Cancellation Policy | NYC | Los Angeles | Learn German America

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
& Cancellation policy

Welcome! Learn German America is here to support your German language journey — with flexible options, age-appropriate materials, and a strong commitment to personalized learning. Below you'll find answers to the most common questions.

GENERAL INFORMATION

What is Learn German America?

Learn German America (formerly JacobiTeacher) is a German language coaching service offering:

Live online tutoring
In-person lessons in select U.S. cities
Structured group courses
Personalized support for families, professionals, and schools
Individualized German language learning material

We believe in combining traditional and digital learning methods to help students of all ages reach real fluency.

Who are your lessons for?

We work with:

Children (K–12)
Teens and homeschoolers
Adult learners and professionals
Heritage speakers and bilingual families
Schools and educational institutions

Where are lessons offered?

We offer lessons in two formats:

Online (via Zoom) – available anywhere in the U.S. or internationally

In-person lessons are offered in:
- Las Vegas, NV – JacobiTeacher Town Square & German-American Social Club of Nevada
- Los Angeles, CA – Century City & North Hollywood
- New York City – Tutoring by Julia Bogatyreva

ONLINE & IN-PERSON LESSONS

How do online lessons work?

Online lessons are conducted live via Zoom and supported with a full digital toolkit, including:

Google Classroom for assignments and class communication
Hueber interaktiv for interactive textbook exercises
Screen sharing and shared docs for collaboration
Listening exercises and vocabulary practice
Additional resources from a wide range of online learning services

Each session is tailored to your level, interests, and goals — whether you’re learning for school, family, travel, or career.

What materials do you use?

We work with carefully selected resources matched to age and level, but we can also work with any material that you bring.

From Hueber Verlag – our primary textbook provider:

Paul, Lisa & Co. – For children ages 6–8
Beste Freunde – For children ages 9–12
Dabei! – For teens ages 13–16
Akademie Deutsch – For older teens and adults (A2–B1 level)

All books are CEFR-aligned and supported by Hueber interaktiv and the Hueber Media App for digital exercises and listening.

Additional tools we use regularly:

Cornelsen BiBox – Digital classroom resources
McGraw-Hill – Grammar and school-style instruction (AP prep)
Westermann Group – High-quality content for German history, geography, and more
Duolingo, Memrise, Lingopie, Babbel, Rosetta Stone – Optional platforms for vocabulary, immersion, and repetition

What is “German in the Car”?

German in the Car is a unique in-person language experience available in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

You drive — your teacher sits in the passenger seat and guides you through real-time conversation in German. This approach turns your commute or drive time into a moving classroom.

Why it works:

Natural movement boosts memory retention
Speaking while driving creates a steady rhythm
Excellent for busy professionals and auditory learners
It’s informal, real-world, and brain-friendly

PRIVATE TUTORING & PACKAGES

What are the regular tutoring rates?

Online tutoring is available in 30-, 45-, or 60-minute sessions:

30 minutes – $45
45 minutes – $60
60 minutes – $75

In-person tutoring may vary slightly based on location and availability.

Do you offer tutoring packages?

Yes! Our Prepaid Minute Packages offer discounted rates and extra flexibility:

Book a free online consultation

All minutes are valid for 12 months
Use for 30-, 45-, or 60-minute sessions
Ideal for families and committed learners

GROUP COURSES & COURSE TICKETS

What is a Course Ticket?

A Course Ticket is a prepaid pass that allows you to start or join a small-group course. It gives you structure, community, and a clear learning path — while still offering flexibility.

How does it work?

Choose the course you want to take
Propose a preferred weekly time
We confirm the schedule with a teacher and begin organizing the course
Other students may join later if space allows

You're essentially launching a new class — with guidance and coordination from us.

📆 Please book your Course Ticket at least three weeks in advance so we can confirm your schedule and invite others to join.

What if no time slot can be arranged?

If we are unable to match your request with a teacher or schedule within a reasonable timeframe, your Course Ticket will be fully refunded.

What courses are available?

We currently offer a range of Course Ticket-based classes, including:

Grammar and conversation (all age groups)
AI & ChatGPT training (in German)
German history (e.g. Weimar Republic, National Socialism, DDR and Reunification)
Special topics for bilingual families or themed learning

If you're not sure which course is right for you, we’ll help you choose.

Can I gift or transfer a Course Ticket?

Yes! Course Tickets are transferable and can be customized as gifts.

SCHOOL SUPPORT & LEARNING TOOLS

Do you support schools and homeschoolers?

Yes. We work with families and institutions to provide:

AP German prep
Curriculum alignment
Certificates of completion
Personalized support for portfolios or transcripts

What learning platforms do you recommend?

We recommend a mix of structured and interactive tools to support different learning styles:

Hueber Verlag – Our main curriculum provider
Cornelsen BiBox & Westermann Group – For structured school-style learning
McGraw-Hill – Great for grammar and school reinforcement
Duolingo, Memrise, Lingopie, Rosetta Stone, Babbel – For extra practice and immersion

CERTIFICATES, CONSULTATIONS & PAYMENT

Do you offer certificates?

Yes — certificates of completion are available upon request. They’re useful for homeschool documentation or continuing education records.

Do you offer free consultations?

Yes! You can book a free 30-minute Zoom consultation to discuss your goals, level, and course options.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept:

Credit and debit cards
PayPal, Venmo, Zelle
Apple Pay, Google Pay
AfterPay (via Square)
Cash or check (for in-person services)

CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

We believe in flexibility, but also respect for everyone's time. Please review our policy below.

