How to find the Dutch course that works for you

There's a myriad of Dutch courses out there to help you learn the language. But which one should you pick? Albert Both from Talencoach explains the key criteria to consider to find the course that will work for you.

Have you been thinking about really learning Dutch and wondering which course you should take? Here are some things that can help you pick the right course for you.

You have probably already noticed that the first big difference is price. Some courses are cheap, sometimes even free and others may start from 4000 euros! But price isn't everything. If you really want to speak Dutch, then it is a good idea to be aware of other important differences as well.

In Dutch you can say: een goed begin is het halve werk (a good beginning is half of the job). That is why it is a good idea to work out what it is you truly want. Here are eight things other than price for you to consider, so that by the end, you can make the choice that is right for you.

1. What is your real goal?

Do you want to pass a test or do you want to speak Dutch in the real world? One of the main reasons that people like to take a course is because they want to pass certain exams, such as the inburgering. However, there is one important thing that most people overlook: passing an exam is different to speaking Dutch in reality. Many people believe that when they pass an exam, it automatically implies that they will be able to speak Dutch, but, unfortunately, that isn't true.

If for any reason you need to pass a certain exam, then it is always a good idea to follow a course that prepares you just for that. Passing an exam requires certain skills and it is always good to follow a specific training for this, but, if you want to speak Dutch with friends, colleagues or family, then there are other skills that you need to develop. How to react fast, how to improvise or how to talk about new topics for the first time, for example.

2. What intensity would you like?

Many people start with a course that takes place one or two times per week, usually during evening hours, after work. The good thing about this is that it is easy to fit into your schedule and, with some discipline, you can learn some useful things.

One thing that many people complain about, however, is that after work you often feel tired and it can be hard to concentrate. The chances are high that Dutch will feel even more difficult because of this, if not impossible.

Here is a strange thing… Many people believe that it is easier to learn new things if you do it for three or four hours per week over an extended period, but - in my experience at least - the opposite is true. When you focus on a new language for a couple of days in a row, you’ll notice that somehow you start to learn on a much deeper level and with a lot less effort.

When you repeat things again and again, it is easier to get them in your automatic system. If you only focus on Dutch for a couple of hours per week, your learning will be slow and then it's easy to lose motivation.

To speak a new language, you’ll need to break through certain barriers and this works best if you do it for a couple of days in a row. Within days things will start to feel more natural and normal.

3. Online or with real people?

A recent trend is that many people have started to do their learning online. There are many advantages to following an online course. You don’t have to travel, you stay at home and simply open your laptop. If you do it for one or two hours at a time, it can work.

However, if you want to follow a longer lesson, such as whole day classes, then being online can be very exhausting. In addition, speaking a language is about connecting with real people. When you are in a group of people your interactions will be very different. It is much easier to be really engaged in person, as well as to laugh and that makes learning and speaking Dutch much more enjoyable.

Also, if you like to learn new things, it can be a good idea to get out of your normal surroundings. Going to a new place and meeting new people can make it easier to get out of your old ways and comfort zone. Another beautiful thing is that your cat, partner or child cannot distract you wen you are somewhere else!

4. Individual or in a group?

I used to believe that individual classes were the most efficient way to learn a new language fast, and to some extent it could be true. Certainly, if you want to work on very specific goals, such as doing a job interview in Dutch, it is easy to keep focused on things that really matter for that goal. With some undivided personal attention for one or two hours, you can cover a lot of ground, especially if you have a good basis of Dutch already.

However, learning with other people adds lots of advantages as well. First of all, you can learn from other students as well as the teacher. It is less intense, because the attention is not always on you. In a group, the energy is often lighter. It is easier to have more fun and find some camaraderie that helps you to feel at ease and learn faster. It often helps a lot once you realise that you are not the only one that makes certain mistakes!

Whenever you work with other people on the same goal, something amazing can happen. When you work in a group, somehow it creates a special flow that helps everyone to stay involved and engaged. It can be fascinating to be in a group of people with different personal and cultural backgrounds.

