UNITXT & taal is a small private language institute for Dutch as a second language (NT2) run by me, Patricia van Helsdingen. I give courses for expats with English language of instruction, for Spanish and Portuguese speakers. I am also a sworn translator for Spanish and Portuguese.
Why to choose UNITXT:
- You have lessons in small groups of max 6 people.
- You get a lot of personal attention.
- I will speak Dutch with you from the start, but you can ask questions in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
- The focus is on speaking, the lesson is very interactive.
- You are taught by me, Patricia. I am a certified NT2 teacher (Radboud University) and registered in the professional register of NT2 teachers (BVNT2.org).
- Moreover, I have a lot of experience as a teacher at renowned institutes such as Regina Coeli, Leiden University and the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht.
- I provide customization: I adapt my lessons to the group and to you!
About Patricia
My name is Patricia van Helsdingen and I live and work in Oegstgeest, near Leiden. I studied Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Groningen; I graduated in 1996. I also studied for half a year in Coimbra, Portugal. I did my thesis research in Mexico City, at the Colegio de México. I am a sworn translator for Spanish and Portuguese and I have translated for the EU, amongst others.
In addition to translating, I wrote the Dutch course for Spanish speakers in 2012: el Curso de Nederlandés para hispanohablantes and started teaching. I liked this so much that I started the NT2 teacher training at Radboud University. I completed this in 2017. I have extensive experience as a teacher at reputable institutes like Leiden University, the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and Regina Coeli, the nuns of Vught. I have also worked extensively with testing for exams and have given exam training.
I very much enjoy my job: the contact with students and working with languages, the grammar. It’s exciting to me when my students say, for example, “I bought a present on Saturday and talked to the seller all by myself. My husband was so surprised, and I said that I learned that in the course with Patricia.”
I never dared to dream that I would get to work with such nice clients and do such interesting work!