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David Ostrowski
Professional TeacherProfessional Teacher![]()
Teaches
English
Native
Speaks
German
Spanish
Other
Polish
Russian
Specialties
TechnologyBusinessEx-HR Manager | Business English & Behavioural Interview Prep | Soft Skills for Tech Professionals
Teaches
English
Native
Speaks
German
Spanish
Other
Polish
Russian
Specialties
TechnologyBusinessEx-HR Manager | Business English & Behavioural Interview Prep | Soft Skills for Tech Professionals
About Me
Me as a Teacher
My lessons & teaching style
Resume & Certificates
From United KingdomLiving in Lodz, Poland (23:32 UTC+02:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Nov 27, 2017InterestsHistoryTechTravelWritingBusiness & Finance
Hi, I’m David - a Business English and Behavioural Interview Coach specialising in Slavic language-speaking tech professionals (developers, designers, PMs). With 7+ years as an HR People Partner in the UK, I can support you in mastering confident English for interviews and workplace success.
Born in London and now based in Poland, I’ve coached hundreds of global professionals - blending HR insights with an interest in tech (UX/UI, no-code tools, AI). I’m a total language geek (Spanish, German, Polish, Serbian, Russian) and an ex-digital nomad!
Let’s turn your English into a career asset instead of an obstacle!Me as a Teacher
I'm highly organised (sometimes a little too organised!) and always create a personalised plan based on your specific needs. Having worked with hundreds of people from around the world over the years, I'm very aware of cultural differences—something that really helps build a strong connection from the very first call.
My goal is to create a relaxed, supportive space where you can feel comfortable being yourself and progress at your own pace. I completely understand if you're feeling nervous or lacking in confidence—believe me, you should hear me try to speak other languages in public!
I don’t promise miracles—our sessions are just one part of the journey. You’ll need to be ready to put inMy lessons & teaching style
Note that I usually use Teams or Meets. I don’t call them ‘lessons’—they’re more like calls you’d have with a colleague. We usually begin with some relaxed small talk before moving on to the topic we’ve planned together. These plans are often developed collaboratively, based on your goals and interests.
I create a personal Google Doc for each person, filled with ideas, materials, useful links, grammar corrections, and new vocabulary.
I’ll also encourage you to build your own routine between calls—whether that’s reading, listening, or something else that fits your style.
You’ll find more info in the FAQs on my website (you’ll need to message me!).My teaching material
- PDF file
- Text Documents
- Presentation slides/PPT
- Audio files
- Image files
- Video files
- Articles and news
- Quizzes
- Test templates and examples
- Graphs and charts
Certificates
Google UX Design - Google/Coursera - 2023I completed the Google UX Design course. I am now a freelance UX/UI Designer and no-code Web Designer alongside teaching English. Many of my students are specifically UX/UI Designers also who are focusing on job interview prep in international environments. My technical knowledge allows me to help them achieve their goals. I also have my portfolio link you can look at - https://davidostrowski.framer.website/
Certificate verified
120hr TEFL certificate - TEFL.ORG.UK - 2017120hr TEFL course including -
Grammar course
Teaching Methodology
Teaching Large Classes
Telephone Teaching
Video Observation
Certificate verified
Google UX Design - Google - 1998I worked for a large retailer in the UK for 18 years from 1998-2016 in various roles such as HR Business Partner. https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-barkham/
I have been teaching Business English and Interview Preparation for 8 years on both Italki and my private website with positive reviews.
I am also a freelance UX/UI Designer and no-code Web Designer - many of my students are also in these roles (as well as developers)
https://davidostrowski.net/
Certificate verified
Teaching experience
2017 - 2024
Business English CoachI initially began teaching English to adults on Italki in general and business senses, before moving on to more of a business and job interview preparation focus as a result of my past career in HR. In 2020, I set up my own website as I wanted the opportunity to write supporting blog posts and so on. I studied UX/UI Design in 2023 and I'm currently working on portfolio projects. In addition to HR and Software Development (I mainly work with Russian IT guys), I love discussing UX and Design!
Education
2023 - 2023
Other - UX DesignI completed the Google UX Design course in 2023.
2017 - 2017
Other - Teaching English as a Foreign Language120hr TEFL course including
Grammar Course
Teaching Methodology
Video Observation
Teaching Large Classes
Telephone Teaching
1998 - 2000
Other - Business StudiesI achieved an A grade in Business Studies at A-Level (in the UK, this is the stage of education before university). I then chose to enter the workplace and develop my career as the cost of university in the UK was out of my reach!
