The School for Dutch has been offering dutch language classes to expats in Amsterdam since 1990. Our courses are designed to meet all language levels, whether you’re just starting off or if you’ve been taking classes for years.
In this course you learn to handle a variety of straightforward situations such as shopping, eating out, talking about work and family, asking directions, telling about your work, place of birth, your last or next holiday ..etc....etc. All these items are embedded in dialogues and interviews, you work in pairs or threes, so you have to talk. The pronunciation and the articulation ( the first bridge to take) gets a lot of attention. Of course you will get all the grammar you need for this level, but speaking = 'doing the language’ is central. Survival is more than just an elementary course. The exercises in the online practice system of the Academy will help you to ‘digest’ and internalize all grammar concepts further and will shape your Dutch articulation step by step. survival- level 1.(A course on level A1-A2: CEFR)
You will further your ability to have simple conversations on the most common subjects: home, travel, family, work, tastes and preferences. Making more complex sentences, using the different tenses, and most of all you will increase your confidence in speaking Dutch. Again everything is embedded in the context of your own life, the ‘talking’ is about your own study time, your own town of birth…etc. In this course you will talk more free and with more confidence and your grip on the language will clearly grow. And again the online practice system of the Academy will help you to increase your grip on and to reduce your fear for the language, with clarifying and drilling all kind of grammar issues. Small Talk: level 2: (A course on level A2 CEFR A2).
Now you’re talking! Getting more comfortable asking questions, responding, explaining, giving your opinion, etc. are all part of this level. You're able to hold conversations in almost any field and improve your vocabulary a lot in a natural way. The format of this level is: preparing a pre-specified text at home, you will have it too in your textbook, with the help of the same text in the online practice system of the Academy with clarifying pop ups ánd the audio. Realize language is flow= music ! And even the handling and feeling comfortable with grammar concepts is based on feeling the flow of the language. With the Academy you will have entry to all the exercises of the previous levels to fill in gaps in your knowledge with regard to previously treated concepts.
Conversation: level 3: A course on level B1 CEFR A2
Note: the course is every time a series of 10 lessons of each 1.5 hour, given once a week and given in each of the four lesson rounds in a teaching year. In each series of lessons we work new text materials. So you will explore new vocabulary and will have conversations about new subjects. The grammar covered is in each series largely the same. Doing this course 2 (or 3 times), is more or less the rule given the limited number of hours per course.
Talking and having more complex discussion is a lot easier for you now. The texts we use on this level are a bit more complicated than on the Conversation level and small writing exercises will be part of the curriculum. These writing exercises will also help you to speak in a grammatically more correct way. A process a process that has already started step by step from the beginning. Grammar will be part of the course too of course. In the online practice system of the Academy you will find the texts to prepare with clarifying pop ups ánd the audio. And again with the Academy you will have entry to all the exercises of the previous levels to fill in gaps in your knowledge with regard to previously treated concepts.
Discussion: level 4: A course on level B1 CEFR A2
Looking to improve your Dutch in a more intimate setting? The School for Dutch in Amsterdam offers 1-on-1 Dutch lessons for couples, families, groups, and more. Our private Dutch lessons follow a similar progression to our group courses while allowing for you to set you own specific Dutch language goals. Having a hard time with one specific grammar concept? Looking to master your daily Dutch interactions? The private lessons at the School for Dutch have you covered!
Maybe your company is offering you and your fellow employees a Dutch course at work? Or maybe you’re an HR professional looking to help your employees adjust to the Netherlands? Whatever your situation may be, the School for Dutch is here to help! We offer in-company Dutch classes to companies and organizations in and around Amsterdam. No matter the language level, we’re ready to provide your employees with the real Dutch experience and have them feeling confident and ready to take on all the Netherlands has to offer!
Are you interested in following a course with us, or do you have a general question regarding our teaching methods and philosophies? Please head over to our contact page to get in touch.