Sebastiaan vd S
About Me
Lessons
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Visited 7 days ago
Sebastiaan vd S
Professional Teacher![]()
Teaches
Dutch
Native
English
Native
Speaks
Spanish
German
Specialties
BusinessExperienced English and Dutch teacher situated in Oaxaca, Mexico
Teaches
Dutch
Native
English
Native
Speaks
Spanish
German
Specialties
BusinessExperienced English and Dutch teacher situated in Oaxaca, Mexico
About Me
Me as a Teacher
My lessons & teaching style
Resume & Certificates
From United KingdomLiving in Oaxaca, Mexico (22:00 UTC-06:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Mar 12, 2020InterestsBusiness & FinanceMusicFilms & TV SeriesTravelMarketing
My name is Sebastiaan van der Starre, I am a young English & Dutch (+ culture and business) teacher living and working in Mexico. I was born in 1989 in Cuckfield, in the south of England. Brought up bilingual: English and Dutch.
I studied International Business & Languages with the languages English, Dutch, Spanish and German. With a Minor in Latin American Business Studies. I have a lot of different work experience and I have lived in different countries; the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Mexico.
I love travelling, learning about other cultures and languages and meeting new interesting people from all over the world. My hobbies are squash, mountain biking, snowboarding and wakeboarding.Me as a Teacher
I was born interested in languages, my English mother (30+ years English teacher and Cambridge examiner) and Dutch father brought me up bilingual.
In 2014 I started teaching foreign exchange students in the Netherlands and when I moved to Oaxaca, Mexico in 2015, I became a language teacher in a language school where I started teaching students of all ages and levels. In 2016 I started teaching English and Dutch online and I started teaching English, cultural and business subjects at local universities.
I teach general, conversational/business English and exam preparations (TOEFL/ TOEIC/ IELTS/ FCE/ CAE). General, conversational and immigration/inburgerings exam preparation Dutch.My lessons & teaching style
Getting to know the student, their interests, skills, strengths and language purpose is the most important part of preparing my lessons. With that information I can adapt the lessons to their style and interests.
The most important part of learning a language is to have fun and feel the liberty to make mistakes and learn from them, while being challenged to improve.
Depending on the students goals, we can prepare for exams (TOEFL/ TOEIC/ IELTS/ FCE/ CAE/ immigration/inburgerings exam), discuss articles and videos, look into grammar, all so the student improves their fluency/conversation, vocabulary and overall language skills.
Cancellation policies: <24 hours 100%My teaching material
- Audio files
- Test templates and examples
- Text Documents
- PDF file
- Image files
- Articles and news
- Graphs and charts
- Presentation slides/PPT
- Video files
- Homework Assignments
Certificates
Recommendation letter - Universidad La Salle Oaxaca - 2020This is a letter of recommendation of my former Modern Languages and Interculturality coordinator of the university La Salle Oaxaca where I worked as an English and culture professor for 3 years and 3 months.
Certificate verified
Work experience - Universidad La Salle Oaxaca - 2020This letter of recommendation is written by the manager of Human Resources of the university La Salle Oaxaca where I worked for 3 years and 3 months as a English and Culture professor.
Certificate verified
Recommendation letter - The Cambridge Acadamy - 2020This is a letter of recommendation of my former boss at the language school The Cambridge Academy. Where I worked for 1 year and 7 months teaching English and Dutch.
Certificate verified
Creating Save Speaking Environments - Cambridge University Press - 2019Workshop Cambridge University Press "Creating Save Speaking Environments" tips and tricks
Certificate verified
Strategies for Writing - Pearson - 2018Workshop Pearson "Strategies for Writing" tips and tricks
Certificate verified
TOEFL iBT Test - Propell - 2018Workshop Propell "TOEFL iBT Test" tips and tricks
Certificate verified
TOEIC - Educational Testing Service - 2017TOEIC certificate (980/990)
Certificate verified
How to get students to talk - Oxford University Press - 2016Workshop of Oxford University Press "How to get students to talk" tips and tricks
Certificate verified
Certificación Nacional de Nivel de Idioma - SEP - 2016CENNI (Certificación Nacional de Nivel de Idioma) certificate with, highest possible result; C1, concluded an official CENNI examiner course
Certificate verified
Bachelor of Commerce - HAN University of Applied Sciences - 20144 year Bachelor's degree in International Business & Languages.
Focussing on business and the languages: Dutch, English, Spanish and German.
Including international projects and several internships in the Netherlands, Spain and Mexico.
Certificate verified
Teaching experience
2021 - 2022
University ProfessorRecognition of Academic Teaching Excellence
August 2021 - May 2022
Getting an average evaluation score of 2 semesters above 4.70 (out of 5)
2022 - 2023
University ProfessorRecognition of Academic Teaching Excellence
August 2022 - May 2023
Getting an average evaluation score of 2 semesters above 4.85 (out of 5)
2015 - 2016
English teacher, tutor and translatorEnglish teacher and tutor at “The Cambridge Academy”. Teaching different levels and ages, organising and giving workshops, translating and helping with VISA applications.
2016 - 2019
English teacher and trainerEnglish teacher at La Salle university in Oaxaca, Mexico. Teaching different levels and semesters of different studies within the university.
Supporting the language department by organising events, workshops, school trips, translating, preparing students for exams such as the TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC and the different Cambridge exams (Business, FCE, CAE, CPE)
2017 - 2019
Culture ProfessorAnglo culture, Germanic culture and interculturality professor at La Salle university in Oaxaca, Mexico. Teaching Anglo culture, Germanic culture in English and interculturality in Spanish to Modern Language and Interculturality students of 1st, 4th and 6th semester.