1998 - 2000
Other - GermanI achieved an E grade in German at A-Level. In the UK, this is the stage prior to university
Work Experience
1998 - 2016
HR Business Partner and other roles - StoresFor many years I was a HR Business Partner with Tesco, a large retailer in the UK. Much of my role entailed the same attributes necessary as a teacher, including listening, supporting, motivating and coaching others in an empathetic manner. My role also had an emphasis on management interviews, coaching & development, recruitment, building capability and more!
2016 - 2022
Travel YouTuberI ran a Youtube channel called Tao of David, as well as a website and blog relating to travel, becoming a Digital Nomad and teaching online. I have also written ebooks and consulted new teachers.
Since 2016, I have been travelling full-time. I have lived in countries such as Mexico, Serbia, Belarus, Japan, and Colombia for extended periods. I became a Polish citizen by descent in 2022, and plan to spend some of the future based in the EU, now that I'm an EU citizen once again!
2020 - 2024
Private Online English TeacherIn addition to teaching on Italki, I also offer (mainly) Business English lessons via my website to students who I source from social media, my YouTube channel and by approaching Russian companies who express an interest in me supporting their employees.
2017 - 2024
Online TeacherI have been teaching on Italki since 2017. It's a great platform which has allowed me to get to know so many people from around the world, and learn about new cultures. In addition, I thoroughly enjoy being part of students' progression. Most of my students on Italki are Business English focused and reside in Russian-speaking countries, although I have had students from all over the world!
2023 - 2024
UX/UI Designer/No-Code Web DesignerI am currently working on freelance no-code web design projects using Figma and Framer, for small businesses and those requiring personal websites. If you are UX Designer and want to improve your Business English, we could be a good match! (I'm an ex-HR Manager too!)
5.0
Rating
798
Students
4,641
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate
English Lessons
Trial Lesson
430 lessons completed
USD 10.00+
General Conversation & Confidence Building
A2 - C2Conversation1,329 lessons completed
USD 13.00+
Package with 6% off
Business English & Behavioural Interview Prep for Tech Professionals
A2 - C2Business905 lessons completed
USD 13.00+
Package with 6% off
Human Resources (Recruitment, People Partners, HR Business Partners etc)
A2 - C2Business65 lessons completed
USD 13.00+
Package with 6% off
UI/UX Designers, Product Managers
A2 - C2Technology198 lessons completed
USD 13.00+
Package with 6% off
Proofreading (including CVs, cover letters, academic writing, exam prep)
A1 - C2Language Essentials7 lessons completed
USD 13.00+
Package with 6% off
Instant Interview - Screening Calls, Behavioural Interviews for Tech Professionals
A2 - C2Business1 lessons completed
USD 13.00+
Availability
Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)
My creations
Vocabulary (3)
Quiz (44)
857 Reviews
Piotr Staszowski
13 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
This was my first lesson on italki and I’m very happy with how it went. Everything was clearly explained, the pace was just right, and the atmosphere was friendly and comfortable. I felt at ease throughout the lesson and I’m really looking forward to the next one!
Jul 31, 2025
Dima
56 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
The perfect lesson with the perfect teacher! It seemed to me that David and I have known each other for a long time, how easy going the lesson was! David corrected me during the whole lesson, however he did it in "the soft way", so to speak. He let me express myself, my point of view and after that suggested a bit more natural and accurate vocabulary and phrases to enrich my speech. That's super cool approach! Of course, David was super patient with my pronunciation and English and supported me during the whole lesson. The lesson went by in a blink of an eye. David, thanks a lot!
Jul 31, 2019
Piotr Staszowski
13 English lessons
Time flew by so quickly! The class was engaging and full of interesting topics that made the conversation feel natural and dynamic. I especially appreciated the extensive list of supplementary materials provided.
Aug 5, 2025
Alexander Bozhkov
1 English lesson
Teacher’s pick
I would like to thank Dawid for the trial lesson. We discussed my goals and how we can reach them together. He shared his approaches during the lesson and brought a lot of examples.
I must also mention that he wrote everything down and sent me some examples later.
As a cherry on top, he has an authentic British accent, which was I was looking for.
Oct 1, 2024
Sergio Toledo
2 English lessons
This lesson with David has given me valuable insights that I could tackle since the first moment he has gave me the confidence to talk with him. Supportive and empathic person.
Sep 1, 2025
♒️🌟神仙姐姐🌟
32 English lessons
Very good teacher
Dec 3, 2024
Trial Lesson
USD 10.00
Your final payment will be made in USD