German classes in Thousand Oaks: Try a class for free

I am a German and English native speaker and have been a teacher for 25 years. I specialize in the exam preparation for the Goethe Zertifikat or equivalent and have considerable experience with professionals, embassy staff and medical students. My method is simple: I make it real, I make it relevant and most of all, I make it fun! 

Hallo Leute - hi guys!

Taking your first steps in German?

Do you want to improve a specific language skill?

Or prepare for an exam?

I can offer you:

• Fun and challenging lessons
• Interactive didactic materials for all levels included
• Individual lesson plan tailored to your specific needs and progress
• Lessons designed specifically for 1:1 online learning
• Focus on applied language
• Exam training (A1 – C2)
• Advanced speaking practice
• Courses for children and adolescents

I'm from Kassel in Germany but live in São Paulo, Brazil.

Here I started to teach German as a foreign language in German multinationals, in social projects, and as a 1:1 online teacher.

I have worked with German learners of many different needs and levels and I am simply in love with what you teach me about my language.

I am here to challenge you and cheer for your progress!

Do you want to learn how to communicate in German acccurately and with confidence, but without a lot of boring grammar exercises?

Or do you just want to talk, but constantly feel stressed when having a free conversation?

Or do you already speak German well and wonder how you can improve further?

Then I’m here to guide you on your way to success!

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” (Confucius)

Understanding and mastering are two completely different things. Therefore, it is not my goal to explain a lot, but to make you USE grammar structures and new words in a systematic way.

What to expect

• Lessons tailored to your personal needs in a relaxed learning atmosphere
• You will speak a lot.
• You will receive feedback, corrections and examples in google docs.
• You will practice grammar and new words systematically in a natural conversation.
• You will also have the option to train reading, writing and listening as well as doing homework.
• You will be encouraged to say things in different ways in order to broaden your vocabulary.
• You will focus on practice, not on theory.
• You will have the possibility to work with interactive software – for students who take at least 1 – 2 lessons a week and want to do homework.

I'm looking forward to meeting you!

Teaching Approach

There are many ways to teach a lesson. I'm a lover of a varied approach whenever applicable. I can honestly say that I will always do my very best to find suitable methods in order to facilitate comprehension and learning.

Over the course of a lesson, I might use audio files, videos, transcripts, books, worksheets or custom-tailored exercises that I feel are best suited for that particular student. Likewise, I will also train conversation - practical or otherwise.

I highly value being kind, patient, modest and encouraging. I always strive to create an environment that fosters a positive feeling. An inviting atmosphere is essential for learning anything at all. I welcome mistakes students make because it's normal to do so, plus that is one of the best ways to learn something properly.

My ultimate goal for you, as my student, is to enjoy yourself while learning and progressing!

Students are different, and all have their own individual needs and expectations. I see myself as someone who is guiding them along their chosen path. Occasionally prompting them to discover (the beauty of) a concept here and there they might otherwise have overlooked. Helping them to develop long-term strategies that will make them feel accomplished and self-assured.

Qualifications & Experience

I've studied at a German university. I've worked as a full time teacher in German trade schools for many years. I've easily taught more than 4,500 lessons over the years. I taught students from all walks of life, with their ages ranging from fifteen to forty-five years. 

About me

Teaching, in general, has always been something that I deeply admire. To be able to help others comprehend a concept, and to contribute to their learning progress, is a meaningful endeavour and deeply rewarding! I enjoy it more than I could ever adequately describe. 

I look forward to helping and getting to know more people here! Let's have many wonderful learning experiences together!

Kind regards,

David

I am a German native speaker from Austria who loves languages and am passionate about teaching others. I work as language teacher in a school, teach adults at the German Culture Center and prepare my students for all types of official language exams. I love my job and always seek to make it as much fun as possible.

I am adapting my way of teaching to the needs and the personality of my students. We can build up your vocabulary and speaking capacities, work on your written expression or on your general understanding. You want a conversation class to practice the language or build up your knowledge in Grammar? Or perhaps you have a language exam to pass. Or is it perhaps your child that wants to learn a language while playing? You want to improve your German while learning more about the German speaking countries? You need someone who is motivating you to keep up our learning journey?

I have experience in teaching people from very different cultural background, different ages and different levels. I would love to get to know you during our trial lesson, so that we can come up with a tailored plan for you.

We can discuss travel, politics, the cities we live in, art, culture, the news, your job, your dreams and goals - anything :) I will adjust to your level (B1 and up) so that you don't feel overwhelmed. Language learning should be fun! 

