Anna-Maria Zechner

I can offer a variety of different lessons: from general conversation practice to more formal grammar focused lessons, from practising the four major language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) to lessons targeted towards specific goals like writing a job application in German or working towards a particular language exam -- or even improving your vocabulary and communication competence in very specific fields you need for your college degree or job that might not be included in standard lessons.

My lessons usually begin with an informal chat in the target language, before moving on to the topic we chose for the day -- again, this can take a variety of shapes and forms, depending on your needs. I try to teach using only the language you are learning, as this makes it easier for your brain to "code switch" (aka to immerse yourself into the language), with as few exceptions as possible. Ideally, the lesson ends with a little chat again, to give you the chance to sum up what you learnt and ask any questions you might have. Whether or not you get homework to do in your own time depends on you, your available time, etc.

I always give one piece of informal homework, however, or rather a piece of advice: listen to music, watch your favourite TV shows, and read your favourite books in the language you want to learn -- even if you don't end up taking lessons with me, or are trying to learn a language that I can't offer help with, that is bound to help you develop a feeling for the language as it is used naturally!