Organising guest lectures, field trips and other academic events. Revising and directing different types of graduation investigations/reports (thesis/ practical case/ reports, etc.)
2014 - Current
Language teacher, trainer and tutorEnglish and Dutch teacher, trainer, tutor and translator, tutoring foreign students, teaching students of different ages, nationalities, professions, levels and language goals. Preparing students for exams (Cambridge/ IELTS/ TOEIC/ TOEFL/ Inburgeringsexamen, etc.) translating (websites, folders, etc.) and giving lectures and training to other teachers and professors (in the Netherlands and Mexico)
2016 - Current
Language teacher, trainer and tutorOnline English and Dutch teacher for different language learning platforms
(currently Learnship and Fit4Taal, before also for Start Speaking Today and Preply). Teaching business English, conversational English, Cambridge/IELTS/TOEFL/TOEIC exam preparation, students of different ages and nationalities.
Teaching conversational Dutch and preparation for the “inburgeringsexamen”/ “immigration/integration exam” all levels, ages and nationalities/ locations.
2020 - Current
University ProfessorEnglish, culture and business professor for different studies, levels and ages.
Teaching different levels and semesters of different studies within the university. Supporting the language department by organising events, workshops, school trips, translating, preparing students for exams such as the IELTS, TOEIC and the different Cambridge exams (Business, FCE, CAE, CPE).
Culture and business professor teaching subjects such as International Business and Intercultural Negotiations.
Education
2009 - 2014
Bachelor’s - International Business & LanguagesBachelor of Commerce
Languages Dutch, English, Spanish and German
Minor: Latin American Business Studies with a project in Mexico
Projects:
- Juveness, Puebla, Mexico, market research; Dutch market
- NMHG, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, market research; Swiss and Austrian market
- Gazelle, Dieren, the Netherlands, market research; Belgium market
Internships:
- Consultores CSA, Murcia, Spain
- Tempur BeNeLux, Ede, the Netherlands
- Impact Hub Oaxaca, Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico
Work Experience
2014 - Current
Language teacher, trainer, tutor and translatorEnglish and Dutch teacher, trainer, tutor and translator, tutoring foreign students, teaching students of different ages, nationalities, professions, levels and language goals. Preparing students for exams (Cambridge/ IELTS/ TOEIC/ TOEFL/ Inburgeringsexamen, etc.) translating (websites, folders, etc.) and giving lectures and training to other teachers and professors (in the Netherlands and Mexico)
2014 - Current
FounderFounder of the organisation Oax.Venture Tours, an eco-toursim company operating in the state of Oaxaca. Promoting, coordinating and organising personalised responsible tourism trips
Translating information from Spanish to English or Dutch
(in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico)
2016 - Current
CENNI examiner and trainerOfficial CENNI examiner and trainer. Preparation and examination of English teachers of secondary schools in the state of Oaxaca, for the CENNI exam (Certificación Nacional de Nivel de Idioma). English secondary school teachers of COBAO and CECyTE
2017 - 2019
English Placement Test developerEnglish Placement Test developer for the secondary/high school and university of La Salle Oaxaca. Developing questions for the different parts, Use of English/ Listening / Reading, and recording audios of the English Placement Test for new students’ admissions
2023 - 2024
Tallent and Process ManagerThe Talent and Process Manager is a critical interface between the company and potential employees, ensuring optimal process compliance and strategy integration to achieve the best results in operation and evaluation of services provided by Start Speaking Today. This role is instrumental in identifying, attracting, and retaining top-tier talent that will drive the future growth and success of our online language school.
2023 - 2024
Language Platform Content AdvisorLanguage learning platform content advisor for the English language content.
Recommending, correcting and recording audios for the activities on the platform.
2011 - 2012
Marketing employeeInternship as part of my studies: International Business and Languages. Recording the results of surveys in SPSS and Excel. Analysing and formulating reports about the outcome. Mistery-shopping, price control, helping with conferences etc.
5.0
Rating
61
Students
1,075
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate
Dutch Lessons
Dutch
English
Trial Lesson
25 lessons completed
USD 12.00+
General Dutch
A1 - C1Language Essentials234 lessons completed
USD 20.00
Package with 5% off
Availability
Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)
154 Reviews
All
Dutch
English
Veronika
132 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
The lessons help me in professional live a lot. We always talk about business and marketing and Sebastiaan has really good knowledge and he is also able to provide good tips.
Feb 9, 2021
Ryu
15 Dutch lessons
Teacher’s pick
He is building a very strong and solid foundation for my Dutch Language learning. His classes are fun and very interactive, and he tailors the class to my own personal needs. Awesome!
May 21, 2020
Mariam El-Tantawi
32 Dutch lessons
thanks a lot for all the effort you made with us. we really appreciate your time and support 🙏
Aug 23, 2021
Shaden
20 Dutch lessons
Teacher’s pick
Thank you Sebastiaan for empowering me to go into the inburgering today, with full knowledge and confidence!
Looking forward to our coming lessons!!
Sep 2, 2020
Veronika
132 English lessons
Happy to have these lessons 💜
Feb 16, 2023
Mariam El-Tantawi
32 Dutch lessons
one of the best classes 👌
went over Separabele Verba, Speaking questions oefining and writing exams
Aug 2, 2021
Trial Lesson
USD 12.00
Your final payment will be made in USD