Home in Holland
Like aeroplanes are homed in on airports, we home in foreigners on their new country. We try to make them feel at home here and help them settle in their new surroundings. Learning the language is the first most important thing but it is also important to get acquainted with the society and culture that produced that language. Consequently, our Beginners Course features a series of 12 short talks dealing with various aspects of Dutch society. These informal talks of about 20 minutes (often illustrated with slides) are a free supplement to the language course. In addition to providing valuable background information, they offer students a wonderful opportunity to practise their Dutch. Topics range from the history and national character of the Dutch people through the art history and politics to the Dutch land and town-scape.
Examinations in Dutch as a Second/Foreign Language
Students who would like a formal qualification in Dutch can choose between two examinations. For those who are going to stay in The Netherlands for a longer period of time, want to work for a Dutch company, or receive a professional training, the NT2 (Dutch as a Second Language) exam is recommended. It consists of four parts: reading, writing, listening and speaking. More info on our NT2 course and training can be found here.
Information desk
Any student is welcome to call on Direct Dutch for quick information and advice about the problems of everyday life in the Netherlands. Students starting a Beginners Course receive our Home in on Holland Newcomers Info Booklet with practical information on registration, housing, banking, transportation, useful addresses, conversions charts, distance tables, a bibliography and an English index to the Dutch Yellow Pages (Gouden Gids).