PRIVATE TUTORING

Cancellation more than 24 hours before a session:

✅ Full refund or free rescheduling

Cancellation less than 24 hours before a session:

❌ No refund

🔁 Same-day rescheduling may be possible depending on teacher availability

💻 In-person lessons can always be moved online

No-shows:

❌ Full charge applies

📲 Late cancellations (after the scheduled start) count as no-shows

Note: Prepaid tutoring packages are non-refundable.

Use our booking system or text (212) 960-3416 to make changes.

GROUP COURSES (MULTI-WEEK PROGRAMS)

Cancellation more than 4 weeks before course start:

🔁 50% refund of the reservation fee

Cancellation 7–28 days before course start:

🔁 20% refund of the reservation fee

Cancellation less than 7 days before course start:

❌ No refund

WEATHER & EMERGENCY CANCELLATIONS

If we cancel due to weather or unforeseen emergencies:

We will offer rescheduling

If rescheduling is not possible, you’ll receive a full refund

Book a free consultation!

Frequently Asked Questions
Beginner’s Journey, Elementary Voyage and Elementary in Action

Q: What materials do you use for the lessons?

For my lessons, I use my own materials. These are PDF worksheets that remain accessible to you throughout the entire course and even afterward, so you never lose access. I’ve found that pre-made resources don’t always fit perfectly, so I’ve developed my own minimalist and beautifully designed materials to make learning easy and enjoyable. The same applies to homework, which I also provide in PDF format. This way, you can either print the worksheets or use them digitally—whatever works best for you.

Q: Where does the course take place?

All course materials are shared through Google Classroom. You’ll receive an invitation to join the Google Classroom, giving you easy access to everything you need. It’s very simple to use, so you won’t get lost. Before each lesson, you’ll also receive a Google Reminder with a Zoom link—just click it to join the video call. Our lessons take place on Zoom, where we work through the PDF worksheets that are always available for you in Google Classroom.

Q: How can I submit my homework?

Most homework assignments are grammar or vocabulary exercises. As mentioned earlier, you can complete them either digitally or print them out. Once done, you can submit your work through Google Classroom by clicking the “Turn In” button, and I’ll review it and provide feedback. At the beginning of the course, I also assign a voice recording task to check your pronunciation and help you with any tricky sounds or sound combinations. However, the main focus will be on PDFs and exercises targeting grammar and vocabulary.

Q: What level will I achieve after completing the course?

It’s important to understand that completing either Beginner’s Journey or Elementary Voyage alone won’t give you a full A1 or A2 level, as the courses consist of just 8 one-hour lessons each. During the Beginner’s Journey, you’ll cover the 8 most essential grammar topics, providing a solid foundation - pronouns, gender of nouns, verb conjugation, word order, German cases - dative and accusative, prepositions, modal verbs and possessive articles. After finishing this course, you can assess how you feel about your progress and decide if you’d like to continue with the Elementary Voyage. In the second course, we dive into more complex grammar, including the past tense. If you enjoy the pace and feel comfortable, Elementary Voyage is the perfect next step to continue building your skills. In order to follow the A-C levels, you need to learn certain vocabulary, a lot vocabulary that might not be part of your personal life. This can be done parallel to the courses if necessary. It does slow down the learning process. To follow the A-C levels, you need to learn certain vocabulary, a lot vocabulary that might not be part of your personal life. This can be done parallel to the courses if necessary. It does slow down the learning process.

Q: What level will I achieve after completing the course?

We genuinely care about our students and provide every opportunity to help you improve your German beyond the lessons. First and foremost, I create Quizlet flashcards for my students, covering topics like verb conjugations, nouns with their articles, and regular verbs. These flashcards are accessible for free and can be used anytime—they’re a great way to reinforce what you’ve learned. I also share my PDF guide, which contains the most useful resources for learning German, including recommendations for dictionaries, free shows with English and German subtitles, and beginner-friendly German podcasts. While each course consists of only 8 lessons, if you dedicate 20-30 minutes daily to practicing German—along with completing the lessons and homework—you’ll see noticeable progress and accelerate your learning process.

Q: What is the structure of the lesson?

For the Journeys and Voyages we always follow a clear structure, we start with a greeting and a brief warm-up, reviewing what we covered in the previous lesson. If there were any challenges with the homework, we take some time to address them as well. Next, I introduce new material, usually focusing on a new grammar topic. I aim to present it in a fun and engaging way to keep the learning process enjoyable. Afterward, we dive into practice through various exercises. Toward the end of the lesson, we focus more on speaking practice. The primary goal of the course is to help you speak German confidently, building simple but correct sentences while applying essential grammar rules—such as conjugation and word order. We dedicate as much time as possible to speaking practice in the final part of each lesson, giving you the opportunity to use what you’ve learned actively. I also share my PDF guide, which contains the most useful resources for learning German, including recommendations for dictionaries, free shows with English and German subtitles, and beginner-friendly German podcasts. While each course consists of only 8 lessons, if you dedicate 20-30 minutes daily to practicing German—along with completing the lessons and homework—you’ll see noticeable progress and accelerate your learning process.

Q: What is the best way to approach the course? What materials will I need?

I’m a fan of a more traditional learning approach, as I believe that writing things by hand helps you remember them better. That’s why I encourage students to dedicate as much time as possible to writing—it activates muscle memory and reinforces what you learn. So, you’ll need a notebook and a pen for taking notes, plus a laptop, computer, or tablet. While you can technically use a phone, it’s not ideal since I often share my screen during the Zoom lessons, and a larger screen makes it easier to follow along. For the best experience, I recommend using a device with a bigger display to keep things clear and comfortable throughout the course.