Information About Bella - Glasgow teacher -

(1 review)

Personal Description:

PLEASE NOTE: I am away between 12-25 March and between 17-30 April 2025.

Hi, my name is Bella. I was born and raised in Amsterdam, but I have been living in Glasgow, Scotland, for the past ten years. I run my own small language business and offer language classes and language coaching for people who want to learn Dutch. I also work at the University of Glasgow in the School of Education as Project Manager for the UNESCO Chair. In my time off I enjoy learning languages myself, playing the violin and rockclimbing.

Teaching Experience:

My first Dutch teaching experience was at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2008, where I worked as a graduate teaching assistant for a year. After that I took a break until 2016, when I joined the Glasgow branch of Language for Water. I taught two terms with them and then started working for Live Language, one of the largest language schools in Glasgow. I've also been teaching priva**Contact Detail Removed**ssons since 2017, both as a self-employed teacher and at Live Language.
I've taught students between the ages of 14 and 80, all from different backgrounds and all with their own reasons for wanting to learn Dutch. From intermedia**Contact Detail Removed**vel onwards, the material that we'll use will be determined by the individual needs of each learner. This ensures that you'll learn the vocabulary that is relevant for your personal situation and enables you to use the language in the settings that you need it for.
I am a qualified Neurolanguage Coach® and have done additional CPD courses at university level in teaching and learning vocabulary, using digital tools in language education and using games in the classroom to promote language skills.

Teaching Approach:

When learning a new language, it is important to find a study method that works and that keeps you motivated. Developing strong habits early on is key to language learning success and as such, I spend quite a bit of time developing study methods and schedules with my learners. The ultimate goal is to make all my students independent language learners, who take responsibility for their own learning. This can be daunting if you're new to language learning, but with proper guidance you will start to see the steps you need to make to reach your goals and that in itself will make the whole journey that much less intimidating and more enjoyable.

In my classes the emphasis is on speaking and on overcoming (language learning) hurdles. I will explain grammar items and tricky vocabulary, provide rules of thumb for quick use and will work on fluency building. I strongly encourage my students to put in the work outside of class and therefore homework will be provided. This will consist of grammar and vocabulary building exercises, as well as listening, reading and writing assignments.
We will talk about your needs and if there are specific areas you want to focus on or specific skills you want to develop, I will organise the programme accordingly. Naturally your personal interests will be taken into account, as those are the topics you are most likely to talk about in your newly acquired language.

In the conversation classes, you will be given a topic to prepare in advance. We will then talk about the topic, adding important words and common combinations of words to your repertoire. Grammar will be discussed if needed, but the emphasis is on developing your fluency. This means there will be a lot of tolerance for mistakes, as long as they don't impede understanding. I will of course point out mistakes that come back repeatedly, but the main aim is effective communication.

In the regular language classes, we will use a textbook and a workbook. Especially at beginner level, we will go throught the lessons to build a strong foundation and a vocabulary that exists of the most commonly used Dutch words. We will build your creativity, so that you learn how to use your limited vocabulary to still be able to express a wide range of needs/emotions/messages. At the intermedia**Contact Detail Removed**vel, we will personalise the class, to focus more on your individual needs. This might mean skipping chapters or rearranging the order. Additional exercises will be provided if needed, to complement the course book. If you want fully bespoke classes, do have a look at the coaching session (see below), as they might suit you better.

If you book a coaching session (from intermedia**Contact Detail Removed**vel and up), we will be looking at your learning strategies up until now, to see if we can add new ones or improve your existing ones. We will be making a list of your language needs, both in terms of vocabulary and grammar structures. I will provide you with fully bespoke learning materials to reach those goals. Coaching is led by you and your needs, there is no course book. The process is goal setting, creating a strategy for reaching your goals, working through the materials, then evaluating your progress and the effectiveness of the strategy. We adjust as necessary, then repeat the cycle by setting new goals. If you are stuck in your learning, find course books demoralising or would like to try something new, this might be for you.

PLEASE NOTE: The prices on this website are for regular language classes. Conversation classes are £5 cheaper and coaching is £60 per hour.