THE LANGUAGE PARTNER FOR CORPORATE SUCCESS
“Boost business with your English contacts!”
Our trainers
Our language trainers all have years of experience in both developing and providing tailor made language courses for businesses, non-profit organisations and the public sector. Each one of them is either a highly educated native speaker, or has gained extensive work experience using the target language locally.
You will receive lessons from a trainer who has been specially matched with you based on your personal learning needs. Your trainer will coach and encourage you throughout your language learning journey. Our personal and flexible approach means you can have lessons at our office in The Hague, at your place of work or even in your own home.
Click on the photos to meet and learn more about our team of language trainers.
Anneke Siemons - Trainer Nederlands & Directie
Anneke is a language trainer in heart and soul and right from the word go has always worked in the foreign language education sector. During her time at the University of Groningen as a student of Applied Linguistics, Anneke studied how people learn languages and how to best help them be effective learners. Upon gaining her degree she made language learning her profession which ultimately lead to her establishing DNA Languages. ‘I started coming up with my own ideas about how learning a language should and can be done and realised that customisation plays a very important role.’ Anneke uses her know-how on a daily basis, both as an employer and as a language trainer, the latter role being one she doesn’t want to give up. ‘At DNA we are very practice oriented, and boring theoretical language exercises are off limits. All of us here at DNA Languages listen carefully to what our participants want which is essential both during the intake process we do and of course during the lessons we give.’
In addition to providing language training, DNA Languages also provides language advice to companies. ‘For example, we map the language needs of a company and then test the employees based on these needs and use this information to develop a company-wide training programme. HR Managers in particular are very happy with our approach as it allows them to put their time and energy into other important matters.’
Anneke Siemons
DNA managing director and dutch trainer
Marleen de Vink
Marleen is our office manager and Jill of all trades as her tasks and responsibilities are very diverse and varied. Marleen calmly and efficiently manages the diary, invoicing, course planning and ensures lesson materials and certificates are organised and on time. ‘I enjoy keeping track of all the activities that need to be done while keeping an eye on the time schedule. I like the atmosphere and professionalism at DNA languages and am happy that I can work flexibly to do all my support tasks. Last but not least, I really enjoy the contact I have with all the different course participants.’
Marleen de Vink
Officemanager
Helma Scheeres - Trainer Nederlands
Helma is our business Dutch NT2 trainer and describes herself as ‘an open and humorous person’. She speaks Dutch, English, German and French. Conversations, and lots of them, play a large role in her language courses. ‘I am a trainer because I enjoy teaching and like helping people in their daily lives.’
HELMA SCHEERES
DUTCH TRAINER
Hans Aniba - Trainer Nederlands
Language trainer Hans gives courses in business Dutch (NT1 and NT2) and also speaks English, French, Spanish and German. When he was younger Hans thought that he might like to become a pop star, journalist, writer, politician, historian, businessman and activist (‘preferably all at the same time’), but now says, ‘over the years I have learnt so much about people, culture and communication, language and languages and especially about the craft of language training, that I have really come to love the profession.’
What is so nice about being a language trainer at DNA Languages?
‘The combination of an informal atmosphere and a professional approach.’
Best compliment received?
‘I found myself in a really nice group with Hans Aniba as trainer. The course is challenging and interesting. During the lessons I am only allowed to speak Dutch and I also have to give presentations in Dutch. […] Hans’s style of teaching is unique and he got me fired up. It sometimes felt like I was watching a comedy show and I never got bored once. […] I finished the course successfully.’
HANS ANIBA
DUTCH TRAINER
Allard van Tienhoven - DUTCH TRAINER
Allard teaches business Dutch NT2 and also speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese and a bit of French and German. ‘A lot of students find Dutch quite difficult, but after a while most of them change their opinion and realise it is not so hard after all as the language is very similar to English and German. They just need to get over that initial hurdle.’ says Allard. At the end of one of his courses a student wrote, ‘The course was very interesting and it definitely helped me get acquainted with Dutch more. Allard was very knowledgeable and I appreciate the fact that he knew several languages and was able to draw parallels between Dutch and other languages we already knew.’
