I'm Deanna! Not your language teacher,
but the coach who makes them worth it.
I've been fascinated by the art of learning a language ever since I was a little kid. I may speak 5 now, but this was once unfathomable for me. I didn't have bilingual parents, go to a multi-lingual school, or travel abroad until I was in college. Every attempt at learning a new language felt like climbing an insurmountable wall, that just kept going and going and going.
I changed my approach when I realized most courses are based on the idea that adults learn language like children do, without taking into account all the special circumstances children have when doing so. In my study of sociology as I continued to master Japanese and delve into other languages, I developed a methodology – a full-circle understanding of how adults actually learn and what holds them back. We're not slower than kids, we just have different needs: context, relevance, and reliable support.
If you've been struggling on your own, dreaming of speaking another language, let me find you all the tools you need and show you how to use them in your unique, adult world and life. I promise my techniques will bring you closer to your bilingual goals and give you a transformative perspective that you can apply to anything!
10+
years teaching experience
4+
students coached worldwide
4
foreign languages learned
15
countries lived in
Why you can trust me to support you
With all those tantalizing YouTube courses, Duolingo, ChatGPT, and language wizards who swear there's just one secret trick to becoming fluent in a language in 30 days, you might be wondering why a coach (??) for learning a language (????) is even necessary. Here are some reasons:
Accountability
In the same way that you might hire a personal trainer instead of "just" printing off a gym plan from the internet and giving it a go, you hire me as your personal target-language trainer. I guide you, make sure you're training regularly, adjust workouts to your needs… you get it 🙂
Been there…
I wasn't born with bilingual parents. I started learning as an adult and spent hundreds of hours figuring out how to get good. I bought the books, did the courses, tried to "get-fluent-quick" — so I know what will work and won't, personally!
… still doing that!
I'm so convinced of how I managed to succeed that I keep learning languages and guinea-pig myself to this day, so you also benefit from my learnings and experiments (and spent money 😅). Let me save you the trouble 🙂
All-in-one personalized service
Your books, references, tutor — I find them for you. You don't have to trudge through the abyss of YouTube or Amazon books or trust ChatGPT (who will hallucinate a fake grammar rule), because I will personally find, review, and stand by every resource you need.
Truly believe you can do it…
I had big dreams of becoming a polyglot superspy when I grew up. Then I grew up and realized I was neither. But I couldn't accept that my dream was unachieved. Over the years, while I'm yet to become a superspy, I did become a polyglot — and you can too!
…and truly love languages!
I'm fascinated by the learning process and all the different ways of speaking and writing in the world. I'm not here trying to grift you on a 2-week plan that will magically make you fluent — I just want you to experience firsthand how great it feels to communicate in another language with your own words, and navigate another country independently.
My language journey
I wasn't able to start really learning a foreign language until I was in high school. Then, when I took Japanese in college — royally blowing my GPA — I realized the way I was approaching the concept needed a total change. Elbow grease, radical experimentation, becoming a teacher, and studying sociology greatly reshaped my approach to learning. Now I know what I need to feel good in any language I set my mind to so that you can too!
English
Native / C2My mother tongue — and the language I've taught the most.
Japanese
N1N1 is the highest-level language exam for non-native Japanese speakers. It has a 32% pass rate. Fun fact: I failed it twice before passing 😇 I worked as a translator, interpreter, and tour guide with this skill.
German
C1I'm a certified B2-level currently training for C1, which I will take in 2026. C2 is the highest level. But tbh I only needed A2 to get all my paperwork done in Germany 😅
Italian
B1Certified A2 and currently training for B1, which I will take in 2026. Practical Italian: ✅, Abruzzese (the local dialect where my family is from): 🐢
French
B1While not formally certified I've taken multiple placement tests and B1 reflects my practical level of French. It gets me around independently when I visit Paris 😉
Paris, FR
Nara, JP
Berlin, DE
Alba Adriatica, IT
Paris, FR
Nara, JP
Berlin, DE
Alba Adriatica, IT
I've lived in 4 countries and traveled to over 15 — so I'm not talking out of my butt when I say that knowing another language makes your experience of the world so much better.
"English-only" limits you, your connections, and your comfort
During the pandemic, I managed my entire immigration process — visa, meetings, paperwork — alone, in A2-level German.
In many countries, English is common but only to an extent — people learn the minimum they need and aren't necessarily "fluent" despite what you read in the news. What you need to be independent in a language is far less than so-called "fluency."
There's not a place I've been where knowing just a few phrases — "excuse me," "please," "where is…," "thank you" — hasn't been met with sheer enthusiasm by locals. It makes you feel less overwhelmed and more at home, instantly.
Living there ≠ instant fluency
No matter where you are, your consistent effort to learn is what makes the difference.
People often give up because they believe they have to live in the country to succeed — this is absolutely false. "Immersion learning" is a myth, especially for adult learners. Being there helps, but it's not magic. Ask me for examples — I've got 100!
When you work with me, you have a set timeframe to make the most of our time together — which keeps you on track and moving forward. I'm always listening to your feedback and tailoring your next steps accordingly.
One session. Huge results.
I guarantee you'll feel ready and more capable than ever to learn the language of your dreams.
Schedule a free session with me