Maaike
Speak Flemish: Personal support for real conversations.
Conversation practice option. Fewer lessons than our Pro bar. Fine for low-stakes speaking.
Not for: Not a Verified Pro. Skip if you only want proven high-volume tutors.
Does not clear our Verified Pro bar (3,000+ lessons and 4.9+ rating). Still fine for low-stakes conversation if reviews look recent.
Video intro
About Maaike
Welcome, I'm Maaike. I specialize in helping people speak Flemish through conversation and emotional connection. I teach this way not only because I genuinely enjoy it, but because we memorize language best when we are emotionally engaged. While many of my students are women who have moved to Belgium or have a Belgian partner, everyone who sees the value in this connection-based method is very welcome. My background is in Criminology, and I am CELTA certified. I’ve travelled a lot, and I am still looking for my own place in the world :). I am neurodiverse, curious about human psychology, and a lover of nature and crochet. Feel free to message me if you can't find a spot. I use a bottom- up approach to learning. My lessons follow a clear structure, but never a rigid plan. Because our sessions revolve around your life and interests, the content is naturally tailored to your level. I ask questions graded to your specific context and level, ensuring you are challenged but not overwhelmed. At the end of each session, we'll review my notes to pinpoint exactly where we can improve your speech—whether that’s a specific grammar rule, vocabulary, or pronunciation. I’ve noticed the first thing people struggle with is insecurity. Not only is this unpleasant, it also takes vital cognitive resources away from learning. My first aim is to help you relax, so your brain can find its natural flow. These sessions are a collaborative effort rather than a rigid teacher-student dynamic :)
Teaching style
I use a bottom-up approach to learning. My lessons follow a clear structure, but never a rigid plan, tailored to individual interests and contexts.
What students say (27 reviews)
Maaike is an amazing tutor! She is patient, makes you feel at ease and really takes the time to listen, without judgment, explain and help you out in your journey towards improved fluency :) I truly recommend her classes!
Maaike is an incredible teacher and always makes me feel welcome in her classroom. She is always taking notes during the lesson to create more personalized lessons in the future that match both my interests and language level. She is very supportive and I'm always excited to have another lesson with her!
I’ve just had a lesson with Maaike, and I can highly recommend her as a language teacher. As an adult learner who is truly passionate about languages, I really value a teacher who listens carefully and Maaike does exactly that. She has an exceptional ability to listen attentively and pick up on subtle details in my speech. Her feedback is always precise, relevant, and immediately useful. Rather than giving vague corrections, she pinpoints exactly what needs improvement and explains it clearly, which makes real progress possible. What impressed me most is her adaptability. She adjusts naturally to my level, my goals, and even my learning style, making the lesson both efficient and enjoyable. I left the session feeling motivated, supported, and confident about continuing to improve. I’m genuinely looking forward to our next lesson!
Could not recommend Maaike highly enough! She is easy to talk to, LGBTQIA+ friendly, lessons are planned well and enjoyable. I have learnt so much in such a short time.
Maaike is a great teacher! From the first trial lesson until now (14 lessons in), she has always made sure I learn new things and have great fun. She is incredibly patient and is happy to explain things, even if she has to do it a thousand times because I don't remember. She always checks to make sure I understand and asks if there are specific topics I want to tackle. She makes it clear that her main goal is to help me speak, but whenever I need a grammar explanation, she always prepares one and makes sure I fully grasp it. Even when my thoughts are too complex to express in Flemish by myself, she always helps me find a simpler way to say exactly what I mean. She is the first teacher I booked lessons with on iTalki, and I feel so lucky to have found her. I highly recommend Maaike's lessons to anyone at any level who wants to have lovely discussions and improve their Flemish skills!
I always look forward to my lessons with Maaike! I've taken five Flemish lessons with her so far, and I feel myself getting more and more comfortable with speaking each time. Even though I'm a beginner-level student and can't quite hold a conversation just yet, Maaike is super patient and has ideas to encourage useful, practical communication. She’s also always happy to help answer any questions I have about the language. I highly recommend her!
Reviews quoted from the tutor's public italki profile.
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