About Me

My name is Maik Arets and I offer private and in-company Dutch language courses to international students and expats. I teach on all levels, from beginner to advanced. My practice is located in Utrecht.

I teach Dutch to individual students and students who want to have courses with friends or colleagues in small groups, and I specialise in working with students who want to speak better Dutch for work, social reasons, or to pass the naturalisation exams (het inburgeringsexamen).

If you would like to know what I can do for you, or you want to contact me to start courses on one of the levels I teach, please send me an email with the required information

More information about the levels I teach, the naturalisation exams, feedback from former students and fees can be found on the website.

Levels

If you are a beginner (A0-A2), then a course that takes you to A2 level would be best for you. Suitable books are: ‘De Opmaat‘, ‘Totaal‘, and ‘Nederlands in Actie‘.

At A2 level, students can:

•Understand basic conversations and the Dutch news
•Read specific texts such as advertisements, menus and brochures
•Write simple messages, letters or memos
•Have conversations and give their opinion

Sample questions that students at A2 level can answer quite easily include: "Wat ga je na deze cursus Nederlands doen?", "Wanneer spreek je perfect Nederlands?", "Wat zijn je plannen voor komend jaar?", "Kan je goed met het openbaar vervoer reizen in je land?", en "Blijf je in Nederland wonen, of wil je terug naar je eigen land?"

Intermediate (A2-B1)

If your Dutch is intermediate, then a course that takes you to B1 level might work best. Suitable books for the intermediate level are: ‘De Sprong‘, ‘Totaal 2‘, and ‘Nederlands in Actie‘

At B1, students can:

•Understand detailed instructions, technical information and tv programmes
•Read factual and basic argumentative texts
•Write reviews, reports and more advanced summaries
•Have conversations in less predictable contexts and express more nuanced opinions

Understanding B1 material takes a student's abilities to another level, so that even authentic Dutch TV shows become watchable. Examples of such shows include "Tussen Kunst en Kitsch", where people have their old, valuable and sometimes artistic objects appraised, and "Boer Zoekt Vrouw", where Dutch farmers who are looking for a partner are presented and invited to host meetings with interested men or women.

Advanced (B1 and up)

If your Dutch is advanced, then a course that takes you to a level above B1 would be best. ‘De Finale‘ is a suitable book, but a more customised approach to learning the language at this level might be in order.

If you are at B1+ and you would like to follow a course, please contact me via email and specify your name, your age, your background in Dutch, your goals, and for how many hours per week you would be available.

Custom Courses

You speak well but you want to learn more grammar? Or perhaps you already know your grammar rules, but you need to practice more speaking, writing or listening, preferably with a Dutch teacher? In these cases, a custom course might be best for you. Click on ‘Register‘ from the menu and send me an email with the required information. Make sure to mention that you are interested in a custom course, and explain why. Then we can discuss options to arrive at the best teaching strategy.

The Naturalisation Exam

The naturalisation exam is the exam that you need to pass in order to become a Dutch citizen. Since 2013, this exam contains one part about Dutch society, and four parts about the four major skills, namely speaking, listening, reading and writing. You pay to take the exams, but you can retake the parts that you didn‘t pass the first time.

The course I offer to help you prepare for the naturalisation exams is actually a custom course, but at a lower fee. I can help you pass all the sections, or just one or two, depending on what you need, and I always work with authentic practice materials. If you are interested, click on ‘Register‘ from the menu and send me an email with the required information. Be sure to mention that your goal is to pass the exam.

More information about the exam itself, including what is in it, how it is graded, and how you can pay to reserve a spot at an examination centre can be found here.