LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF

My name is Katerina Lu.

I am a native Czech speaker with a family and cultural background in the Czech Republic.

I have a great command over written and spoken language, both in English and Czech.

I have a perfect understanding of cultural, grammatical and phonetic obstacles for Americans in learning Czech and the ability to explain the problems and to help overcome the difficulties.

I moved to USA in 1993.

I have 10+ years of experience tutoring Czech to both professionals and people needing Czech language for daily conversations, and coaching Czech pronunciation to singers.

I am a member of the International Association of Teachers of Czech Language.

I taught students of widely diversified backgrounds, different levels and with various needs.

I co-translated 2 plays by Václav Havel, the former Czech Republic president and a world renowned playwright. Some of the plays were performed by The Untitled Theater Company 61 in New York City.

I have made a word for word translation of Dvořák’s opera Rusalka, performed in Toronto, Montreal and other cities in North America.

I helped opera conductors of Rusalka (namely Maestro Keenan, and Maestro Giampietro) with the production preparation, teaching them the pronunciation of the libretto.

I coached operatic singers in pronunciation of Czech song lyrics and librettos.

I am a dynamic, result-oriented and outgoing person.

I am also a very patient teacher ;-)

MY APPROACH

I want to support you in achieving the personal goals that motivate you in learning Czech. Private tutoring offers great advantages: I tailor my lessons to the needs of each individual student.  To achieve that, I offer 30 minutes of free evaluation session for new students.  This will allow me to understand my student’s goals.

The method I use will be adapted to both your level and your personal objectives. You will enjoy a modern and dynamic way of Czech teaching.  Besides textbooks, I use various pedagogic tools such as audio and Czech newspapers and movies.  I also use games and exercises to enhance students understanding of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. 

My teaching philosophy is to emphasize on my students’ ability to express themselves in a simple manner in a few lessons. I’ll teach the necessary skills for them to feel comfortable communicating with people on a daily basis.  In the mean time, they will continue learning more detailed knowledge of the basics and grammar of Czech language.

Do not feel disadvantaged if you are not multi-lingual. With my guidance, you will be able to attain your goals and to speak Czech soon!