Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
& Cancellation policy
📘 JacobiTeacher / Learn German America – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q: What is Learn German America?
A: Learn German America (formerly JacobiTeacher) is a German language coaching service offering live online lessons, in-person tutoring, and structured group courses across multiple U.S. locations. We also provide educational support for schools, promote selected learning tools, and specialize in custom language coaching.
Q: Who are your lessons for?
A: Our students include children (K–12), teens, adults, professionals, homeschoolers, heritage speakers, and schools. We serve complete beginners through advanced speakers.
Q: Where do you offer lessons?
A: Most of our lessons are online (via Zoom), but we also offer in-person instruction in:
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Las Vegas (JacobiTeacher Town Square / German American Social Club of Nevada)
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Los Angeles (Century City & North Hollywood)
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New York City (by Julia Bogatyreva)
ONLINE & IN-PERSON LESSONS
Q: How are online lessons conducted?
A: Online classes are hosted on Zoom and enhanced with Google Classroom, Hueber interaktiv, screen sharing, collaborative docs, and audio exercises.
Q: What materials do you use?
A: We use digital and print resources from:
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Hueber Verlag (Menschen, Sicher!, Beste Freunde)
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McGraw-Hill (school support)
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Cornelsen BiBox (digital classroom tools)
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Supplementary content from Duolingo, Memrise, and Lingo Mastery.
Q: What is 'German in the Car'?
A: German in the Car is a one-of-a-kind, in-person language coaching experience offered by Learn German America in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. In this program, the student drives while engaging in live, real-time German conversation and instruction with a teacher in the passenger seat.
Built on the principles of brain-friendly learning, the session takes advantage of natural movement and a relaxed, everyday setting to support language retention. Speaking while driving creates a rhythm that helps embed vocabulary, sentence patterns, and listening comprehension without classroom pressure.
Why it works
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The student drives—transforming commute or travel time into focused language immersion.
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Real-life conversation supports long-term memory and confidence.
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Brain-friendly methods include spaced repetition, humor, and stress-free interaction.
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Especially effective for auditory learners and busy adults
German in the Car turns your vehicle into a moving language lab—efficient, enjoyable, and designed to help German become part of your everyday thinking.
COURSE TICKETS
Q: What is a Course Ticket?
A: A prepaid credit that lets you book a group course of your choice within one year. It offers flexible scheduling and makes it easy to gift or plan your learning.
Q: What makes Course Tickets different from vouchers?
A: Course Tickets allow you to request your preferred timeslot. We’ll try to open a course in one of three time slots that match your availability.
Q: How long are they valid?
A: 365 days from purchase.
Q: Are Course Tickets refundable?
A: No, they are non-refundable.
Q: Can I gift a Course Ticket?
A: Yes! We’ll either add it to your own certificate or create a separate one.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS & AFFILIATES
Q: Do you work with schools?
A: Yes, we support German instruction in schools and AP prep. We also help
homeschoolers with structured curricula and documentation.
Q: What affiliate resources do you recommend?
A: At Learn German America, we recommend a mix of free tools, structured platforms, and publisher-supported materials to support various learning styles and levels:
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Duolingo – Great for beginners; gamified and easy to use on the go.
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Lingopie – Learn German by watching real TV shows with dual subtitles.
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Babbel – App-based, structured lessons focusing on real-life dialogues.
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Memrise – Build targeted vocabulary using spaced repetition and video clips of native speakers.
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Hueber Verlag – Our primary textbook provider; CEFR-aligned, with interactive exercises via the Hueber interaktiv platform and Hueber Media App.
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McGraw-Hill – Strong in grammar explanations and school-aligned content; great for AP students or academic reinforcement.
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Westerman BiBox (Westermann Group) – A comprehensive digital classroom platform with textbooks, videos, and interactive tasks for learners and educators.
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Rosetta Stone – Immersive learning method with strong visual/audio input for intuitive understanding—ideal for independent learners.
Each resource serves a unique purpose, and we often combine them in our private lessons and group courses to meet students’ individual needs.
POLICIES & SUPPORT
Q: How can I cancel or reschedule a lesson?
A: Private sessions can be rescheduled with 24 hours' notice. Group courses are not refundable, but can sometimes be rescheduled or credited forward.
Q: Do you offer certificates?
A: Yes, certificates of completion are available upon request, especially useful for homeschool records or continuing education documentation.
Q: Do you offer free consultations?
A: Yes! You can book a free online consultation to discuss your goals, current level, and course options.
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.
Cancellation policy
We are committed to providing high-quality tutoring services, and we ask that you carefully review our cancellation policy. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Payment Methods:
We accept PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Check, Cash, AfterPay, and all major credit cards. Full payment is due upon booking for all tutoring sessions or group course spots.
Private Tutoring:
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Cancellation more than 24 hours before class:
• You may reschedule or receive a full refund of your reservation fee.
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Cancellation less than 24 hours before class:
• No refund of the reservation fee. However, free rescheduling may be possible for the same day, depending on the teacher's schedule. In-person sessions can always be moved online.
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No-shows:
• Full charge for the missed lesson. Cancellations made after the scheduled class time will be considered a no-show, and the full amount will be charged.
Note: No refund for tutoring packages.
To make changes or cancellations, please use the booking system or text us at 212 960 3416.
Online Group Courses:
This policy applies to group classes and programs with two or more sessions.
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Cancellation more than four weeks before the first class:
• 50% refund of the reservation fee.
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Cancellation between four weeks and seven days before the first class:
• 20% refund of the tuition fee.
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Cancellation less than one week before the first class:
• No refund.
Weather Policy:
While we strive to maintain our class schedule, there may be circumstances beyond our control—such as severe weather or other unforeseen events—that could lead to cancellations or rescheduling.
We appreciate your patience and understanding in these situations. We will always prioritize the safety and best interests of our students. If we must cancel a class due to weather:
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Full Refund: You will receive a full refund if we are unable to reschedule the class.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with our policies to ensure smooth and effective learning experiences.