Learn English & Croatian | 7500+ lessons | CPE C2 Grade A | More than words—language is connection
Unterrichtet
Kroatisch
Muttersprache
Englisch
Muttersprache
Spricht
Italienisch
Französisch
Spezialgebiete
Testvorbereitung
Learn English & Croatian | 7500+ lessons | CPE C2 Grade A | More than words—language is connection
Über mich
Ich als Lehrkraft
Meine Stunden und mein Unterrichtsstil
Lebenslauf und Zeugnisse
Aus KroatienLebt in Chicago, USA (03:06 UTC-05:00)
Über mich
italki-Lehrkraft seit 24. Jul 2015
Thema von InteresseReisenKunstGeschichteLesenUmwelt & Natur
I come from a family of teachers, so teaching is in my DNA. Over the years I’ve honed my ability to detect and address the obstacles that students face in language learning. This allows me to creatively support my students, helping them push past their barriers and experience that rewarding sense of accomplishment. Since 2015, I’ve been teaching English and Croatian, and I’m always learning something myself, currently diving into French. My passion for languages extends to helping my students discover strategies that bring both progress and joy to the learning process.
Ich als Lehrkraft
I love working with motivated and curious students who are ready to experiment and take on challenges. I want my students to feel comfortable, inspired, and excited about learning. Language learning isn’t always easy, but overcoming challenges is one of the most rewarding experiences, and I love seeing my students conquer obstacles. My goal is to make my students proactive and autonomous in their studies, rather than just passive recipients of a rigid curriculum. I encourage them to think outside the box and discover new ways of learning that work best for them. The connection we build is one of partnership—I'm here to guide them on their journey, not dictate it.
Meine Stunden und mein Unterrichtsstil
I tailor my lessons to fit each student's unique needs, mixing grammar, reading, writing, listening, and speaking based on their strengths and areas of improvement. Speaking is an area of particular focus, and I employ small, structured exercises to ease students into more spontaneous conversations. This doesn’t happen overnight, so the goal is to gradually build confidence and ease, so that speaking becomes second nature.
Mein Unterrichtsmaterial
PDF-Datei
Textdokumente
Präsentationsfolien/PPT
Audiodateien
Videodateien
Quizze
Testvorlagen und Beispiele
Hausaufgaben
Zeugnisse
TEFL - The TEFL Academy - 2017Teaching English as a Foreign Language Course - 120 Hours.
Zertifikat verifiziert
TEFL 120 hours - The TEFL Academy - 2017Completed 120 hours of TEFL course that, as part of its curriculum, taught me how to prepare students for various types of language tests ( IELTS, Cambridge CPE/CAE/FCE etc.)
Zertifikat verifiziert
Ausbildung
1997 - 2003
Bachelor - DesignUniversity of Zagreb - School of Design
Arbeitserfahrung
2015 - Aktuell
English TeacherSelf-employed - Zagreb, KroatienI've been teaching English online and in person since 2015.
I can’t recommend Irena enough: I learn so much during every lesson – not only language skills, but also methods to study more efficiently. Book a lesson now: you won’t be disappointed! 🙌🤓
1. Feb. 2024
Ilaria
21 Englisch Unterrichtsstunden
Auswahl der Lehrkraft
Thank you Irena! For me you are more than a good teacher (and definitely you are the best!). Improving my English with you is a real beautiful, challenging, funny, enjoayble journey!
20. Juli 2018
Amy
6 Kroatisch Unterrichtsstunden
My first full lesson with Irena following my trial. Really fun, engaging and useful! Irena creates a comfortable space to try things out and challenge yourself while feeling supported. Great mix of activities and I really like her personalised, student-centred approach.
14. Mai 2025
Brigid
71 Kroatisch Unterrichtsstunden
Auswahl der Lehrkraft
Irena is the very best Croatian teacher. Her lessons are tailored specifically to each student, and she creates all her own (high quality) materials. Irena makes me feel successful in my learning journey, even when I make many mistakes. She is patient and understanding, and explains things in a way that makes sense. Irena has special effective hints and activities for memorising new grammar rules and vocabulary. She remembers details about my life, and includes them in the lessons which makes the learning relevant and interesting. I look forward to my lessons with Irena every week, and the time in the lesson flies by. Hvala Irena!
19. Dez. 2023
Amy
6 Kroatisch Unterrichtsstunden
Today we made a start on grammar! Croatian grammar has seemed very confusing and overwhelming to me before but Irena answered all my initial questions very clearly and outlined how we will break down the many declensions into manageable chunks. Another fun and engaging lesson. I love Irena’s passion for the subject and how she approaches knowledge.
3. Juni 2025
Nickrog
5 Kroatisch Unterrichtsstunden
Excellent first meeting with Irena. She was able to assess my level of Croatian extremely well and was overall a great professional