5. Should you only speak Dutch?

Many people believe that you’ll learn faster when you only speak Dutch. It seems logical, right? At the same time, there are many reasons why only speaking Dutch may be less brilliant than you think. First of all, you can only learn what you understand. If new ideas and concepts do not make any sense to you, then hearing them in Dutch will not help!

One big problem is that people can believe that they understand certain things, when in fact they don't. Too often I have seen that people somehow draw the wrong conclusions and then that gets in the way of their progress. Or - and this is even worse - if you only hear Nederlands, Nederlands, Nederlands, it can be too overwhelming and then your brain may shut down to learning new things altogether.

When you want to speak Dutch, it is important that you start to think in new ways and that you understand new ideas and concepts. If you only hear it in Dutch, it will probably not make a lot of sense. On top of that, contrary to what you may think, English is not your enemy.

Speaking English, and other languages that you know, can actually help you to really understand certain things a lot faster. As a matter of fact, English is a powerful lever, and once you know how to use it, you can reach higher levels a lot faster.

6. Do you like to work with a computer or do you like to speak with real people?

In many languages courses - certainly the most expensive ones - you’ll often be placed in a so-called language lab. In essence, this means that you look at a screen for most of the time. Sometimes a teacher will come and have an interaction with you for 45 minutes or so, and then you will work with a computer again.

Working with a computer can have advantages of course. You can work at your own pace and you can repeat many things over and again. However, it is important to have real interactions with real people and it is the fastest way to feel at ease about speaking Dutch with other people. No one likes to talk to a machine, right?

Here is a strange thing that often happens in language courses: The teacher will ask you to have a conversation with your neighbour. But, when you think about it, that doesn't make any sense. How do you know that what they say is correct? The chances are that you will be teaching each other incorrect things.

Now, imagine this... What could happen if you spend a couple of days with some people and you get the undivided attention of one dedicated teacher? One thing is certain, within a couple of days, you will get to know your fellow students, make new friends and learn a lot!

7. Do you want to follow a rigid structure or do you love freedom?

Have you noticed that most programmes have a very rigid structure? That they only allow you to talk about one specific topic at the time? On top of that, most methods are mainly built on memorisation. You hear and you repeat things, rather like a parrot.

But, shouldn't speaking a new language be about freedom? Wouldn’t it be nicer if you could talk about anything that you like? It is important that you learn how to construct your own sentences in Dutch, about any topic that you like. And what if you could even make some jokes in Dutch?

With many courses, you have to follow a very rigid path. If this is how you learn, then you can do most courses. However, if you want to speak Dutch freely, then it could be a good idea to find a course with another strategy

8. Do you always want to be decent, correct and polite or do you also like some naughty stuff?

Most teachers only teach "correct" things, which many students seem to like, because they don't want to say the wrong thing. But what on earth could possibly happen if you say the wrong thing?

Wouldn’t it be nicer if you knew which things are bad and which things are offensive and why. Of course, it is important to be polite, respectful and friendly, but wouldn’t it be useful if you knew some bad stuff as well?

For one thing, you’ll need to know some bad words if you want to understand Dutch humour. On top of that, if you are only ever polite, then it is likely that there will always be a distance between you and Dutch people. If you want to connect, then you need to know some bad words as well.

Finally, there is a special teaching technique that I love to call filth-coating. It is like sugar-coating, but with filth! I have been teaching Dutch for more than 20 years and I have noticed one thing. When do I get the most attention from my students? You may already have guessed it: if I talk about things that people like, sometimes in secret.

That is why I use naughty words. It works all the time and it helps you to remember things fast! That is filth-coating, just as sweet as sugar-coating.

What works for you is the right choice

Now you have at least eight things that can help you to decide what language course could work for you. Just think about what you would really like to do with your Dutch, and it is always good to remember that if you want to get new results, you’ll have to do different things. Succes met je Nederlands!

If you want to speak Dutch in the real world, with real people and in real situations, you will need to know how to be flexible, how to have a sense of adventure and how to have fun with it. If you like this idea, then a Dutch Brainwash course from Talencoach might be the right one for you!