Biology
Our tutorial lessons shall focus on teaching students to use scientific vocabulary when writing analysis, evaluation, and examination answers. Students will also develop scientific thinking skills, which they may apply when designing experiments that implement the most efficient investigative strategies. Major topics in the study of IGCSE Biology include: cell functions and control; genetics; natural selection; genetic modification; health disease development of medicines; plant structures functions; animal coordination control homeostasis; exchange and transport; and ecosystems material cycles. Topics for GCE AS (IAS), A-Level (IA2), International Advanced Level (IAL), SAT Subject Test, AP, and IB Diploma include: structure and function of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins; enzymes; passive and active transport; DNA, RNA, and PCR (polymerase chain reaction); protein synthesis; mutation; dihybrid crosses; ethics; ultrastructure of eukaryote and prokaryote cells; meiosis; genotypes; stem cells; biodiversity and adaptations; taxonomy; global warming; evolution and speciation; structure of bacteria and viruses; immunology; ATP; glycolysis; anaerobic respiration; ventilation and cardiac output; the brain and the nervous system; hormonal coordination; and the Human Genome Project. At Key Stage 3 (KS3), student will learn cellular, skeletal and muscular systems of living organisms; nutrition, digestion, and excretion; respiration and photosynthesis; health and disease; reproduction in plants and humans; ecosystems, habitats, food chains and food webs; genetics, inheritance, selective breeding, variation, evolution, extinction, and biodiversity; human impact on the environment; nerves and hormones; and transport.
Affiliated Independent Private Biology Tutor, 2009 – present
Mr Daniel Chan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Hons.) in Chemistry from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and a Bachelor of Science Degree (Advanced) from the University of Sydney, Australia, majoring in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Daniel is now in the final stages of Doctorate in Chemistry at the University of Cambridge.
Since 2009, Daniel has been tutoring at International Scholars Tuition School. He has tutored students from German Swiss International School on the SAT Biology Subject Test. He has also taught respiration and photosynthesis to an OCR A-Level Biology student from Harrow School, and transport and microorganisms to a AQA GCSE Biology student from The Royal High School, UK. Two of Daniel’s Biology students last year from GSIS were admitted early on the fast track basis to study medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). Daniel has also tutored Cardiff Sixth Form College and King’s Scholars at Eton College.
Principal Biology Tutor, 2005 – present
Mr Don Ho has been tutoring Biology 11+ and 13+ Common Entrance and IGCSE to Hong Kong students at 1ST since 2005. Many of Don’s 13+ Science students have gone on to study at Winchester College, Eton College, Oundle School, Cheltenham Ladies College, Wycombe Abbey, and Malvern St James. Furthermore, many of Don’s students have scored A* on their IGCSEs. Don is very experienced, having tutored homeostasis, ultrafiltration and the nephron to a student who attends Harrow International in Hong Kong; mitosis and meiosis, recessive and dominant alleles to a student from Winchester College; and digestive enzymes and the circulatory system to a German Swiss (GSIS) student. Don is also the founder and principal of International Scholars Tuition School. As a registered school, 13+ candidates may sit the Common Entrance at IST.
Doctoral Biology Tutor, 2015-2019
With great sadness, we announce that Dr Sam Szeto passed away in December 2019. To honour him, we will be keeping his information on this page. Sam joined International Scholars Tuition as a Biology Tutor in June 2014. He obtained his Doctorate in Biochemistry at the University of Alberta (CAN), where he also earned his Bachelor of Science Honours degree with First Class standing. Throughout the course of his academic training and career, Dr Szeto has received numerous awards for achievements in both scholastics and research. These include an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Studentship and a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship.
Before joining IST, Dr Szeto worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Hong Kong and he was an Undergraduate Student Supervisor at the A*STAR Institute of Medical Biology during his time in Singapore. Previously at the University of Alberta, Dr Szeto worked as a Tutor, Exam Grader and Guest Lecturer for the Department of Biochemistry; and as a Sessional Lecturer for the Department of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene teaching biochemistry to dental students.
Dr Szeto possesses extensive academic research experience, with his research being published in a number of internationally recognized peer-reviewed scientific journals and receiving awards for academic excellence. He has also had the opportunity to present his research findings at a number of international conferences. This scientific experience and acumen allows Dr Szeto to critically evaluate and provide expert guidance to students carrying out independent research projects such as the IB Internal Assessments, Extended Essays and A-level EPQ research investigations. Advice on developing and drafting IA and EE documents has been provided to students from schools such as ISF Academy, Kiangsu-Chekiang College, and Li Po Chun United World College.
