German 2 lower: module 1

Tim is a bi-lingual native of Nuremberg - or Nürnberg - Germany. After a varied career in higher education he left management to pursue his interest in languages and become a teacher of German and English. He also has an academic background in botany, biology and science communication. Outside work he speaks Spanish, goes to tap dancing classes, loves crosswords, debates, art, cooking, learning, reading novels in English, German and Spanish, and people! You might find him dancing at an open air concert, hiking in the mountains, jogging in the rain, teaching German to a lawyer or a group of 15. In his teaching his focus is always on the people in front of him and making their learning as enjoyable and productive as possible. He loves languages because they help people live life to the fullest.

I am a native German and an experienced language teacher for German, French and Spanish with over 25 years of experience in Secondary Schools and in Adult Education. Keeping students engaged and motivated, that is my speciality! The best piece of praise I ever got from an adult student was: “Your lessons are brilliant and such a joy. I never thought it would be possible for me to learn so much and have fun at the same time”. It just goes to show that a skillful teacher and a motivated student are the perfect ingredients to successful learning. I follow the communicative teaching approach and tailor every lesson to the needs of my learners using textbooks , podcasts, films, music and other authentic materials to cater for all learner types. When I am not teaching I love travelling the world , scuba diving and playing lots of sports.

Having finished my MA in Communication Sciences paired with foreign languages, I went straight into tourism, working for airlines, tourism operators and cruise ships. As a tour guide working within Europe, I have had the pleasure to meet and greet wonderful people from all over the world. Ditto when working as a Dutch, Italian and German interpreter/translator on board cruise ships. Languages are the keys to new cultures, and I love helping people to open new doors. I am currently doing an MA in Creative Writing next to my tutoring assignments, so who knows? I might also be teaching creative writing at some stage. I look forward to many hours of fun language lessons with Citylit students!

Friederike, a native speaker of German, became interested in teaching when she moved to the UK. After a career change, Friederike undertook an MA in Education, and became a qualified teacher in post-compulsory education. As well as having managed language departments, Friederike is experienced in teaching adults from varying backgrounds and levels. Friederike says: “I have gained a greater understanding of my own language through the teaching of German to adults – finding new approaches to best share this knowledge is a continuing journey for me. It is so satisfying to see learners progressing and gaining more confidence, particularly in their speaking skills. Many students have turned their learning into a life passion!’’