From a young age, I have been fascinated by language and have always had a strong desire to learn as many languages as possible. After completing high school, I went to university and studied Communication and Information Sciences, as well as Educational Sciences. Since then, I have worked as a copywriter across various sectors, including the medical field.
Additionally, I started teaching Dutch, including at the Dutch Language and Culture School in Costa Rica, where I taught for several years and also became fluent in Spanish. In early 2019, I completed my training to become a Dutch as a Second Language (NT2) teacher and founded Taalstudiomar, where I combine my expertise in the Dutch language with my work as a journalist, editor, and NT2 lecturer for adults.

With a lifelong love of language, travel and culture, teaching English has been the perfect way to combine my passions. After living in six countries over the past 15 years, and working with people of all ages, I’ve found my home in beautiful Utrecht.  

I am TEFL certified and hold a degree in English literature with a background in creative writing. My focus is on giving my students the confidence and tools needed to build their skills through fun interaction and practical use of language, while emphasising individual goals. 

My choice to study ‘Language and Comparative Literature was based on my love to puzzle and play with the (Dutch) language and have contact with the greatest diversity of people you can imagine. It still gives me lots of joy. Both aspects: language and humans have my full attention, and are always dynamic. 

My motto is to get as much as possible óut of the student. I like to give space to speaking (next to vocabulary and grammar), doing so by asking a lot of questions and adding exercises that support this. 

Furthermore, I find it important to stay close to the learning goals of the student. My programme is never the same but mostly adjusted to a person or a group and current affairs, because learning a language is also going to get deeper in a culture. 

I graduated from Tilburg University with a specialisation in Dutch as a Second Language. I worked as a coordinator and teacher at ROC van Amsterdam and later on as a careers counselor. Advising people what study to choose is also a great interest of mine. After that I began working for herself at various language schools, working with groups, individuals, in company or casual class rooms. 

Since 2013, I’ve been teaching Dutch as a second language. Before that, I spent many years as a dance instructor. I’m very passionate about art and literature, and this is reflected in my lessons. 

I love playing with language and aim to share the joy of learning Dutch with you in my classes. Grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary are all crucial, but the most important thing is that you can express yourself. 

I enjoy improvising and always try to cater to what you want to learn. I lead the Book Club For Language Empowers and in the near future I will run a creative writing course. I look forward to meeting you there! 

I am both an educational publisher and a teacher of Dutch as a second language (NT2), and long ago also a Spanish teacher. I enjoy everything related to education. I love helping people when they start learning Dutch. I work a lot with visuals, games, and preferably add a generous dose of enthusiasm. 

 As a former communications consultant I stepped into teaching Dutch some 13 years ago as I started with the Bachelor’s Dutch. I was a typical zij-instromer: learning and teaching at the same time at intermediate vocational education. I did my first internship with Gabi and now, so many years later, we are still cooperating as I already provided many LE-students with off- and online Dutch language training.   

I very much like to mix social and professional vocabulary with grammar in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Your goal is my goal, fun is the key and this way we can make big steps forward with your learning of our complex and beautiful Dutch language.