Online training courses

We offer some of our courses online. Below we explain what you can expect from an online course at the Language Centre.

We offer two types of online courses: regular online group courses and self-study courses with online sessions. To take part in an online course, you need a desktop or laptop with a good internet connection. You also need a webcam and a microphone. You do not have to download any software in order to participate.

Regular online group courses

Regular online group courses are taught at set days and times on Kultura Classroom, a comprehensive and secure program that is fully integrated with the UG’s online learning environment. This program includes features such as document sharing, instant messaging, screen sharing, and break-out rooms. This allows us to use a variety of interactive teaching methods in the online classroom.

During these courses, you will receive plenty of personal attention from the teacher, and everything revolves around group instruction. The emphasis during the lessons is on interaction with the other participants.

Take a look at our virtual classroom!

Self-study courses with online sessions

We offer three courses in this format:

Online Dutch courses

Online Dutch for doctors and dentists

Online Exam Training: NT2-II state examinations

These courses focus on self-study. There are no group lessons, though there will be several interactive group sessions with a teacher and some of your fellow participants. These sessions take place via Skype. The sessions are not scheduled on fixed days and times, but are organized in consultation with you so that you can attend regardless of your time zone. Participants from all over the world take part in these courses!

Participants’ experiences with Blackboard Collaborate

I really enjoyed the online classes. The teacher had a lot of knowledge on how to use Collaborate well with breakout groups and such. Personally, due to the starting time of the lesson I prefer having it at home instead of in the classroom and it was just as informative. I'd be happy if this was a permanent option given by the Language Centre.

It was almost as if we were in the real classroom.

Online doesn’t mean alone!

Online teaching doesn’t mean that you will be learning alone, as we create an online community. During the course, you will receive plenty of personal attention from the teacher, you will work alongside other participants and everything revolves around group instruction. The emphasis during the lessons is on interaction with the other participants.

We have chosen the best tools for our training courses from the UG’s wide range of online tools. There are tools for splitting a class into smaller groups, for providing feedback and for recording and sending short presentations. We use these tools to allow our online communities to take shape in an informal, interactive way.

What you need

To join the lessons, you need a desktop or laptop with a good internet connection. You also need a webcam and a microphone. You do not have to download any software in order to join the course. Please remember to buy the required course material if this is indicated on the course page.

What to expect from an online language course

Our online language lessons last 90 minutes. We have learned from experience that this is the optimum length for an online lesson. The teacher will also offer various options for online exercises and there will be time for individual feedback and personal coaching.

The courses have a clear structure, which is shown in Brightspace, the UG’s prolific online learning environment. There you will find a course planner, online tests, and written and spoken assignments. They include feedback and tips to improve your language proficiency outside the lessons.

We employ the Flipping the classroom principle: during the two to three hours set aside for self-study, you are expected to prepare for your lessons by watching the grammar and pronunciation videos we have developed, by doing individual and duo-assignments, reading texts, watching videos, revising vocabulary and taking online tests. This leaves time during the lessons for doing exercises, practising your spoken language skills and interactive learning with fellow-participants. You will work in small groups during the lessons, making it easy to work on assignments together and giving you plenty of opportunity to practise speaking the language.

Check out our range of language courses here. Per course page you can see whether the course is given online or on location.

Online Dutch

The Online Dutch courses are designed differently from all the other online language courses. The emphasis in the Online Dutch courses is on self-study. Participants taking Online Dutch are expected to spend eight to ten hours per week on self-study. In addition, three or four interactive group sessions with the teacher and your fellow-participants will be planned. These sessions will be planned in a way that enables course participants from all over the world to join in.

In this comparison grid, you can see the exact differences between our interactive online group courses and our Online Dutch courses.

What are the possibilities for tailor-made training courses?

We can also provide tailor-made training courses. We decide how the course should be taught in consultation with our customers; fully online, in a hybrid form or on location.

We have access to the UG’s range of high-quality online tools. We use these tools for our online group training courses, but we are also free to use them for tailor-made courses. In this way, we can provide the facilities that suit you best, either on location or remotely. After an intake, we will send you an offer based on your needs and requirements.

If you are interested, sign up here for an online intake without any obligation.

If you have any more questions, please contact us at languagecentre rug.nl.

We hope to see you soon in the online classroom!

Last modified:

13 November 2023 11.07 a.m.

View this page in: Nederlands