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.
Grammar à la Carte
In addition to the courses I teach personally, I have created and collected many grammar- related materials over the years of my teaching activities. If you are sure that grammar is all you need to supplement what you know, this could be for you.
All files were created with care, and all files contain 10 plus pages of lucid instruction and exercises unpublished in any other book. Furthermore, all verb exercises are based on the most commonly used Dutch verbs. There is nothing superfluous here, just what is useful.
Available materials and their prices are listed below. To order modules, please inquire via email.
| Present Tense (Verbs) | € 7.50 |
More materials coming soon!
Testimonials
Willingness to adapt to student's needs. Very good use of English to explain things.
Alex Moulopoulos, 27, student
Nice studying environment, good technique.
Roberta, 28, petroleum engineering
Flexibility and availability, low prices.
Maria Luisa, 30
He is adaptable. He understands what is missing and helps [the student] improve.
Ebru Dargan, 27, product technologies
A lot of grammar exercises, good explanation.
Anna Ciepela, 26, graphic designer
Easy-going guy who creates nice vibes in class.
Orestis Petrakis, 27, pharmacist, musician
Excellent knowledge of both English and Dutch. Good material and progress evaluation.
Nina Chatsisvili, 28, PhD Student
Patient teacher. Shows important material for living in the Netherlands.
Orestis Dimitriadis, 29, musician
The lessons were based on my needs. Maik's experience and competence were supported by his nice character, making the Dutch learning process much easier and fun.
Marco Perego, 28, graphic designer
Relaxed, calm environment, good for learning. Very happy in general.
Arnau Rovira Bascompte, 23, musician
Are you a former student of mine and do you wish to fill in an evaluation form? Then click here to download the form. You may send it to me by email or hand it in personally.
Fees
| Courses for beginners | € 25.00 per hour |
| Courses for intermediate students | € 25.00 per hour |
| Custom courses (based on the specific needs of the student) | € 27.50 per hour |
| Courses for the naturalisation exam (inburgeringsexamen) | € 25.00 per hour |
| In-Company lessons | Estimate on application |
* A discount of 40 % applies for the second and third student of a group of two or more people that would like to have class together.
** Skype lessons are available at the rates listed above. For availability please inquire via email.