Since joining IST, Dr Szeto has tutored the comprehensive range of topics comprising the Edexcel IGCSE Biology syllabus. He has taught topics such as homeostasis and hormonal regulation to students from West Island and Island Schools, and topics such as excretion, genetic engineering and cloning to a Harrow International School student. For students from KGV School, concepts pertaining to the use of biological resources in food production and inheritance were reviewed. Other topics such as plant transport and reproduction were revised with students from Kingswood School, while topics involving human gas exchange, transport and digestion were discussed with students from Oundle School and St. Paul’s Convent School. Concepts relating to the human circulatory system and osmoregulation have also been reviewed with a Sevenoaks School student preparing for her upcoming IGCSE exams.
Dr Szeto also has experience in tutoring the CIE IGCSE Biology syllabus. Topics such as classification, biological molecules and enzymes were revised with students from German Swiss International School and Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School. For students from Singapore International School, they were tutored on concepts such as plant and human nutrition, disease and immunity. Topics such as coordination and response, excretion and gas exchange in humans were revised with a French International School student. Dr Szeto also taught a student from Shatin College the concepts of reproduction and respiration. In addition, for a student attending Kent College Canterbury, movement in and out of cells and transport in animals were the topics that were reviewed and discussed. He has also tutored the AQA GCSE Biology syllabus, with topics such as digestion and gas exchange having been reviewed with a student from Warwick School, and the concepts of hormones and homeostasis with a Concord College student. Aspects of experimental design and data analysis, an important focus of the AQA syllabus, were also discussed and reviewed with a student from Headington School. In addition, for a student enrolled in Honors Biology at HKIS, topics such as phylogenetics and speciation were revised.
For higher level courses, Edexcel IAS topics such as biological molecules and DNA replication were covered with students from Harrow International School. Concepts pertaining to the structure and function of biological macromolecules were discussed with a student studying OCR AS Biology from Kingswood School. Various aspects of infection and immunity topic from the Edexcel Salters-Nuffield A2 syllabus have been revised with a Haberdasher’s Monmouth School for Girls student. With a student from Eton College, the principles relating to the structure and function of proteins were discussed as part of the CIE Pre-U syllabus. Concepts associated with application of cell biology and biotechnology were also revised with a Shrewsbury School student in the first year of his CIE Pre-U Biology course. WJEC A2 syllabus topics such as photosynthesis, microbiology and human impact on the environment were revised with a student from Cardiff Sixth Form College. The concept of allelic frequency determinations using the Hardy-Weinberg equation was revised with a student studying AQA A2 Biology from Downside School. While topics such as biochemistry and molecular genetics from the AP Biology syllabus were reviewed with an AIS student.
In regards to the IB programme, Dr Szeto has tutored a full range of Biology topics at the MYP, Diploma Standard and Higher levels. Concepts relating to cell theory and movement of substances in and out of cells have been reviewed with students from CDNIS and Chinese International school. Various aspects of human digestive and reproductive systems were discussed with student from Victoria Shanghai Academy. For a Diocesan Boys’ School student, the topic of animal physiology was covered. Concepts such as cellular and molecular biology were revised with a South Island School student, while Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School and Li Po Chun United World College students were taught the topics of nucleic acids, genetics and evolution. For students from German Swiss International school, the processes of DNA replication, transcription and translation were covered and reviewed. In addition, ecology and biodiversity was reviewed with students from Island School as preparation for their upcoming final exams. The various Option topics that are a component the IBDP Biology syllabus have also been discussed, with biotechnology and informatics being revised with a Shatin College student, ecology and conservation with a CDNIS student, and human physiology with a student from Kiangsu-Chekiang College.
Dr Szeto has also tutored Hong Kong-based students preparing for entrance examination from overseas schools such as Cheltenham College, Dulwich College, Oxford International College, Oundle School and Charterhouse School. This preparation involved teaching and revising the relevant concepts from the Biology component of the 13+ Common Entrance Examination Science Key Stage 3 or GCSE curricula. This included topics such as classification and inheritance, human nutrition and reproduction, cells and cell functions. In addition, scientific skills such as deductive reasoning based on the scientific method are introduced and reinforced.