border de taalvraag

About us

border de taalvraag

| Marilene shares her story:

While studying for my degree in remedial education, I worked as a volunteer at the Language School for Refugees. That later turned into a paid job. At the Language School, I learned the profession of being a teacher of Dutch as a second language (NT2). The Language School was later absorbed by ROC Zadkine and I continued working there until 2011.

In 2011, I decided to start my own business: De Taalvraag. It was a gamble, but it has been one of the best decisions of my life.

In the first years, the course participants were mainly expats and family migrants. I quickly opted for teaching higher educated students, because I found this group the most inspiring. In groups with the same education and language level, I can help my students to achieve their goals quickly and effectively. Later, I also decided that I wanted to teach Dutch to refugees again. However, these students could only get a loan from DUO for my course if I had the Blik op Werk quality mark. That is why I decided to obtain the quality mark. With the new integration law aigain I have more family migrants.

Because of the many positive reviews, more and more students came to De Taalvraag. I noticed that the work was getting too much for me. Since 2018 I have been working with one to three teachers, but De Taalvraag stays a small school, I want to know all students personally.

Our school is at the adress ‘s Gravenweg 31, in Rotterdam Kralingen.

I spend most of my time teaching and coordinating the NT2 courses at De Taalvraag. I also provide training to other teachers. From 2011 to 2018, I also worked at the Babel language institute as an examiner of the AKV test, an exam for doctors who speak other languages.

Since 2022 I have been a member of  the municipal councel in my hometown Nieuwegein for GroenLinks. In this positions I have the portfolio’s refugees, low literacy, integration and eduction.


			

			

				
				
				
				
			

				

				
				
				
				
				

				
				
				
				
				2011 eerste jaar les in de kerk - De Taalvraag
			

				
				
				
				
				
Photos: 2011, the first year of De Taalvraag with classes in a church


 

			

			

				
				
				
				
				

				
				
				
				
				vlaggetje prikken de taalvraag
			

				
				
				
				
				
Students pin a flag on a map

			

				
				
				
				
				
			

			

				
				
				
				
			

				
				
			

				
				
				
				
				
				
				

				

				
				
				
				
				

				
				
				
				
				
| Thomas Castelein shares his story:


Hello! I am Thomas and I enjoy to helping you to improve your Dutch language skills. I keep the lessons as fun and diverse as possible, amongst others by regularly playing language games. Because I studied General Linguistics, I know extra well how to help my own students.

			

				
				
				
				
				
|  Marilene about Thomas:


Thomas started in January 2022 at De Taalvraag


Often we discuss together what the best way of working is in the various courses.


I noticed how enthusiastic and motivated Thomas is for the lessons and to learn new things himself.

			

				
				
				
				
				Thomas Castelein