Level up your Dutch Conversation Skills!
This sponsored article was produced with NedLes, where new language courses start on an ongoing basis.
Even if you’re an advanced Dutch learner, you probably have noticed that speaking to your Dutch colleagues, classmates or neighbors may not be so easy! It might even be easier for you to speak in depth about a difficult, work related topic than to be involved in small talk about the weekend or the holidays. If this is you: you’re not alone! NedLes, a language school in Amsterdam-Oost, developed a special conversation course for advanced levels (B2 & above) to help you level up your Dutch conversation skills.
Lobke is an experienced teacher at NedLes, and one of the teachers behind the Conversation Course B2. She sees a clear reason why NedLes is offering this course. "Many of our students at B2 level encounter problems while speaking with their Dutch colleagues or friends," Lobke says. "They’re perfectly capable of working in Dutch, partially or completely. But when they want to have a low key conversation on daily life topics with one of their colleagues, they struggle."
Lobke understands where this problem comes from. "In daily life, the Dutch use a lot of expressions that you hardly learn in a text book." This is why in the Conversation Course B2 at NedLes, the students don’t use a normal text book. Instead, they have to listen to a podcast episode of 10 to 30 minutes, and study some expressions from the book Koffiepraatjes. This book is not your normal Dutch text book: it consists of expressions that you don’t encounter easily in written texts, but that are used quite often in daily informal conversations - the so-called "koffiepraatjes" in the coffee area.
During the class, which meets weekly for 90 minutes, the students discuss the topic of the podcast episode, and they bring the expressions they studied at home into practice. The teacher facilitates the conversation and corrects if necessary. It is a great opportunity for the students to share their points of view and to improve their Dutch.
While developing the course, Lobke and the other teachers carefully selected the topics and the podcast episodes. They wanted daily life subjects that would appeal to all students and lead to discussion. Think of questions such as “At what age can a child have a smartphone?” or “What makes a good gift?”
"What I like the most about the course is that every student has something to say about the topic," Lobke says. "We really get to know each other, and we laugh a lot. It is like having a drink with friends in a café!"
Lobke’s students agree. Yasi, from Iran, says, "The Conversation Course B2 was the perfect course for me. I’ve enjoyed every class and I’ve learned a lot!"
Ben, from South-Africa, adds, "This course is great! The focus is on speaking, on making mistakes and correcting those mistakes. That works really well. And it is great to talk to the other students and to get to know them better."
The Koffiepraatjes-book used in this course is based on the famous Delft Method, that is used in other Dutch classes at NedLes too. The teacher uses techniques from this method to enhance conversations, and to correct in a clear but subtle manner. But as a student, previous experience with the Delft Method is not necessary. Mastering Dutch at B2 level and being eager to learn and practice more, is all you need to join the Conversation Course B2.
And if you join, you know now what to expect: useful expressions, inspiring podcasts and confident conversations - in the classroom and outside! Do you want to follow the Conversation Course B2 at NedLes? This 8-week course starts regularly, both online and offline.
For those who are not yet advanced Dutch learners, but are also inspired to start learning or improve their Dutch in a conversation based way, NedLes offers a variety of Delft Method courses. This summer NedLes offers a hybrid weekend course for beginners for those who like to make progress fast while having a full time job (read more about the hybrid course here). Or if you have a few weeks off or are in between jobs, the in person two week crash course might just be what you are looking for. Have a look at www.nedles.com or book a free intake!