Allard van Tienhoven
DUTCH TRAINER
Ronald van Hal - DUTCH TRAINER
Our trainer Ronald teaches business Dutch to expats. He loves languages and speaks German and French and can get by (by using his hands and his feet, as he himself says), in Spanish, Italian and Turkish. ‘I put a lot of conscious thought into giving my students learning materials that not only meet their language needs, but also tie in with their interests and hobbies. I like using elements from our Dutch society, history and/or culture to do this as language is not only about words and grammar. And if the feedback from students shows that they have also enjoyed their course (“Ronald was super great. A noteworthy point was his use of the Dutch culture to teach the language. His drive encourages me to put in more effort.”) I can safely say that my mission has been accomplished.
Ronald van Hal
DUTCH TRAINER
Lindy Janssen - DUTCH TRAINER
Lindy speaks Dutch, English and reasonably good French. She teaches business Dutch and says ‘I enjoy helping people learn the language which also helps them find their place in the Netherlands. I also love the personal contact with people.’ Best compliment: ‘[…] that a lesson doesn’t feel like a lesson but is ‘secretly’ lots of fun.’
What do you notice the most after a course?
‘Apart from the fact that the participants can of course speak better Dutch, their self-confidence in particular has increased.’
Lindy Janssen
DUTCH TRAINER
Michelle Boughton - ENGLISH TRAINER
Business English trainer Michelle was born in England and has lived in the Netherlands for 22 years, which is more than long enough to get to grips with the Dutch language.
Best compliment received from a course participant: ‘I never thought I’d feel confident enough to call my colleagues in London, but now I speak to them on a regular basis and really enjoy speaking English.’
What makes being a trainer at DNA Languages so nice?
‘I really love the fact that DNA Languages is constantly looking for new and creative ways to learn a language and to motivate students.’
Michelle Boughton
ENGLISH TRAINER
Souwie Buis - Trainer Engels
South African born Souwie is a business English language trainer. Her native language is English and she also speaks fluent Spanish, Afrikaans and a little Zulu. She taught students of all ages in Great Britain, Spain and Hong Kong for many years. When she was asked what her best compliment was she said, ‘I have frequently been told that my classes are interesting and absorbing – this is very important to me as a teacher because without engagement, little real learning can take place.’
Souwie Buis
ENGLISH TRAINER
Robyn Collins - ENGLISH TRAINER
Robyn is a business English trainer, originally from Australia and also speaks Dutch. She develops tailor-made language courses for students from a variety of different backgrounds. ‘I’m happy that DNA Languages gives me the opportunity to design and run the courses myself as it means I can be very flexible in order to meet the wide ranging needs of my students.’
My nicest compliment? A student once wrote that I was “a very nice teacher who gave her students lots of room to speak and took note of what we needed to learn. She is enthusiastic and encourages us to practice English by reading about whatever interests us and she gave our self-confidence an enormous push in the right direction.”
Robyn Collins
ENGLISH TRAINER
Suzie Bonner - ENGLISH TRAINER
Born and raised in the south of England, Suzie has been teaching English as a second language to adults in places such as Greece, Brazil and London for more than thirty years. After moving to the Netherlands twenty years ago, she specialised in giving business English courses. Suzie speaks Dutch, a bit of Portuguese and studied French at University level.
What makes you happy at the end of a training course? ‘Students who tell me they have gained much more confidence when speaking English. A Japanese student once very respectfully thanked me because as a result of his improved English, he had successfully applied for a very good job.’
Suzie Bonner
ENGLISH TRAINER
Hayley Doidge - ENGLISH TRAINER
Hayley is from London, is married to a Dutchman and has lived in the Netherlands for twenty years. She has a daughter who is being brought up to be completely bilingual. Hayley is primarily a business English trainer, but she also provides courses specially for diplomats, is a Cambridge exam trainer and gives English lessons to children.
