Want to learn Dutch faster? With fast track courses, you can!
An article by Wageningen in'to Languages
For a while now, Utrecht International Center partner Wageningen in'to Languages has been offering fast track courses in Dutch, in addition to the regular Dutch and Social Dutch courses for students. These are shorter courses with two classes per week instead of one. Wondering if a fast track course is the right fit for you? In this blog, we tell you more about it, and ask course participants to share their experience.
Why were the fast track courses developed?
“There is a lot of demand for Dutch courses in Wageningen,” says Judith Arns, head of Wageningen in'to Languages. “This makes our Dutch courses really popular, especially the beginners' levels, which always fill up very fast. Moreover, many internationals want or need to quickly master a certain level of Dutch for their work. That is why we decided to expand our offerings with these fast track courses. That way, we can not only help more course participants, but also provide an opportunity to make faster progress for those who want to.”
It is also possible to alternate between the standard track and the fast track: “If you have more time during a given period, you can speed up your learning with a fast track course. And during busier times, the standard track is easier to combine with your other activities.”
“After just a few classes, I could already understand some Dutch”
We asked a few course participants of the Basic Dutch 1 fast track why they chose this course, and how they like it. Phil Flores shares his experience: “I started learning Dutch for convenience and integration. I don’t want to be left out in conversations, although Dutch people are very considerate. This course is perfect for people who are highly motivated to learn Dutch. The pacing makes it possible to start to understand Dutch after just a few sessions. I think the teacher is very competent and approachable. I do not hesitate to ask her questions, although some of my questions seem stupid to me.”
“You need space in your schedule to keep up”
Lizzy Freed: “I had colleagues who had taken these courses and enjoyed them, which is why I chose to take a course at In’to Languages too. So far, the course is helping me with basic grammar, which gives me more confidence to practice. I think the teacher is supportive and the course is not moving too quickly, but it’s a bit heavy to combine with work. I don’t feel like I have time to do the homework and keep up. I think the course with one class per week would have been a better option for me.”
Teacher Anne Schuddinck stresses that it is good to remember that learning Dutch faster does take more effort: “In the fast track courses, you practice Dutch intensively, which helps you master it faster. Clearly, this requires space in your schedule to study and complete the exercises. But you will be rewarded for it: you can put what you learn into practice very quickly.”
“A great start to learning Dutch”
Felipe Pavan: “I decided to learn Dutch to interact more easily with people in my daily life. WUR is a great university, so I chose to take the course here, naturally expecting the same teaching quality. The course is indeed fast-tracked! Students are expected to do their homework and actively participate in the lessons to follow the pace. Luckily, the mood in the class room is great and Anne is a great teacher. She transmits the knowledge in a calm manner and checks the spoken skills of each student in every lesson. It has been a great experience and a great start with the Dutch language!” Anne agrees: “It's great to see how much course participants can learn in such a short time!”
Sign up for a Dutch language course
Would you also like to learn Dutch? The fast track courses start three times a year, for Basic Dutch 1 to Intermediate Dutch 2 levels. In addition, standard tracks (with classes once a week) start twice a year, for all levels, from Basic Dutch 1 to Advanced Dutch 3.