Jana van der Kolk

Cambridge-certified English teacher with over a decade of experience across four continents and a focus on curiosity, creativity, and humor. I hold research-based master’s degrees in sociology and applied linguistics and have published experimental research on vocabulary learning. I create engaging, authentic lessons tailored to each learner’s goals, helping professionals, students, and exam candidates build lasting confidence, fluency, and precision in real-world communication.

Materials: *Authentic media: news articles, podcasts, interviews, and short videos created for native speakers *Reading and listening texts selected for students’ interests and goals *Visual prompts and infographics for discussion and vocabulary building *Excerpts from literature, essays, and academic papers for advanced learners *Student-generated content (emails, reports, presentations) for personalized practice Evaluations: *Continuous formative assessment through observation, feedback, and reflection *Self-assessment to build learner autonomy *Optional exam-style tasks (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.) for goal-specific evaluation Activities: *Guided conversation and role-play based on real-world scenarios *Collaborative problem-solving and creative projects *Vocabulary recycling through games, storytelling, and spaced repetition *Writing workshops with individual feedback and revision cycles *Listening and speaking practice using authentic audio and video clips

I’ve been teaching English for over a decade across four continents, working with learners from a wide range of backgrounds and goals. My teaching experience spans universities, private language institutes, and corporate settings, as well as individualized online coaching. My students have included entrepreneurs, academics, and professionals from the public and private sectors, as well as university students preparing for international proficiency exams such as IELTS and TOEFL. I’ve also served as an exam administrator, giving me insight into how success is evaluated. My experience spans both group and one-on-one instruction, in-person and online, and I specialize in helping adult learners build confidence, fluency, and precision through authentic communication and individualized feedback.

Beyond language teaching, I bring over a decade of experience as a writer, translator, and content creator across education, business, and the arts. I’ve designed learning materials and written publications that make complex ideas accessible and engaging, which helps me communicate clearly and creatively with students. My background in sociology and linguistics deepens my understanding of culture and human interaction, while my work in translation (Spanish, French, and Dutch to English) gives me insight into the challenges multilingual learners face. I’m also a visual artist and outdoor educator, experiences that keep my approach dynamic, creative, and grounded in real-world curiosity. Together, these perspectives help me connect with diverse learners and design lessons that are both rigorous and inspiring.