Hayley: ‘My favourite things about teaching are that my students gain more confidence and that they dare to use more English at work.’
Hayley went on to say that she also benefits from her work because, ‘I teach English but I also learn a lot from my students. Every day and every student is different and that’s what makes my work so special.’
Hayley Doidge
ENGLISH TRAINER
Ashley Fillingham - ENGLISH TRAINER
Native speaker Ashley is one of our business English trainers. He enjoys making sure there’s an easy going atmosphere in his lessons and often receives compliments for his approach.
Why do you enjoying training for us?
‘I like the interesting clients and companies and the support from DNA Languages.’
What changes do you notice in your students at the end of a course?
‘Students obviously growing in confidence and fluency.’
Ashley Fillingham
ENGLISH TRAINER
Julie Fillingham - ENGLISH TRAINER
Originally from the United Kingdom, our business English trainer Julie has been living in the Netherlands for 15 years. In addition to English, Julie also speaks Dutch and speaks quite decent French too. She did her teacher training in Amsterdam and then specialised in business English as during the course of her career in England, she had built up a lot of experience in ICT and with the National Health Service (NHS).
As well as being a trainer with DNA Languages, Julie is also a Cambridge certified speaking examiner for the British Council.
Some quotes from Julie: ‘I love teaching tactful and diplomatic language which is essential in cross cultural communication.’ And, ‘I recently received a thank you card with the wonderful words “You are an inspirational teacher who never once made me feel insecure about my English”.’ ‘For me building confidence is key!’ said Julie.
Julie Fillingham
ENGLISH TRAINER
Anne Schiffer - GERMAN TRAINER
Born and raised in Germany, Anne emigrated to the Netherlands in 1999 and graduated cum laude as a German teacher in 2012. Anne has a lot of experience in a wide range of sectors and teaches business German, general German as well as medical and technical German. She also speaks Dutch and English. ‘I provide a tailor made interactive learning environment and make use of different activities and media. During my lessons I not only focus on language skills but also give attention to cultural awareness.’ Anne’s lessons are only conducted in German as this stimulates her students to practice every day, both at home and at work, making the lessons much more effective. ‘It also helps you retain what you have learnt, improves self-confidence and will help your German improve in leaps and bounds.’
Anne Schiffer
GERMAN TRAINER
Jautze Dissmann - GERMAN TRAINER
As a German language trainer, married to a Dutchman, Ute is an expert in giving business German lessons via Skype. ‘It works really well! The personal contact is exactly the same,’ Ute tells us. She also gives intensive language courses, on site, in Germany.
What’s the best thing about being a DNA Language trainer?
‘I like customised courses. We use fun, lively methods that perfectly suit what the client wants, without getting bogged down in unnecessary theory.’
Ute Jautze Dissmann
GERMAN TRAINER
Irene Jahn - GERMAN TRAINER
Irene is our Business German language trainer who originally hails from Vienna, but now lives and works in the Hague. In addition to being a native German speaker, she also speaks English and Spanish, and is not only a language trainer but a photographer too.
What do you often notice once a course is finished? What changes do you see in your students? ‘Probably the most apparent change I can see (and enjoy observing) is when I watch the students getting more self-confident about their language use overall and engaging with the language in a playful manner.’
Irene Jahn
GERMAN TRAINER
Sandrine Guesdon - FRENCH TRAINER
Our business French language trainer, Sandrine, is a native French speaker who also speaks fluent English and excellent Dutch and Spanish. She studied International Business in France and has been living in the Netherlands since 2000. ‘Every course is different and has to meet the individual needs of the student which is why I enjoy giving tailor-made courses. Because I believe ‘ learning is fun’, I develop games to help my students improve their grammar, vocabulary and conversational skills. At the end of my courses students feel much more familiar with the French language and they more easily dare to actually speak the language.’
Sandrine Hermelijn (Guesdon)
FRENCH TRAINER
MORE INFORMATION?
We will gladly assist in selecting the correct language course for you. Please contact our language course consultant Anneke Siemons to receive customised personal advice without any obligations.
