Learning German in Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
Thread poster: Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:31
English to Spanish
+ ...
Jul 2, 2017

Hello, colleagues

I am a translator living and working in the Cleveland metro area (that's in the state of Ohio, United States). I started learning basic German with a languages teacher in Lisbon, Portugal, two months ago. I came back to Cleveland and, for the life of me, I have been unable to find anything or anyone teaching German lessons. After doing thorough Google searches, I could only find a teacher in Aurora, OH (too far away for me), no meetup German practice groups, no Goe
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Hello, colleagues

I am a translator living and working in the Cleveland metro area (that's in the state of Ohio, United States). I started learning basic German with a languages teacher in Lisbon, Portugal, two months ago. I came back to Cleveland and, for the life of me, I have been unable to find anything or anyone teaching German lessons. After doing thorough Google searches, I could only find a teacher in Aurora, OH (too far away for me), no meetup German practice groups, no Goethe Institut in Cleveland (the closest one is located in Chicago, IL), nothing.

So, I am resorting to posting on Proz in the hopes that I might find a colleague who knows someone who teaches German lessons (I'm at basic level). If so, please let me know! Thanks!

Mario Chávez
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Lincoln Hui
Lincoln Hui  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 13:31
Member
Chinese to English
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Case Western Jul 2, 2017

Enroll as a non-degree student at Case Western University?

 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:31
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Not feasible Jul 2, 2017

Lincoln Hui wrote:

Enroll as a non-degree student at Case Western University?


I should have mentioned that I'm not interested at this time in enrolling in language classes. American universities are prohibitively expensive. I took basic French 3 years ago at a community college (cheaper than Case Western, which is, by the way, far from where I am) and it cost me about $400/month for 2 weekly classes. And this is the closest community college I have, which required me to drive 30-45 minutes each way for a 3-hour class. Not practical for me.

I'm interested in one-on-one classes at this time.


 
Maria S. Loose, LL.M.
Maria S. Loose, LL.M.  Identity Verified
Belgium
Local time: 06:31
German to English
+ ...
Via Skype from Europe? Jul 2, 2017

I know a good German teacher for adults who also works for the European Commission and Parliament. He might teach via Skype. If you are interested, please let me know.

 
Johanna Timm, PhD
Johanna Timm, PhD  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 22:31
English to German
+ ...
a few leads Jul 3, 2017

This school offers a conversation group for adults: http://www.germanlanguageschoolcleveland.org/registration.html

I also found this (older) Craigslist posting of a German tutor: https://cleveland.craigslist.org/lss/6155148843.html ; this person lives
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This school offers a conversation group for adults: http://www.germanlanguageschoolcleveland.org/registration.html

I also found this (older) Craigslist posting of a German tutor: https://cleveland.craigslist.org/lss/6155148843.html ; this person lives 1/2 hour drive from Cleveland in Aurora.

And have a look at this list: http://cleveland.universitytutor.com/cleveland_german-tutoring - the first one (Kornelia) seems to offer private on-on-one German lessons

Good luck!

johanna
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Michael Wetzel
Michael Wetzel  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 06:31
German to English
What about learning on your own? Jul 3, 2017

What do you want to be able to do with your German? Depending on your goals, it might just make sense to work through a couple of grammar workbooks while building your vocabulary by reading school textbooks or very accessible non-fiction books for adults about a topic that interests you and determinedly drilling 5-10 new vocabulary words into your head five or six days a week. If you keep at it, you could be reading whatever it is that you can't find in English within a couple years.

... See more
What do you want to be able to do with your German? Depending on your goals, it might just make sense to work through a couple of grammar workbooks while building your vocabulary by reading school textbooks or very accessible non-fiction books for adults about a topic that interests you and determinedly drilling 5-10 new vocabulary words into your head five or six days a week. If you keep at it, you could be reading whatever it is that you can't find in English within a couple years.

That's how I learned the French I needed for grad school (but have since largely forgotten, because I stopped using it). It's not a very exciting way of learning, but it's inexpensive and it's very effective if you have clear goals to keep you motivated.
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Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:31
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Good resources Jul 3, 2017

Johanna Timm, PhD wrote:

This school offers a conversation group for adults: http://www.germanlanguageschoolcleveland.org/registration.html

I also found this (older) Craigslist posting of a German tutor: https://cleveland.craigslist.org/lss/6155148843.html ; this person lives 1/2 hour drive from Cleveland in Aurora.

And have a look at this list: http://cleveland.universitytutor.com/cleveland_german-tutoring - the first one (Kornelia) seems to offer private on-on-one German lessons

Good luck!

johanna


Danke, Johanna! I've already went to the universitytutor website and sent an email to one of the registered tutors. I had half a mind to go to different campuses and see if someone had posted a piece of paper offering German lessons, but most of the universities located in downtown Cleveland are 15 miles and a traffic headache away for me.

Thanks again.


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:31
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Probing questions: love them Jul 3, 2017

Michael Wetzel wrote:

What do you want to be able to do with your German? Depending on your goals, it might just make sense to work through a couple of grammar workbooks while building your vocabulary by reading school textbooks or very accessible non-fiction books for adults about a topic that interests you and determinedly drilling 5-10 new vocabulary words into your head five or six days a week. If you keep at it, you could be reading whatever it is that you can't find in English within a couple years.

That's how I learned the French I needed for grad school (but have since largely forgotten, because I stopped using it). It's not a very exciting way of learning, but it's inexpensive and it's very effective if you have clear goals to keep you motivated.


Hello, Michael,

Nothing gets my brain gears going than probing questions. Thank you for writing.
Actually, I had started learning German on my own with a basic textbook when I was 14. I had the motivation back then to do it on my own. Right now, decades later, I prefer the companionship of other students or at least of my instructor. I hadn't contemplated revisiting German until I was visiting the School of Literature at Universidade de Lisboa two months ago. I was scanning the student association's walls: lots of advertisements for this or that, and I found a posting by a language teacher: “Seeking a native English speaker to practice English. In exchange, I can teach German or Russian lessons.”

That hooked me. I contacted this teacher, a wonderful human being of a kindergarten teacher, with whom we practiced English twice a week for an hour or so, then German for another hour. Best time ever. It was a one-on-one immersion into German language and grammar. So, I'm trying to replicate the experience with another tutor or language teacher.

Why do I want to study German? As my medium-term goal is finishing my PhD studies and become a translation professor, I found it realistic to consider the whole world, not just the United States, to find a university to teach. Therefore, acquiring other languages is motivated by my love of teaching. Who knows if I might end up at a German university and teach translation?


 


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Learning German in Cleveland, Ohio (USA)






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