3/21/2014

English Made Fun in Dresden

1) Hi Dana, you aren’t from Dresden but have been living here for a few years.  What brought you here?

I came to Dresden in 2007 as a student.  I was studying German at the Goethe Institut.  I finished my degree in the States in December of 2008 and wanted the experience of living and working outside the U.S. I moved back to Dresden in February of 2009 to teach English and practice my German.

2) Dresden is a European hot spot for innovation. Microelectronic, nano-material science, biotech, life science are at home here. What contribution does your business make to the area?

It creates job opportunities for the people of Dresden through better communication skills. I give them the language skills and confidence they need to perform effectively in an international business environment. 

3) What inspired you to start a business in Dresden?

I’ve worked for other language schools for many years.  I have the experience and know-how to teach effectively.  The one thing that made an impression on me was the schools’ inability to be flexible and the way they treated their language trainers.  I want to improve the experience for both the student and the teacher.

4) The name of your business “ English Made Fun in Dresden” gives the impression that learning English can also be enjoyable? Is that really true?

Yes, learning English really can be fun.  It doesn’t have to be all grammar drills.  I’m able to work with individuals, find out what they need and use real-life situations to teach the language they need to be able to succeed in an international setting.

5) What kind of challenges have you faced?  What challenges are you still facing?

The main challenge I’m facing and have faced since the beginning is getting the word out about what I do.

6)  What are your target groups?

My target groups are individuals and businesses who want or need to learn English. 

7) What is your vision for your business and Dresden in the next 5-10 years?

My vision for the next 5 to 10 years is to grow my business from employing just me, to employing at least 5 other teachers mainly from the United States and Canada.  I want to make a positive impact on Dresden because I love living here and have made it my home.  For this reason, I want to see the people in Dresden succeed, not only professionally but privately as well. 

8) Where do you see the role of social media in promoting your product and your business?

I use social media every day as do billions of people around the world, so I think it plays a huge roll in spreading the word about my business.  I have a website a Facebook page a Google+ page and a blog about teaching English I work hard at keeping them all up to date and full  of fun ways both to teach and learn English.