This method has proven effective in my training sessions for years. The goal is to break out of patterns and turn relevant knowledge into routine practice.
Five steps to confidence in English
• You talk about topics that matter to you
The key here is that we focus exclusively on topics which are relevant to you. And that you try to express yourself in your own words.
• I observe and analyse
My work starts here, immediately: I listen attentively and analyse how you construct your sentences, what vocabulary you use, whether you consciously and correctly employ the more complex structures of the English language, and whether you’re (still) translating. You want to speak freely.
• I provide feedback and input
Now my experience and knowledge come into play. I’ll give you feedback on the aspects mentioned above and suggest alternative phrasing. I’ll write down any new content for you—this is always made available to you following our training sessions. I’ll proceed at a pace that works for you. This means I’ll continue to observe and analyse. Here’s what that means: One person might grasp a new tense in 60 minutes, while another person might master all five future tenses in the same amount of time. This process is entirely individual and different every time. What always remains the same is my range of relevant knowledge and my approach to conveying content step by step—based on relevance. This includes vocabulary as well as grammar. When it comes to grammar, I’ve been using the same approach for years: First, we’ll look at the Big5—the core English tenses, which account for 80 percent of all communication. Then I’ll build on those with the other tenses.
• You work with the new content and patterns; I support you
Now it’s up to you—you want to process what you’ve just learned, work with it, apply it, and understand it. The patterns for speaking—some of which are new—will help you reach a new level. It’s all about putting it into practice and processing it. Here, too, the process is highly individual. Depending on how much time you can and want to invest, you’ll start to notice progress. Our training sessions during this phase still revolve around your topics, but my feedback and input change—because I’ll be teaching less new material and focusing more on repetition and new vocabulary, and you will be practicing to focus on the essential aspects. Your brain will learn to apply English structures more automatically.
• We practice your English flow
Now a phase of practice begins that increasingly focuses on turning existing knowledge into routine. Imagine you want to perform a piano piece in front of an audience. Exactly. You have to practice, practice, practice. To speak English fluently, you have to speak English fluently with someone. That means that once you know what you need to express yourself well and correctly (see above), the rest is “only” a matter of applying it.