DE / ENG

Meet the team

Our teachers at nativespeakers.ch are brilliant!

Swissness

You’re learning a language and you don’t speak it as well as your teacher does of course. However, you’ll be in tune with each other when it comes to current local topics of discussion and issues related to your profession. A teacher with local knowledge and business experience has more advantages for you than a teacher living in another country has. Perfect your language skills, so you can apply them in your day to day setting.

A selection of our teachers, translators and proofreaders

Academic Director
Teacher of English, GMAT / GRE, TOEFL & proofreader

English teachers

JEREMY

TESOL & Public Speaking and Business Role Play Coach

Jeremy is an Englishman who has been living and teaching in Zurich since 2012. He holds a TESOL qualification and has over 10 years experience teaching English in a variety of settings. He has done everything from helping children take their first steps with the language, to working with businesses and helping staff members improve their English skills. Jeremy is comfortable teaching groups or delivering personal tuition. Although he also speaks German and Spanish, his first love is the English language, and his past experience includes writing and developing plays for the English theatre.

ANDREA

B.A. (Hons) in English Language Teaching , CELTA, Diploma in Business & Finance

 I’m Andrea from the northeast of England. I have two passions in life: music and teaching English. I have been teaching for more years than I have fingers and toes to count on. It was a strange twist of fate, as I originally studied business and not teaching. However, I thank my lucky stars every day because I fell into the perfect job for me. As my passion for teaching developed, I decided to add to my qualifications. I went to university and got an honours degree in teaching English as a second language to adults. I’ve taught students at all levels in most industries including banking, insurance, engineering, chocolate making, real estate, retail, shipping and pharmaceuticals, to name just a few.

SUSAN

M.A. (Hons) Deutsch und Italienisch, CTEFLA 

Susan grew up in Scotland with British-Swiss parents and moved to Switzerland after her degree at Glasgow University and teacher-training in Edinburgh. Since then, she has taught English and done further training in all sorts of areas. These include working in colleges and companies, with schoolchildren and private individuals, helping learners pass exams, improve their job-skills, or simply learn English for their own enjoyment. Having studied languages herself, Susan has personal experience of learning as well as teaching them. This, together with her years in amateur theatre, has always informed her teaching and enables her to empathise with learners’ needs and difficulties. She loves languages, believes in the importance of communication, and is convinced that learning is most effective when it’s FUN!

LISE

B.A. Sociology (University of Saskatchewan), M.A. Conflict Studies (University of Ottawa), CELTA, Das Grosse Deutsche Sprachdiplom C2 (ZHAW 2019)

Lise has lived and worked in Zürich since moving to Switzerland from Canada in 1992. Lise has taught English from beginner to proficiency levels. She has also worked in international communications including financial communications. Lise spent 7 years in leadership in adult education as well, where she led 5 teams of language diploma teachers. Following this she led a large team of English teachers from around the world. Lise loves the challenge of language learning and teaching, and has become especially attuned to the challenges in day-to-day communication between English and German speakers in business contexts, paying special attention to the differences in the cultures of communication. 

GREG

Bachelor of Arts (French, Theatre & Film), CELTA 

Born and raised in New Zealand with Swedish ancestry, Greg has lived, worked, studied and extensively travelled all over the world. He initially trained in the theatre and worked as a producer for many years (most notably in New York) and has since been living and working in Zurich for over ten years. He speaks fluent French, Spanish and German and spends much of his spare time discovering new destinations, enjoying independent film, music and contemporary theatre. Greg's teaching specialities include  CPE, CAE, FCE, BEC, PET, KET, IELTS and TOEFL (including children and exam preparation).

MICHAEL

CELTA, SVEB

Michael is not Australian but English and has been living in Zurich since 2001. After many years of working in the finance sector, he decided to follow his heart and embark on a new career as an English teacher- a move that he has never regretted. He now holds both CELTA and SVEB teaching qualifications and has built up a reputation as an accomplished, well prepared, and dedicated teacher. He has also successfully helped numerous clients to gain their Cambridge English qualifications. Michael considers himself to be flexible and accommodating. And while he believes the learning process should be fun, he remains fully focused on helping every student achieve their personal goals.

GORDON

PhD Education, MA Linguistics, BA (Hons) German, RSA/Cambridge Diploma, Certificate in Teaching English for Business 

Although a recent newcomer to Zurich, Gordon has been teaching English since the late 1980s. Over the years he’s been lucky enough to work with learners of all ages and at all levels. He is as happy teaching one-to-one as he is holding university seminars and lectures. With extensive experience in language schools, business, industry and higher education, Gordon has come to specialise in three areas: exam preparation (Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL and LCCI), business English communication skills and English for academic purposes. Gordon relishes the challenge of helping students meet their personal and professional goals through English. Apart from English, Gordon also speaks fluent German.

MATT

BA (hons) Russian, MSDT, CELTA, DELTA

After several years of teaching underwater Matt realized that his students' pronunciation would be better on dry land so he relocated from South East Asia to the most landlocked country he could find, namely Switzerland. That was well over a decade ago now and since then Matt has busied himself with helping the fine folk of Switzerland navigate the English-speaking world, making them feel a little less underwater.

