Testimonial

Before we started working together, I had basic previous knowledge. I wanted to work with Elizabeth through the professional look and description so I trusted she would be a good teacher. I found the lessons very well, with good quantity and speed. I would describe her as very organized, patient, friendly, and easy to learn from. The lessons are worth the investment. I grade the lessons/the course on a scale of 1 to 10 with a 9.

I knew some basic Dutch but had Afrikaans as a background. I had to get to A2 level to find a job. And when I live in the Netherlands, I have to speak Dutch. I enjoyed the lessons. I learned to string together words and sentences that I know. I feel more self-confident now and can have a simple conversation better. I am able to do what I did not expect.

I needed someone with whom I could improve my spoken and written grammar. Because I felt insecure when speaking. I am more aware of my mistakes, which is good. I have more self-confidence and my grammar and vocabulary have improved. Elizabeth is a good Dutch teacher with a lot of patience and a committed person. She adapts to the needs of the student.

Before starting having 1:1 classes with Elizabeth I tried learning Dutch and took 2 group courses. Group classes didn’t really work for me and after several months and 2 different group courses, I still didn’t know much and couldn’t speak Dutch. Last year I decided to take Inburgeringsexamen in order to apply for Dutch citizenship and urgently needed to fix my language knowledge. After having private classes with several tutors I decided to continue with Elizabeth. She perfectly understood my needs and adjusted her teaching style to them. Classes were interesting and effective. We were working on reading, speaking, writing, and listening. Learning theory (grammar) and practicing a lot. My main feedback speaks for itself – I passed all Inburgeringsexamen. And I can speak Dutch! I would totally recommend Elizabeth as a tutor. She has great knowledge and experience.

Before Irene and I started working with Elizabeth, we found ourselves at early stages in our careers here in the Netherlands, both being privileged enough to work in English-speaking environments, but still unable to participate in many conversations that would take place in the workspace. An additional issue we faced was the fact that we couldn’t do small talk with people in everyday situations (buying bread, saying hello on the road, etc.). That felt quite limiting, especially considering that we were trying to make Leeuwarden feel like our new home, so doing these lessons was just a great way of proactively fulfilling our desire to be a part of the local community. The lessons exceeded our expectations. After 4-5 lessons we really started noticing a difference. It was all in a comfortable environment, where we felt at ease and cared for by Elizabeth. She is super friendly, patient, easy to feel comfortable with (which is very important when learning a new language, because some people might feel slightly shy/hesitant about it), but also very professional, dedicated to helping people progress, and meticulous in her approach. By the time someone gets into the process, they will realize that they will look forward to the classes. It’s a very friendly and entertaining environment, which makes it very motivating to attend and do well.

Before I started working with Elizabeth, I knew a bit of Dutch, but I had to improve my conversation skills. I wanted to talk to people in Dutch, but I couldn’t make sentences. Elizabeth felt my problems well and adapted her lessons to them. We had conversations, practiced grammar and vocabulary. And have prepared the civic integration exam. The result is that I passed all my civic integration exams at once. I now feel at ease when I join in a Dutch conversation. Elizabeth is professional, reliable, and very conscientious. The investment in private lessons was absolutely worth it because you learn at your own pace. If I hadn’t had the lessons, I would still be struggling with my Dutch.

I’m working with Elizabeth now to learn Dutch. I know I’m a slow learner but she makes it fun and very engaging. I’m really enjoying our lessons and the structure. I’ll post this in Dutch one day soon!!

Villa Nova wanted to be able to communicate better with Krisztina, the Hungarian employee. And to allow her to make better contact with colleagues and the hotel and restaurant guests. A starter package was financed from the training budget. 1 to 1 we worked every week to increase the vocabulary and speaking skills. The result of the lessons is that the employee has gained more self-confidence to express herself. She knows how to talk to guests and ask questions to her colleagues and employer. Mutual communication has improved and so has the working relationship.

Elizabeth is a capable and pleasant person. She listens carefully to your wishes and responds well to them. Lessons are structured and you will receive a clear summary per lesson. I therefore look back on a pleasant cooperation.

Before we started together I reached A1 level in the language. My main problem was unable to communicate and talk with people either in my work or outside. It made me feel left most of the time. I wanted to engage more and to understand what was going on around me. I have learned a lot my speaking and reading skills have improved significantly. Lot of people complemented my improvement which made me feel more comfortable to talk more not just in a work environment but even more in social interacting. Elizabeth is a really smart and hardworking teacher that understand her student and make the course flexible to fit your needs and help to achieve your goals as easy and efficient as possible. I would like to thank you so much for the effort, it really helped me a lot.

