You should be hiring me to understand the skill of acquiring fluency in German language, to internalize its grammar, and for a practical insight into the most efficient methods of starting speaking the foreign language fast.
My Limitations
- My degree is not in linguistics, specifically not related to Germanistics. Therefore, I hesitate to take students into highest levels of grammar and style, and advise them to find specialists when they reach upper intermediate or advanced levels with me.
- I also kept an accent, which was later modified with my extensive use of English, noticeably enough for my German friends.
- I lived mainly in Northern Germany, Düsseldorf area. I speak Standarddeutsch (Standard German), or Hochdeutsch, and therefore can provide only limited help with dialects. In the German-speaking regions, everyone is supposed to understand Hochdeutsch, it is the formal German language, and it is taught to foreigners.
- German is not native to me. Only one of my parents was half-German, and the language was not used in my family or around me in childhood. I still might not know some words, especially terminology specific to certain activities. For example, because I don't cook, I am clueless about some terms for kitchen utensils. The same way, in one of my native languages I have difficulty discussing advance financial situations, and in another I might be surprised with internet usage slang.
- Having lived outside Germany for the last several years, I wonder sometimes whether I got some words right, even if I used them all the time in the past - things just sound strange sometimes, and I doubt myself. This happens with my other languages as well. I visit Germany, watch the news, talk to my Germans, still think a lot in German, but I have those moments of uncertainty now and then.
- My style of teaching might be too intense:
- The pace of my lessons could be too fast;
- I care about your pronunciation and point out your errors;
- I offer homework;
- I switch between your speaking, listening and reading activities to keep you alert;
- so please tell me how I could adjust my method to your temperament better.
My Strength and your Benefits
My feel for grammatical structure of languages, combine with my ability to explain it in multiple ways with examples, showed obvious benefit for the language learners, and I am proud of it.
I can see German language both as an outsider and as an insider. This allows me to provide you with a bigger picture of its usage for communicating your wishes and thoughts, considering cultural impact.
My past active participation in German social life and business communication allows me to show you the correct and culturally elevated usage of expressions and phrases.
The fact that English was my non-native fourth language, gives me a somewhat unique perspective on both languages we will use in our meetings.
I love English and read good books in it. And that helps me to build a solid bridge for you from the language you know so well to another - often deceivingly similar - Germanic language.
Additionally, my love for literature and poetry makes me a passionate language stylist, and you might find it beneficial at some point.