His adventures in English teaching have taken him through almost every conceivable industry, from auditing to zoo-keeping, via gastronomy and gas supply, where he has conducted courses on everything from presentation skills to passing Cambridge Exams. Ok, so he may not have taught any actual zoo keepers, but the point is his teaching experience is vast and his enthusiasm remains undiminished. What drives Matt in his daily endeavors to improve people's English is his conviction that a person's personal or professional potential should not be limited by their language level, and he has made it his mission in life to help his students be everything they can be in their lives - in English.

German teachers

ANGELINA

lic. phil. I General History, Philosophy, Economics; SVEB 1; TELC Examiner License; Further Education at the Goethe Institut: DaF Methodology and Didactics 

Whether discussing literature, films, good food and foreign countries, offering in-depth grammar training or preparation for a German exam – I love getting to know and working with my German students.

Angelina was born in Switzerland, lives in Zurich and has been teaching German for learners at A1–C2 level for many years. Her open-minded and curious approach always leads to varied and interesting conversations. With a healthy dose of ambition, she leads each of her students to their personal goals. Drawing on her further education courses in adult education and almost ten years of teaching experience at language schools, in companies and one-to-one, she works expertly with students’ various learning styles to help them reach their goals. As well as her work as a language teacher, she also writes historical publications. Her most recent book was published by Chronos in December 2018: “Von Nöten und guten Diensten – 100 Jahre kirchlicher Sozialdienst Zürich”, which explores church social services in Zurich. 

Angelina speaks French, English and German. When she isn’t working with languages, she loves dance and movement, a passion that she has been pursuing for 16 years. 

JALÉE

German Studies (Magister Artium), Political Science/History, Opera Singing

 Jalée was born and grew up in the far north of Germany in a small town called Vechta. She has been living in Zurich since July 2014. She studied German language and literature, political science, history and opera singing. The connection between music and language has always been her passion. At first glance the two do not seem to have much in common. However, in singing, language is present in the lyrics and music is there in the melody. The worlds of noises, sounds and language are accessible to people through the sense of hearing. The wide range of parallels between music and language can be very useful for language learning. This is why Jalée uses this connection in her work as a language teacher. Her previous professional career as a dubbing artist and singer has provided her with new ideas and insights as a language teacher. She is looking forward to studying for a doctorate at the University of Zurich at the same time as continuing her professional career.

DAVID

lic. phil. French & Italian, High School Teaching Diploma, SVEB Trainer, teacher of German and French

From conversation classes to individual tutoring and structured diploma preparation courses

David has taught at high school as well as at FMS, HMS and IMS for more than 20 years. Over the last 10 years he has gained in-depth expertise and extensive experience in adult education. He makes use of a wide variety of teaching formats, such as language cafés, diploma courses, and individual and group lessons. After gaining the Swiss Federal Certificate of Competence for Trainers (SVEB 2) in 2012, he has been continually refining his skills and specialises in facilitation techniques and teaching for individual learning styles. His broad range of experience, his holistic approach to teaching and his customer focus are hallmarks of his modern foreign language coaching. David speaks German, French, English and Italian.

ANNE MADELEINE

dipl. Ing. ETH, SVEB, teacher of French and German

Anne Madeleine was born and grew up in Sao Paulo in a family originally from Neuchâtel. Later the family moved to Basel, where Anne Madeleine attended grammar school. She therefore speaks not only French, but also German, Swiss German, Portuguese and Spanish fluently. In addition, she has a good command of English and Italian. She completed a degree in agronomy at the ETH in Zurich and then worked in the agricultural and environmental sectors. During her studies she gave private lessons in various languages and then in later years, made this passion into her profession. She has many years of experience as a German and French teacher for corporate and private clients from various industries. Anne Madeleine is an examiner for all D-Levels and as a result can prepare her students for these exams expertly.

French teachers

NICOLE

Diploma as an HSK teacher from Zurich, eduQua accreditation in Zurich, TEF certified, Delf / Dalf accreditation

Nicole is French-Swiss and has studied in Paris, Montpellier and Martinique. She has a diploma from the Ecole Normale de Paris 16e and has the CEDIFLE from the Sorbonne Nouvelle de Paris in language, literature and regional studies. Her qualifications are recognised in Switzerland. Her mother tongue is French. She speaks very good English, has a fairly good level of German and speaks some Spanish.

Nicole worked as a primary school teacher in Paris for nine years before coming to Switzerland, where she has been teaching French as a foreign language to students of all ages and language levels for about thirty years. She also tutors children and teenagers and runs creative workshops for children. She prepares students for Swiss and French diplomas of all kinds - academic and professional.

Nicole enjoys teaching the French language in all its aspects. Her goal is for students to improve, be motivated and have fun. She especially likes to ensure her students reach their goals.

In addition, Nicole is interested in all forms of art and enjoys travelling, music, cooking, dancing, swimming, meditation and hiking.

