Beginners

Emphasis on Speaking

Beginners are students who haven't reached CEFR level B1 yet. (CEFR means the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.) The main objects of beginners are listening and speaking. At DAM Dutch there's a lot of attention for realistic Dutch, that's the language as it really is spoken - not as it's written. During the lessons, students are often engaged in dialogues with the teacher. From the start of the first beginners class, students will be encouraged to say things in Dutch. The teacher shows a lot of good examples, acts out little dialogues, repeats sounds and words and sentences many times, and then asks the students to try and imitate. The students are asked many questions, and they are given the time to formulate an answer.

Also, DAM Dutch teachers don't give away answers too soon, but rather make students think for themselves.The key for learning a language is using it. It wouldn't be realistic to expect to learn speaking by just listening and reading a book. Speaking requires that you get the language, the sentences, the words, the sounds, in your mouth! So, in DAM Dutch lessons, students repeat after the teacher a lot, they also try to imitate recorded dialogues, they answer questions, give information in Dutch, ask their questions in Dutch and try to tell things in Dutch – however limited their command of the language may be.

Other skills students work on, are reading and writing. Favourite reading texts include children stories that are easy and funny, but not childish. Writing ranges from writing words and sentences to a short text or an email.

Of course, any language student needs to learn words. This involves studying word lists, working with flash cards, using pictures and practicing with objects.

Emphasis on Speaking

Beginners are students who haven't reached CEFR level B1 yet. (CEFR means the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.) The main objects of beginners are listening and speaking. At DAM Dutch there's a lot of attention for realistic Dutch, that's the language as it really is spoken - not as it's written. During the lessons, students are often engaged in dialogues with the teacher. From the start of the first beginners class, students will be encouraged to say things in Dutch – however limited their command of the language may be.