Language Tutor

Background & Experience:

My name is Susanne. I am a German native speaker and have been teaching German and French in adult education, first in Germany and then in the UK, for more than 25 years.

My academic background: the German State Examination for grammar school teachers, a PhD in languages, both from the University of Bonn / Germany, as well as the Level 5 Certificate "Teaching English as a Foreign Language" from the TEFL Academy.

In Germany, I worked for more than ten years as a personnel manager for a French satellite company, a position which allowed me to gain insight into business and management procedures.

My experience in teaching: Besides from working for the County Council, I have worked for German Federal authorities, evening schools, several agencies and as a private tutor. I teach in the classroom and online.

As a tutor of German and French, I cover levels A1 to C2 and try to offer a wide variety of contents and activities, such as small talk, culture, conversation, vocabulary, idiomatic expressions and grammar. 

Key Expertise: 

I specialise in German and French, especially conversation and culture. The "four skills" of speaking, understanding, reading and writing are practised in all my sessions. I carefully prepare my sessions and do a lot of research to find appropriate resources and often prepare activities myself. 

Teaching Philosophy:

I am aware that some students might initially be a bit tongue-tied and that the attention span of most people is limited to twenty minutes. Therefore, I believe in ringing the changes!

I attach high importance to being supportive, encouraging, friendly and respectful. Learners are given homework, feedback and a lesson summary. The summary allows them to revise the contents of each session. I am happy to include learners' requests for a special topic in my lessons.

Thanks to the warm and welcoming atmosphere in the groups, learners are encouraged to contribute, make requests and ask questions. 

Additional information:

I speak three languages: German, my native language, English, the language of my English husband, and French, which I used as a personnel manager.

I love my courses and am passionate about preparing and delivering stimulating lessons and am grateful to say that my courses have been well received as lively, informative and interesting. Many learners told me that they regard their sessions as the "highlight" of the week, because they are beneficial to their mental and physical well-being. A good number of students have made friends, meet after the lessons and organise themselves in chat groups. Some have attended my courses for more than ten years.

Besides my work in adult learning, my interests include reading, music and singing, going out to concerts and restaurants, meeting friends and travelling.