About us
Courses in Dutch to suit every need
Ever since 1962 the Department of Dutch as a Second Language (NT2) at VU University Amsterdam (VU) has offered courses in Dutch for non-native speakers. Whether you are new to our language or speak it reasonably well, we can help you learn Dutch fast and effectively. Our courses serve various learning purposes. You may, for instance, take a course in Dutch out of personal interest or as a requirement to obtain a degree (bachelor, pre-master or master) at Vrije Universiteit. If you are an exchange student or expat, you may wish to develop your social relationships with the Dutch people around you. Alternatively, you may wish to prepare for the State Examination (programme I or II) to improve your chances in the job market. Or perhaps you already have a substantial knowledge of the Dutch language but lack the writing or speaking skills you require at work. A complete overview of our courses can be found on Courses in Dutch. In addition, we also offer in-company courses. If you are interested in organising a course for your employees, please consult this page.
Practice-oriented training programmes and certifications for NT2 teachers
The Department of Dutch as a Second Language offers a large number of practice-oriented courses for individual NT2 teachers and teams of, for instance, ROCs (regional educational institutions) or other language agencies. Our team of specialists organises training programmes on various topics, such as pronunciation, grammar, competence-oriented language assessments, language and culture, oral skills required for the Integration Exam, and social skills for migrant elderly people. We also assist teachers in adopting new teaching methods. In addition, the BVNT2 (Professional Society of NT2 teachers) has designated us as one of the institutions where NT2 teachers can do an assessment to obtain the certification ‘Competent NT2 teacher’. So if you or your team are interested in following a training programme or if you wish to become a certified ‘Competent NT2 teacher’, please find here more information.
Developing course materials
The Department of Dutch as a Second language recognises that good course materials are essential to ensure the optimum quality of language education. Our department has considerable expertise in developing these course materials, both for students (e.g. IJsbreker and CODE, named best course book by the Dutch marketing research institution TNS NIPO) and for NT2 teachers (e.g. Handboek Nederlands als tweede taal in de volwasseneneducatie and Kijk op de klas). If you would like more information about our course materials, or if you would like to discuss the possibility of having your own ideas for new teaching materials developed by us, please find here detailed information.
News, tips and ideas
Here you will find the latest news about our department and about Dutch as a Second Language in general, to do our monthly puzzle, or to download free course materials for NT2 teachers.
Highly experienced teachers
As our department is closely connected with the Vrije Universiteit and the degree programme Applied Linguistics in particular, our highly experienced NT2 teachers are well acquainted with the most recent developments in the field of linguistics. They directly apply these developments in practice. Our team of specialists can guarantee a high quality course that suits your level and needs.
List of staffmembers.
Department of Dutch as a Second Language at VU University Amsterdam. For fast and effective Dutch courses and improvement of the quality of language education.
