My projects
Language Coaching Certification
November - December 2024
Currently, I am training to offer even greater support to my students. I started the course to be a certified Neurolanguage Coach® on 18.11.2024 with a lot of enthusiasm! Are you also interested in the topic of neuroscience? I find it fascinating, and as all my students already know, I put the utmost effort into ensuring they learn in the best way for them. This training means acquiring a deeper knowledge of the subject for me, and I am excited to be able to bring it into the classroom very soon.
My journey to Germany
July 2024
"What have you learned?", I asked at the end of our journey. "That Naja is not me," said Nahia. I had to laugh. "No, but seriously. I think it has helped me understand better. But Elisa, speaking is still difficult," she added. Ana also joined in: "I also think I have improved in listening. Always during meals with the family, on the train, and so on." - Good, I thought. Exactly what I had imagined.
A journey like this offers the opportunity to show our brain that language can be alive, that it can be felt, heard, and savoured 24 hours a day when visiting the country. My wish was to give the girls this approach to German, so they could establish a connection with the language that they did not fully notice in their school in Seville. Speaking freely was, of course, a bit difficult, even if in class we do many conversation exercises, a young traveller still remains somewhat reserved in a new country, in a strange house, and in another culture.
Of course, one must practise grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation; you don't learn it alone if you want to reach a high level. However, for young people between the ages of 12 and 16, this is difficult to grasp. This learning, what is it actually for? They ask themselves the question: "Yes, well, why do I have to speak German now if I don't want to go to Germany when I finish?" And suddenly, our brain has the perfect excuse to forget what has been learned as quickly as possible. It sees it quite similarly: "If we don't need it, then we can use the space for more important things, out with it!"
DUO/ G
Complementing the school education, the students learn German in DUO and G format. In this regard, I place great importance on them facing conversational situations that reinforce their interest in the German language, in addition to the school classes.
I care a lot about putting their knowledge into practice. We work with authentic articles, videos, and audios from German media to establish a connection with real life.
Conversations
Along with the parents, a great trust was established, which helped to take the first step towards planning the trip. To this end, we met several times via WhatsApp, Zoom, and also in person in cafés to bring the idea to life.
I must explain that even before the online classes, there was a foundation of trust. Before the pandemic, I lived in Seville and accompanied the two girls as a tutor in their home while studying at the University of Seville..
Organization
To create a learning environment as familiar as possible, my idea was to organise the trip in my hometown, Magdeburg. Thanks to my family who supported me, I was able to offer the girls an educational, authentic, and unforgettable learning experience..
For the stay, I decided to forgo traditional teaching. Instead, I created a workbook that included the different stages of the journey. To do this, I organised some additional meetings with the girls to better take their interests into account.
Let's go!
Both the vocabulary and expressions, like little puzzles and lists of linguistic tasks, have always accompanied us before, during, and after the experiences.
Vocabulary for travelling by car and train, at the airport, city walks, recipes, house descriptions, and much more!
The girls' parents took us to the airport and picked us up after a distressing delay. Exhausted, we returned home after a week, having learned a lot.
