, documented
Our A1–C1 scope and sequence is mapped to the Council of Europe Companion Volume descriptors. Placement tests, rubrics and end-of-level reports are kept on file for every student.
- 2In progress
Philippine registration
The school operates from Asmara Resort, Cebu City, with local business registration and the relevant training-provider compliance base for our programme type.
- 3Next
Approved exam-preparation centre
Working towards recognised test pathways (Linguaskill, LanguageCert, Trinity ISE) so students leave with an independently CEFR-mapped certificate alongside our own level report.
- 4Underway
Eaquals accreditation — dialogue opened
Eaquals (Evaluation and Accreditation of Quality in Language Services) has confirmed our interest and welcomed the enquiry. Accreditation is the internationally recognised badge for language providers, and its framework is already the benchmark we build our curriculum, management and student-care records against, ahead of formal application.
Inspection dossier
Quality assurance cycle
- Placement: written and spoken diagnostic on arrival, mapped to a CEFR level with the evidence retained.
- Delivery: A1–C1 scope and sequence with stated lesson objectives and CEFR descriptors per unit.
- Assessment: level rubrics for speaking, writing, listening and reading, marked against published criteria.
- Reporting: end-of-level report per student, held on file alongside the marked work it is based on.
- Moderation: sample scripts and recordings second-marked before a level is signed off.
- Retention: student records, marked scripts and reports kept for the duration of study and for two years after.
Teaching staff and CPD
- Accredited TEFL certification, plus English for Academic Purposes (EAP) specialism — certificates available for inspection.
- PTR Performance Instructor certification for the tennis side of the integrated programme.
- Documented observation cycle: lesson observation with written feedback and an agreed development action per teacher, per term.
- CPD log kept per teacher, covering assessment literacy, CEFR descriptor use and classroom methodology.
Safeguarding and student welfare
- Named safeguarding lead for every programme, including the Oxford and University of Sussex summer camps.
- Under-18 provision runs on a separate welfare framework: consent forms, emergency contacts, medical and dietary records, and supervision ratios recorded per group.
- Written policies on safeguarding, behaviour, incident reporting and complaints, issued to parents and agents before arrival.
- Residential students at Asmara Resort, Cebu City have a documented duty-of-care and on-site contact chain.
Evidence available on request
Assessors, accreditation bodies, exam boards, universities and agent partners are welcome to request our curriculum documents, assessment rubrics, sample marked work, teacher certificates, observation records and safeguarding policies. Site visits to the Cebu City campus can be arranged.
coachjcl@cordentennisacademy.page · Director of Studies: James Corden-Lloyd
CEFR is an open framework published by the Council of Europe; we state alignment to it and hold the evidence to support that claim. Exam-centre approval and school accreditation are separate third-party processes and are described above only at their current stage.
Four core courses
Choose the English you actually need.
My current students come from France, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam. Business English for Vietnam professionals is the fastest-growing part of my online school — but every course below is taught 1:1 with the same teacher, structured homework, correction and weekly progress tracking, wherever you are in the world.
01
Daily Conversation
Learners who want fluency and confidence
Structured speaking practice with live correction, natural phrasing, listening drills and homework you actually use. Ideal for learners in Japan and across Asia who study with agencies but want a consistent, personal teacher.
- ✓ Speak without freezing
- ✓ Natural rhythm and phrasing
- ✓ Weekly recorded feedback
02
IELTS Preparation
University and visa applicants with a deadline
Band-targeted preparation across all four papers, with writing marked against the official criteria and speaking rehearsed under exam timing. Progress is tracked week by week against your target band.
- ✓ Task 1 & 2 writing marked
- ✓ Speaking under exam conditions
- ✓ Target-band study plan
03
Business English for Vietnam
Professionals in Vietnam working with international teams
Meetings, negotiation, email, presentations and calls — practised in the situations you face at work. Built for Vietnamese professionals who need clear, confident English with regional understanding: we rehearse the real conversation you have on Monday, then refine the language until it sounds effortless.
- ✓ Meeting & call confidence
- ✓ Clear, professional writing
- ✓ Presentation delivery
- ✓ Vietnam-focused business context
04
Received Pronunciation
Learners who want the classic British sound
Queen's English / BBC-standard pronunciation: vowel accuracy, consonant clarity, stress, intonation and connected speech. Taught by a British teacher, with before-and-after recordings so you can hear the change.
- ✓ Vowel & consonant accuracy
- ✓ Stress and intonation
- ✓ Before/after recordings
Free taster · Business English for Vietnam & Indonesia
See exactly what we do in a lesson — before you pay anything.
These are real sample themes from my Business English teaching. Each one is informative and instructive: a clear objective, useful phrases you can use at work tomorrow, and the task we do together. Read them in your own language, then claim a free 15-minute taster lesson to try one.
Read in your language
Tiếng Việt · Bahasa Indonesia and 13 more languages.
Lesson objective
Give a clear, confident 30-second introduction in a meeting or on a first call — name, role, company, and what you are responsible for.
Phrases you will practise
- “I'm responsible for the export side of the business.
- “I've been with the company for three years.
- “Thanks for making time today — shall I start with a quick overview?
What we do together
Record a 30-second introduction. We listen back together and rebuild it line by line.
No payment, no obligation
Claim a free 15-minute taster lesson.
Choose any theme above. We meet online, you speak, I correct and coach — and you leave with three phrases you can use at work immediately. Mention “free taster” and your chosen theme in the request form.
Mastering English and Tennis · Part Two
Grammar, taught through tennis.
“Just as a tennis player practices their serve to perfect their game, we must practice our language skills daily to ace the challenges of communication.”
