·     Are you looking for a personalized approach to learning standard German (Hochdeutsch)
or the local dialect (Baseldytsch)?

·     Or are you looking for ways to complement your weekly German lessons
at a local language school with additional tutoring or conversation?

·     Would you like to combine focused language skills training with learning about Swiss culture
and life in the Basel area through a native teacher with cross-cultural sensitivity?

·     Do perhaps work or parental commitments prevent you from attending classes away from home on a regular basis?

·     Are you struggling with learning difficulties or mental and emotional blocks to learning a foreign language?

      Qualified native teacher with 30 years of multicultural exposure, fluent in German,
   Swiss German, and English

      Approach to language skills training tailored to your needs and preferences

      Learn about Swiss culture and about life in the area as you learn standard German
   or the local dialect

      Daytime & evening hours

      Individual & small group format

      Conversation or tutoring

      Home teaching option

      Basel/Binningen and surrounding area.

      Affordable rates

What I offer:

I offer carefully tailored German and Swiss German lessons, conversation and tutoring for individuals and small groups in the Basel area. Lessons are 60 or 90 minutes long and take place at my home office in Binningen, in a suitable public setting, or in the comfort of your own home.

My Approach:

My approach is tailored to the students’ specific goals and individual learning styles. Quite often, I will suggest Lagune as the preferred textbook series for learning German while  introducing other materials or learning tools when indicated. Students may wish to pay special attention to one or more aspects involved in learning a foreign language (reading, writing, speaking, vocabulary), and may benefit particularly from visual, auditory or kinesthetic cues for anchoring the material. Students are encouraged to record all or part of the lesson, develop their own set of flash cards, check in by phone or email if they encounter a problem with their homework - and to spend ample time between sessions listening as well as practice speaking on their own or with a buddy. With those who are interested, I integrate BrainGym and EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) in order to facilitate learning and help eliminate blocks to developing language skills.

German – Kein schöner Land

Both in vocabulary and grammar, German and English show numerous similarities. In fact, they belong to the same extended family of languages – like cousins. Some of these resemblances are quite obvious, others are more hidden. So even though as a foreign language, German may seem intimidating to the beginning student, awareness of the relationships between the two languages will help you in building standard German vocabulary and in grasping the structure of this complex yet beautiful language.

Swiss German – Z’Basel am mym Rhy

Compared to standard German (Hochdeutsch), Swiss German (Schwyzerdütsch) is actually not a language in itself, but a construct – the sum of all Germanic dialects spoken in Switzerland. These are rich with idioms and colloquialisms – expressions used in every-day conversation. Learning Baseldytsch, the dialect spoken in the Basel area, not only facilitates contact with the local population, but opens the door to a deeper appreciation of Swiss culture and mentality.

Recommended Books: German as a Foreign Language

      Deutsch in der Schweiz (Klett & Balmer)

A lively ‘First Steps’ text geared towards the beginning student with limited formal education and learning skills. Plenty of visual aids with focus on life in Switzerland and on using standard German in everyday public and work situations. A separate collection of exercises, vocabulary and CD are available as well.

      Lagune: Deutsch als Fremdsprache (Hueber)

This is a three-part course covering levels A1 through B1 and geared towards the beginning student with formal education and a commitment to systematic study over a period of time. Covers material needed for Zertifikat Deutsch. Gentle but steady progression, lots of visual aids, separate exercise book and CD for each level.  Each chapter in the textbook with interlocking sections focusing on grammar, reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

      German Made Simple (Broadway Books)

This concise introduction for an English speaking audience – first published in the US in1965 and now available in its  2006 paperback edition – organizes the basic elements of the German language in 48 brief chapters, each with grammar, vocabulary and exercises. With its no-frills approach focused on the existing similarities between German and English, the goal of this text is for the motivated reader to “learn to speak and understand German quickly and easily.

      Mastering German Vocabulary: A Thematic Approach (Barron’s)

A soft cover containing German words and phrases along with their English translation divided into 41 thematic categories. Great for focused vocabulary building.

      German word by word; Deutsch – Englische Ausgabe (Kauderwelsch Band 46)

Geared towards the English speaking traveler and using the Peter Rump language learning technique (which entails providing both a literal as well as a proper translation of each phrase), this small booklet serves as an excellent introduction to German, providing the bare essentials including grammar and vocabulary to find your way around. An accompanying pronunciation trainer on audio CD is available as well.

Recommended introductions to Schwyzerdütsch

      Hoi: Your Swiss German survival guide (Bergli)

Not an actual text book but a very colorful (literally and figuratively), entertaining guide to simple Swiss German conversation based on Züridüütsch, the dialect spoken in the Zurich metropolitan area. Contains a ‘survival kit’ of more than 2000 thematically organized words and phrases including Swiss idioms and slang. Great as a first exposure, but requires additional aids to grammar and pronunciation.

      Hoi Zäme: Schweizerdeutsch leicht gemacht (Bergli)

This is the German version of the same book. English speaking students with some knowledge of standard German may wish to use both editions to facilitate access to Swiss dialect by recognizing similarities and differences between the two types of language.

      Schwyzertüütsch (Arthur Baur – Germsberg)

A well structured, concise introduction to Swiss German (based on Züridüütsch) for the committed student. Grammar, vocabulary, exercises, and a CD for pronunciation.

      Schwiizertüütsch: Das Deutsch der Eidgenossen (Kauderwelsch Band 71)

A compact, entertaining guide to idioms and slang currently in use among people speaking a Swiss dialect. Indispensable to the ‘serious’, student of one of the funniest languages in the world!

Class Fees
Elementary to intermediate German lessons

Conversation or Tutoring

Bio

I am a bilingual Swiss with more than three decades of multicultural exposure and fluency in German, Swiss German and English. I grew up in Basel speaking both the local dialect (Baseldytsch) and standard German (hochdeutsch). After living abroad for more than 30 years – much of it in the United States – I have returned to my hometown. My own experience during the process of reintegration has allowed me to develop an empathic understanding of the challenges facing expatriates who have moved to Switzerland for education, work, or family reasons. My work experience at home and abroad includes teaching and counseling individuals, groups and families of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Contact Info:

Eva Zimmermann, MA       
Schafmattweg 78
4102 Binningen / Basel
Switzerland
Phone:  +41 61 421 29 15
Email:  eva.zim@bluewin.ch


 

Emotional Freedom Technique