Who am I?
Hey there! I'm Steven, an English teacher originally from Australia. I speak international English and only have a slight accent. I live in Berlin and speak some German (B2/C1).
I have a CELTA qualification (which is the gold standard in TEFL qualifications) and a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Melbourne (which is ranked as one of the best in the world). I have been teaching since January 2021. Furthermore, I have worked as a research assistant at the University of Melbourne doing proofreading and corrections. Therefore, my English language skills and knowledge are of a highly professional level.
I am relaxed, friendly, knowledgeable, sensitive, and patient. I am passionate about learning, philosophy, culture, art, music, and history. I love to talk about these topics, but am keen to learn about anything. I love meeting new people, and it’s one of the best parts of being a teacher.
My approach
My teaching style is very personal. I ask a lot of questions so that I can know my students and what they need. Because of this, students are motivated as they are learning what they want to, with a teacher they like.
Classes have a lot of conversation. I find that using the language is often the best way to learn. I don’t often use tables for grammar, however, if you learn best with them, then that’s what we’ll do. It’s important that you learn the language in a way that’s comfortable for you.
I am very flexible with my teaching. There is no set course because we create that together, and it changes with what you need and when you need it to. If you’re really into fashion, music, or sport, then we’ll watch videos and read articles on those topics. Do you need to learn a certain area of English like negotiations, presentations, interviews or business idioms? Then we’ll focus on them. Do you really want a chat with somebody who knows the language really well and is a great conversationalist? We can do that too. Lastly, and importantly, if you’re tired when we have class, then you’re not going to learn much. So we’ll do something a bit lighter.
I try to make sure you’re enjoying classes with me. I will often ask for feedback so that I can improve, and you get more of what you want too. Also, laughter and good times are an essential part of my classes. The best part is that it actually makes learning more effective.
A typical class with me:
Warm-up and catch up: “How are you? What have you been doing?”
Review: What did we learn last lesson? (or 5 lessons ago)
The meat (main content): a video/ article/ grammar rule/ topic of conversation/ learning game.
The ‘test’. What did you think about the video/article/topic?
Cool down. Feedback. What are your plans for the week? When will we see each other next?
What and who do I teach?
I specialise in intermediate to advance B1-C1
I teach teenagers (starting at 15) and adults of all ages.
I teach people from multiple backgrounds. (mainly German speakers)
I specialise in teaching conversational English. That doesn’t mean we’ll just be chatting, there will be lots of vocabulary, corrections, and some grammar work too. (there’s always grammar work)
I also have a lot of experience teaching Business English. I teach people to understand all that ‘business lingo’ - which is very different to everyday English.
I have a lot of experience with academic writing having been a research assistant. I can help improve and upgrade your written work and your academic capabilities.
Is there something you want me to teach you, but I haven’t listed it here? Well, ask me if I can! I like new challenges and new things. I can always be a better teacher.