Learn English with jenglish.de

Learn English
as a second language

Why with John?

American English native speaker

25 years teaching English (ESL certified)

Develop scientific and other technical vocabulary

Perfect your business English

Inspire your children to learn

Let's Get Started!

Services

1-on-1 Lessons

In one-on-one lessons, you and I will meet without anyone else, so we can focus on your personal goals. This format works especially well for corrections and pronunciation.

You and the teacher only
Focused
Best for corrections
Best for pronunciation

Adult Classes

Four is probably the best number of people to have in a group, for balancing the student talking time, and the variety of interaction a group offers.

Groups of 4 adults
Practical
Best for developing functional language skills

Tutoring

Older children meet with me once a week, to plan and prepare for major school tests. I can help with homework, too. I will also meet with students at their homes if they live in Berlin.

For children 10 to 18 years old
Curriculum - specific help
Homework help

Exam Preparation

From time to time, you need some intensive training to prepare for important examinations. You arrange short-term language coaching to improve your scores. You can also use me for preparing for presentations like academic lectures or marketing pitches.

For anyone
Short-term
CEFR, TEFL, IELTS, BEC, etc

Translation/Editing

So, you have written a document, but you want to make sure it is “perfect”?
I can correct most texts within one week, if you send it to me in .word or .pdf format.

Books
Reports
Articles

Voiceovers

You have an advertisement, or a YouTube video, but you need a native English speaker to voice the text with the right pronunciation, rhythm and melody?
I can record it in my modern audio studio.

Advertisements
YouTube videos
Podcasts

Live Classes

Not finished your homework for this week?
Have an important presentation to give at the office first thing Monday morning?
Join a live class and get it done!

Dependable: Sundays, 3-4pm
Simple: no prerequisites, no interviews, no commitments
Simpler: PayPal and you are in!

Trips

From time to time, I offer excursions for you to learn vocabulary in context, which helps you remember it better and learn related vocabulary, because it connects the language to your actual experience.

Nature walks
Cooking classes
Sports events

Lessons

Pronunciation

The first thing to learn about language is how it sounds. You control your sound with your tongue, lips, jaw and breath. The resulting different sounds make up the phonetic alphabet. Each word is a unique combination of those sounds, many including diphthongs. Syllables are the units of sound, which are stressed, or not. This stress indicates the relevant importance in a word or a sentence. The melody created by differently stressed words in a sentence can indicate if it is a statement or a question.

Tongue, lips, jaw, breath
Phonetic alphabet
Diphthongs
Stress and melody

Grammar

Grammar is the structure that language is built on, its skeleton. It is the pattern of rules that one learns to show different meanings by changing parts of words, or by changing the order of words in a sentence. It is the way you compare different things and show the relationship of things under different conditions. In English, verb tenses have meanings. Some grammar is not intuitive, because it is not in your language, so you must learn to think differently about the structure.

English verb tenses have meanings
Conditionals for different conditions
Comparisons

Vocabulary

Vocabulary is the most complex part of language, by far. After learning pronunciation and grammar, which are relatively simple, you will spend the rest of your time learning new words. There are so many of them that it is useful to learn them together with other words, grouping them by context, the most basic of which is their opposites. To remember them more easily, practice using them in sentences about your personal experiences, or extraordinary, absurd, or “remarkable” situations.

Context, opposites
Personal or extraordinary

Small Talk

Small talk is what you use to interact with strangers, and to get to know new colleagues. Because there is no context yet from which to use references or build nuance, you ask and talk about more general things and how you feel about them, like the weather. It allows you to learn and communicate the emotional background each conversation will be based on. There are some topics to avoid talking about, because they are too personal, or intimate.

Reading the room
“Feelings“ vocabulary
The weather
Bad topics (S,P,R)

Telephoning

When you talk to people on the telephone, your communication is limited, partially. You are blind, so you need to choose your words more carefully and speak more clearly. You also need to listen more carefully to people with different accents, or people who mumble or talk too fast, or people who can't “get to the point”. There are traditional phrases and formats that you can learn and use to manage this situation better.

Scripts
Politeness
Diction
Checking

Correspondence

Word choice is more important when you write to someone, because you do not have the advantages of body language or tone of voice to help communicate what you mean, so you must be more precise. Is your “tone” formal or casual, artistic or academic?
There are also traditional places for where different types of information should be found on a document. Some of the syntax and punctuation are different in each language.

Registers
Document anatomy
Corporate structure vocabulary

Workshops

Library (diagrams, posters)

About me

I received both my TEFL and Cambridge oral examiner certifications in 2002 and have 25 years of experience teaching English as a foreign language to a wide variety of language learners, both in person and online, in one-on-one lessons and in groups. As a consultant, teacher or tutor, I have worked with speakers of more than 20 native languages, so far, including authors, private companies, scientific institutions, government agencies, doctoral students, high school students and younger children. These days, I usually work online, meeting learners in Zoom meetings and supporting them with a wealth of self-created content. I am a college educated American citizen who has been living in Germany for more than a decade.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I take lessons?

You can meet me online with Zoom and WhatsApp. Some services are available for face-to-face meetings.

How does the process work?

You decide which offer you want to take and when you want to take it and then write me an email: info@jengleich.de. Then I will send you the zoom link for you to join.

What computer equipment and programs do I need?

You need a computer that has a good connection to the Internet, a microphone and speakers (headphones are even better), with Zoom and WhatsApp installed on it.

How can I pay for services?

You can use PayPal or send me an electronic transfer payment from your bank, using my IBAN number.

How can I cancel my lesson?

You can cancel any lesson of yours by sending me a message with 48 hours notice. If you are sick, you can cancel your lesson with 24 hours notice and a doctor's note.

How can I get into a live class?

You prepay on this website and receive a link to join the Zoom meeting. When you enter the meeting, there may be other students there, too. Listen to what they are learning, then ask your questions when you get the chance.

How much does it cost to join a workshop and when are they?

Workshops will be scheduled twice a year. There will be a series of 90-minute classes, on 4 consecutive Saturday afternoons. You must register and pay for each workshop 4 weeks before the first meeting begins.

The prices are as follows:

Negotiation 250€
Technical Writing 250€
Scientific Writing 300€

How flexible about the kind and size of groups can you be?

I accommodate companies and other groups. Just write me an email at info@jenglish.de.

Contact

Learn English as a second language