Tennis is not just a game; it’s a dynamic dialogue between players that extends to the lessons learned both on and off the court. Each stroke, from the groundstroke to the volley, depends on precision, timing and strategic thinking. Mastering grammar asks for the same attention to detail and the same ability to adapt to context.
Just as players refine their technique through repetition and feedback, learners of English sharpen theirs through consistent exercise and real engagement. You learn the basics — adverbs, adjectives, conditionals, passives — entirely inside a tennis setting. So let play begin.
Let’s play ball — starting with nouns
Nouns name people, places, things and ideas. Just as every strong player has a foundation in their strokes, every English speaker needs a good grip on nouns — so we treat them with the same focus we give a backhand or a serve.
- Concrete nounsCan I touch it? Is it real? Racket, ball, net, court.
- Proper nounsNamed things: Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, Asmara Resort.
- Abstract nounsFelt, not touched: confidence, pressure, momentum.
- Collective nounsA squad, a doubles pair, a crowd, a team.
- Possessive nounsThe player's serve, the coach's plan.
- Plural nounsOne volley, two volleys — and the irregulars.
- Countable & uncountableThree balls, but not three equipments.
How the syllabus is delivered
Step 01
Classroom first
Grammar is taught in the classroom — nouns, adjectives, adverbs, conditionals and passives, every example drawn from the court.
Step 02
On court as the coach
Each student then goes on court and delivers a lesson pretending to be the tennis coach, with classmates as their players. Everyone rotates.
Step 03
Language under pressure
Instructions, corrections and encouragement have to be clear and immediate — the fastest route to real speaking confidence.
Audio · Grammar snippet 1 of 20
Listen: Grammar, through tennis
Part Two of Mastering English and Tennis — the opener on grammar and nouns, taught entirely inside a tennis setting.
0:000:00
ESL schools: partner on a tennis and English camp
The grammar syllabus is classroom-based and camp-ready. If you run a language school and want your students on a Topball tennis and English camp — Cebu, Oxford or Sussex — get in touch and we’ll build the programme around your levels and exam targets.
The playbook
Where English Trains Like an Athlete.
The Aide Mémoire Tennis Playbook comes in two editions — blue for male players and pink for female players — and doubles as a writing and reading workbook. Students record sessions, reflect in English and build language the same way they build a forehand: repetition, feedback, routine.
Aide Mémoire Tennis Playbook — Male edition
Aide Mémoire Tennis Playbook — Female edition
Writing
Guided prompts and match reflections build sentence control, tense accuracy and vocabulary without it ever feeling like a grammar drill.
Reading
Short, purposeful passages on technique, tactics and routines — comprehension practice students genuinely want to read.
Mental health
Journalling before and after sessions builds self-awareness, resets nerves and turns pressure into a routine players can name and manage.
Audio snippet
Listen: the Aide Mémoire Tennis Playbook
A short introduction to how the playbook is used — writing, reading and reflection built around the athlete's week.
0:000:00
Speaking review
English video analysis for IELTS, Business English and TOEFL.
Record a short clip on your phone — a two-minute IELTS Part 2 answer, TOEFL response or Business English presentation is enough — and James returns detailed feedback on fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, with what to practise next.
Programme ladder
One integrated educator — language and performance.
Performance is the common thread. Whether you are preparing for university or improving match play, you want results, accountability and a coach who understands training cycles, mindset and progression.
Offer 01
1:1 Academic English (EAP)
Premium
Academic performance teaching, not casual lessons: essay structure, argumentation, referencing expectations, seminar discussion and presentations. Weekly session plus written feedback on your work between sessions.
Offer 02
Online Tennis Performance Coaching
PTR-certified
Video submission and analysis, technical goals, drill prescription, match strategy and a live check-in. Framed around measurable outcomes: serve consistency, unforced-error reduction, tactical clarity.
Flagship
Hybrid Performance Mentorship
Signature
One English session and one tennis performance session each week, tied together by shared goal-setting, routines and mindset work. Built for student-athletes and ambitious learners who perform under pressure.
Introductory assessment
Book a 30-minute introductory assessment now.
Try a focused 1:1 session before committing to a programme. Many Vietnam professionals start with Business English, while learners from France, Italy, Spain, China, Japan and Indonesia choose IELTS, Daily Conversation or Received Pronunciation. James will confirm your slot by email or WhatsApp.
- ✓ 30 minutes live 1:1 instruction
- ✓ Same teacher every time
- ✓ Applied to your first full programme if you continue
30-minute introductory assessment$15 USD
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Secure checkout via PayPal. You will receive a confirmation reference and James will be in touch within 24 hours to arrange the lesson time.
Lesson booking request
Request a prepared lesson.
The best lessons are prepared lessons. Tell me your course, your level, the times that suit your time zone and — most importantly — what you want to achieve. I build the session plan and materials before we meet, then confirm your slot by email or WhatsApp within 24 hours.
Your teacher
A rare combination — and it is all verifiable.
I am a British educator and coach who has taught English online for years to a diverse international student body — French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian and Vietnamese learners, among others. Vietnam Business English is now a major focus: professionals in Vietnam study with me directly for clear, confident communication in meetings, calls and presentations. Same teacher, clear goals, no rotating tutors. Alongside English I am a PTR performance tennis coach, which means my teaching is built on training cycles, feedback loops and measurable improvement.
Verified certificate
Accredited TEFL Certificate
View PDF →
Verified certificateEnglish for Academic Purposes (EAP)
View PDF →
Verified certificatePTR Performance Instructor 2026
View PDF →
Also the author of tennis and English-learning books, plus fiction drawn from a past life in international affairs — see the author page.
Start here
Tell me your goal and deadline.
I will reply personally with a suggested lesson plan, available time slots for your timezone, and pricing.