JADE

MA Italian, DELF examiner, French teacher

Jade was born in the south of France and grew up in Mayotte, a small French island in the Indian Ocean, and in Tunisia. After graduating, she studied classical music and opera in Paris. She then started a Bachelor’s degree in European and International Studies focusing on Italian, German, and English. She completed this with an exchange at the University of Vienna, specialising in French and Italian. After graduating, she began working as a French assistant and substitute teacher in Austrian schools. She also worked as a DELF examiner for the French Institute in Austria. She completed her academic education with a Maîtrise and a Master's degree in Italian.

Jade has experience teaching a wide variety of students and levels, and she has also prepared many students for French certification exams. She is passionate about art, history and languages and has also studied Arabic and Spanish. She always strives to teach more than just the language, aiming to make her students fall in love with its musicality and culture.

ERICA

MA, certified translator, teacher of French and Italian

Erica grew up in Italy and studied foreign languages at the University "Ca' Foscari" in Venice. She speaks Italian, French, German, English and understands Spanish. After her studies, she lived in France for three years and taught Italian as a foreign language in various high schools and at a university. She came to Switzerland in 2001 and also completed a degree in translation while continuing to work.

Erica teaches Italian and French at all levels and has extensive experience in writing training and exam preparation courses. It is important to her that the wishes and needs of her students are taken into account as much as possible in course design. Her students appreciate her passion, positive attitude and attention to detail.

FLORINE

Diploma in teaching French as a foreign language (DAEFLE), Master of Arts in Anglo-American literature, Masters in Business Management (DESS IAE) 

Florine grew up and studied in the South of France and lived and worked abroad for many years before moving to Switzerland in 2010. She is a French native speaker and also speaks English, Italian and German fluently. Before starting to teach French as a foreign language, Florine worked for major corporations and governmental organisations in Paris, Brussels and London. As a French teacher, she loves the intercultural interaction with students and the variety of sectors involved. While focusing on students’ personal goals, she also likes to boost their inner capabilities and creativity. She enjoys teaching grammar in a very methodical way, which she thinks is essential to achieve confidence in written and oral expression. Her favourite hobbies are music, cinema, literature and photography.

Why is my teacher not listed here?

We work closely together with many other fantastic teachers, but are unable to fit them all on one page! If you can't find your teacher on here, don't worry! All nativespeakers.ch teachers are hand-picked gems!

Our teachers have been teaching since Adam was a boy!

The average number of years of teaching experience among our teachers is 17! As far as workplace experience goes, the average number of years of work experience our teachers have is 25. As a teacher it can be an advantage to have had experience in fields other than teaching as well as in education itself. You, our students, work in all sectors of the economy, or study a very wide range of academic disciplines. For us to have a wide range of experience across many sectors and fields of study is of great benefit when we come to understanding your needs.

There is a special prize if you are close to guessing the total number of years of work experience our teachers have.

The answer is 1,000 years!

Take advantage of just a fraction of this knowledge and experience and book a trial lesson with a high-quality nativespeakers.ch teacher today!

A selection of our translators and proofreaders

English native speakers

MARIE

M.A. (Hons) in Languages, Interpreting and Translation (French/German), MITI

Marie has loved languages since she discovered French at the age of four. After picking up German and (now rusty) Japanese, she went on to study interpreting and translation at prestigious institutions in the UK, France and Austria before heading home to focus on her passion for English communication. Since then, she has never stopped learning – and her ongoing copywriting and legal training (she’s a qualified legal secretary!) give her an edge in her specialist fields: business, marketing and law. A self-confessed perfectionist with a keen eye for detail, Marie always makes sure clients receive nothing less than a flawless text that’s carefully tailored to their needs. Whether you need high-end marketing materials, pivotal legal contracts or impressive annual reports, your reputation is safe with her.

German native speakers

KAROLINE

Qualified Translator. MSc in Translation and Conference Interpreting

Karoline knew from an early age that she wanted to work as a translator and interpreter. After successfully graduating from high school, she commenced her studies at FTSK in Gemersheim, Germany. Once she had gained her degree, she pursued her career in Edinburgh. Since 2008 she has been working as a freelance translator and interpreter. She translates from English, French and Russian into German and specialises in IT, SEO, marketing and medicine.
Karoline is involved in professional associations and is an active member of NZSTI, AITI and  DVÜD. She attaches great importance to professional development andregularly attends conferences of translators and congresses in her specialist areas, and participates in Webinars. In 2012 she moved from Scotland via Canada to New Zealand, where she has been living ever since. There she can be found in the summer months in the ocean, enjoying her hobbies of diving, snorkeling and surfing.

Backoffice team

CEO

Head of Translation Services

Customer Service Language Studies

Book Keeping

SUSANNE

Susanne is in charge of bookkeeping for nativespeakers.ch. She brings clarity into a jungle of numbers and ensures that we all get paid at the end of the month for our hard work.

Consultant

Backoffice assistants
EMIL, THEO AND LILA

We like food and walkies, and try to keep office morale high!

Other team members

To complement our core team of teachers and translators, we collaborate with a number of other experienced teachers, translators and proofreaders.