Our Teaching Team
Experienced, highly qualified and very involved teachers will introduce you to the German language, local customs and culture. If you have just arrived in Germany, a lot will be new and unusual for you. You will always be welcome to approach us for your questions and wishes!
Monika Ebert
„Abroad“ in Franconia
I was born in Heidelberg, completed my university studies and lived there for a long time. Upon completion of my state exams for being a teacher of the German language, I started to work professionally as a teacher. At the same time, my interest in foreign cultures in general and foreign people in particular was sparked!
I started to read, I took part in seminars – and traveled! My favorite part of the world was the Asian continent and Australia. My travels led me South East Asia, later on to Hong Kong, China, Tibet, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia. In Hong Kong, I worked as an English teacher for children and adults and in the studio for movies with Kung Fu star Jackie Chan.
After returning to Germany I learned various techniques of communication and personality training. Since the mid 1990s, I have lived in Franconia and have taught German as a foreign language. Today, I have little time for long travels abroad, but my job is like “being on the go” – an exciting travel with friends, where we can all learn from and with everybody!
Do you want to know more? Ask me! I am looking forward to talking with you!
Helen Bleiziffer
Hi everybody!
My name’s Helen and I’ve been teaching German at Monica’s school since I moved to Erlangen. Before that I lived in Dresden, where I studied and got my master degree in Applied Linguistics, specializing in teaching German as a foreign language. Meanwhile I taught and taught and taught gaining more and more experience.
„My teaching philosophy: Brain runs on fun!“
Learning German doesn’t necessarily mean only hard work and sweat! About ten years ago, when I started to teach, I realized people learn easier and faster while relaxing and having fun.
A cozy atmosphere and lots of fun – that’s a much easier way to learn even the German grammar!
Want to see how that goes? Come and join us!
Judith Beier
G'day,
Allow me to introduce myself. After graduating from university with a degree in German language and literature, I spent two years in Sydney, Australia working as a travel agent and teacher of German as a foreign language. I met a lot of different people whose stories, along with my own experiences, helped me to understand how important it is to know the local language.
This is the primary reason why I started and continue to teach German as a foreign language. I love meeting people from all over the world and helping them settle into their new country.
Karl-Heinz Schoppelrey
„My philological studies have satisfied me that a gifted person ought to learn English (barring spelling and pronouncing) in thirty hours, French in thirty days, and German in thirty years.“
(Mark Twain: „The Awful German Language“, appearing as an appendix to his travel book A Tramp Abroad (1880). For the full text of „The Awful German Language“ see here.)
Is this true? If so, why crucify yourself and learn German? Just for the fun of learning something new and different? Do you work for a German company? Or might it be useful to understand why the policeman is „asking“ you for 40 Euros; to order (and re-order) in a restaurant; to listen to a Mozart or Wagner Opera (or „Tokyo Hotel“) in German?
There are, of course, many more reasons to learn German. What’s your intention? Believe me, Mr. Twain is not correct. Once you have overcome the initial shock and have mastered basic grammar, it gets easier and easier. Join in!
Martina Ziegler
Hello, Hola, Salut,
my name is Martina Ziegler and I am coming from Stuttgart. I have always been fascinated by the opportunities languages offer: How is it possible to express my thoughts in words? Why do so many misunderstandings happen? So, what else could I study but Language and Philosophy? I finished my studies at Konstanz university with the Qualified Teacher Status and added German as a Foreign Language as an extra qualification.
Ever since my pastime has been my daily work. I work as journalist, editor and teach German as a Foreign language, first in Konstanz now in Erlangen. I love travelling to foreign countries to discover new languages and cultures. I am very much looking forward to new students and all these thrilling stories of theirs.
Dr. Johannes Frey
Since September 2010 Dr Johannes Frey has been teaching at our language school. Dr Frey works as a free-lance translator and has been teaching German language and literature for several years at university, grammar school and language school.
In his PhD thesis he compared European versions of medieval arthurian literature. He has published several books (on literature as well as on mistakes of the mind) and given lectures in Heidelberg (2006), Bremen (2007), Budapest (2008) and Antwerpen (2011).
Almut Voeske
After completing my training as a translator, I soon found that I wanted to share my interest in languages by teaching, particularly for adults. I have taught individuals and groups and achieved the EUROLTA certificate.
I like to teach individuals and encourage them one-on-one.