Corrections and suggestions will be provided in the chat box. (this is not a grammar class though so explanations will be kept brief to focus on the conversation and improving fluency.

Given my background as a Communications Director at a global company I'm also happy to include business topics if that's of interest to you. 

My classes are NOT for beginners. As it is a conversation class, you must be able to hold at least a basic conversation (A2 level or higher)

I look forward to talking with you! :)

Hello my name is Maria, I’m from Germany and currently I live in Bolivia.

I myself was raised multilingual and I live in a foreign country. So, I know how hard and sometimes even frustrating it can be to learn a language. That’s why I would like to help you. If you are a beginner its best to start with some structure. So, vocabulary, grammar and the structure of a sentence in general. If you are already advanced, we can concentrate on pronunciation and conversation. Of course, always in connection with listening, reading and writing.

I already helped some students to prepare for their Goethe and Telc Test in the Levels A1 to C1.

I have been teaching German and Italian for over 15 years at a prestigious Canadian University as well as at a local language school. I have experience teaching all levels and age groups, both in-person and online. 

I aim to incorporate all 5 language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture) in every lesson. Besides teaching the five traditional language skills, I also believe in the importance of developing a sixth skill – strategy awareness and use. By teaching you learning strategies, I try to develop in you the autonomy you need in order to continue exploring the language independently.

I tend to adopt an eclectic approach, whereby depending on the situation, I borrow different techniques from a variety of teaching methods. My PhD in Applied Linguistics and ongoing research in second language pedagogy allows me to stay informed on the latest research developments in the field of second language acquisition and to adopt the most appropriate teaching practices for each teaching and learning situation.

In order to adapt the instruction to the learning context, it is important for me to know my students well. This allows me to account for different personal factors, such as the learners’ age, proficiency level, learning styles, personality, and individual needs. I try to provide a range of learning opportunities that can satisfy the needs of different students. I also believe that there is a time and place for a judicious use of learners’ first languages in the second language classroom. Knowing seven languages often allows me to help students build upon their preexisting linguistic knowledge by drawing parallels between their different native languages and the target language. 

Finally, I believe it is important to develop both learners’ fluency and accuracy. Therefore, I strive to find a balance between emphasizing communicative skills and focusing on linguistic forms. Thus, depending on learners’ needs and goals, I might choose to employ more implicit or more explicit teaching methods.

My ultimate goal as a teacher is to create a friendly and productive atmosphere, in which students have fun and progress in their learning journey.

Hello, my name is Luca-Curtis, I am 29 years old and live in changing countries in Asia.

Until recently, I was employed as a teacher at a school for two years, teaching German as a foreign and second language and physical education from 5th to 10th grade. I spent one year alone in Asia- and one year in Africa, gaining experience in teaching there. I was teaching at the time as part of volunteer work and also privately.

If someone were to describe me, they would say that I am funny, professional, patient and attentive.

I love to travel, be at festivals and do sports (all sports).

I am certified by the Goehte Institute and have over 5 years of experience in teaching German as a foreign and second language.

I taught children and teenagers from 10 - 18 years old for two years.

Adults of all ages, backgrounds and religions.

Trial lesson:

We discuss your language goals and I explain how you can achieve them.  

Of course, we also get to know each other a little and see if the chemistry between us fits.  

I will also recommend a book that we will work with in the following lessons. If you already have a book, it would be no problem to use this one (if you have been happy with it so far).  

The lessons:

Of course, this depends on your objective and cannot be generalized here.

In general, you will talk a lot and I will correct you. Orally and in writing. We will keep a record of all corrections in GoogleDocs, which will also be available to you after our lessons, so that you can always refer back to it. 

My goal is to help you and achieve your personal goal together with you. Feel free to write me if you have a question and are unsure if I can help you with it.  

I look forward to hearing from you and if you decide against a trial lesson, I still wish you much success in learning the German language! :)

My name is Sandra and I am a qualified teacher with a Masters of Education in German and English as a Second Language,  Physical Education , Religion and Art with 8 years of experience in teaching at various schools in Germany , Australia, Asia, Canada. My teaching style is very interactive and I try to adjust it to everyone's needs. Every student is different and learns differently. My goal is to equip my students with tools and also to inspire them with my enthusiasm for the German language & culture. My teaching method is to focus on the 4 skills : listening , speaking, reading and writing . Those 4 skills will be covered in every lesson except the student is requesting to focus only on the conversational part etc. I'm flexible and can accomodate to every students needs. I  love to travel and have been to various countries all of the world and taught German and English on the way.