Before I started working with Elizabeth, I had mild panic about the BIG re-registration exam. I really wanted to pass my BIG re-registration. This is a difficult exam at B2/C1 level. I was under stress for this exam. I really wanted to pass so that I could work in the hospital again. I was a doctor in England as well. I miss my profession. I wanted to work with Elizabeth because I have good experiences from the past. Together we worked to achieve the B1 level. Elizabeth is friendly, organized, hardworking, focused, intelligent, easy to understand and helpful. I want to continue with private lessons in the future. If I had not invested in the lessons with her, I would still be studying to pass my exam.

Before I took lessons with Elizabeth, I spoke Dutch very simply and I was always ashamed to try out with new people, so I always felt like asking to switch to English. I was always a little embarrassed because I could not communicate in Dutch. For me it is important to tackle this problem because my family situation will make me live in the Netherlands for a long time and I find it important to be able to communicate and integrate with people from the region. I wanted to work with Elizabeth because I once got free material from her about tips to use “the and it”, and not many people are willing to help others that way. I also saw a lot of her posts on the facebook expat groups and I always found her very friendly and she was always clear that if we didn’t feel there was chemistry to work together we didn’t have to go any further, and that gives you a sense of freedom. I asked her to focus on my speaking skills and, more importantly, on the way I pronounce some words. I discovered that Elizabeth’s classes are well structured and the most important thing is that she works on the points I asked for. So I realize that after her lessons I am much more aware of the way I words and I also feel much more confident to speak Dutch. Now I’m able to speak more clearly and I started to speak Dutch everywhere. I feel I can communicate better in Dutch. I feel very happy and proud. The lessons were absolutely worth the investment.

My problem was that I did not speak any Dutch yet. It felt I am not part of the culture, that I am missing out so much on my day by day. I wanted to learn Dutch because for now my live is getting settle in the Netherlands, and without the language isn’t easy. However, it is not easy to learn the language because almost everyone understands me in English, which is make it more difficult to make the effort. The lessons were good, well prepare and encouraging. Elizabeth helps and put all her effort into reaching your language goals according to your expectations, pace and level. She makes sure that things are on the right way, and she understands the troubles on the Dutch language. She is patient. A direct result of the beginners lessons is that I pick up more words when people talk Dutch.

“When I started Dutch lessons, I had been living in the Netherlands for 2 years. At the time the lessons started, I had a basic level of Dutch (about A1). At home, we spoke Russian, and simple things like going to the supermarket or to the doctor were a real nightmare for me. I did not understand even half of what they were telling me, and of course, I could not answer and was shy. I also wanted to chat with neighbors in their mother tongue. We started lessons in March 2020. From the very first lesson, I realized it would be very effective. Elizabeth paid attention to my needs and suggested a suitable class system. We studied grammar, new words and talked a lot about totally different subjects. Soon I began to feel confident in my daily life. I could already ask something in the shop or have a cup of coffee with a neighbor. I was also able to pass my civic integration exams in July. Elizabeth is very friendly and pleasant to talk to. She is really flexible and always meets your needs. She helped me to overcome feelings of shyness and doubt about myself. I am very grateful to Elizabeth and I hope I will come back to her soon for a new dose of knowledge.”

As an expat in the Netherlands, I can highly recommend Elizabeth as your tutor. I came to the Netherlands in December 2021 thinking that knowledge of Afrikaans would be enough. I can honestly say. it isn't. Although most Dutch people understand Afrikaans, you may feel more at home if you try to speak Dutch as it really is. You will find many similarities, but you will also quickly learn that they are two very different and highly respected languages. Being in Elizabeth's class gave me the confidence to speak Dutch and adjust in a new country. Elizabeth is a very patient and well-prepared teacher and she does not hesitate to help you with some extra activities and guidelines. In her own famous words. "if you don't use it, you lose it". Elizabeth is a positive and encouraging teacher who truly cares for her students and will not hesitate to go the extra mile. Besides being an excellent teacher, she is also very good in her field and passionate about Dutch as a language. Through her lessons, I not only learned a lot of Dutch, but also fell in love with the language and culture!

I have been taking Dutch lessons with Elizabeth since the beginning of 2022, first to pass my inburgering and then to improve my Dutch (currently at B1). Before Elizabeth, I tried many ways of learning Dutch, but doing Dutch with Elizabeth has by far been the best experience I have ever had! Elizabeth is organized and structured (and follows recommended books), but is also importantly attentive, kind and very positive. You can ask her any question and you will always feel proud afterwards. Elizabeth is a fantastic teacher and I cannot recommend her more!

I wanted to learn Dutch for my work and my daily life. The lessons were a good experience. Now I understand Dutch and my colleagues better. I use Dutch in my daily life and I am confident in my knowledge of it. I am glad we worked together and I wish all future students the same experience I had with you!

Pronunciation and rules I did not know. Speaking was a problem right now it feels better. I know the rules and can speak better. I feel better when I speak. in the group we worked well, I plan to do the integration exam. The B1 course is then my next step.