Simmonds English conversation classes online, led by real teachers.
Practise conversational English in small live groups at your level, with a native-speaking teacher. For adults who read and write English well but freeze when they have to speak.
Not sure about your level? Take the free level check
Next conversation classes
Live classes with a native-speaking teacher, in small groups at one level. Times are shown in your time zone.
- B2
Lets talk about the impact of Ai on Jobs
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Time zone: Berlin time · See all classes
Six sentences we hear in every conversation class
Small slips make you sound less sure than you are. Turn each card to see what a native speaker would say.
How the online conversation classes work
Four steps from your first visit to your first conversation.
- 01
Check your level
A short level check places you between A2 and C2, so you join a group where you can follow and take part.
- 02
Choose a session
Pick a time from the calendar. Every session is for one level only, so the conversation suits everyone in the room.
- 03
Join the live class
A native-speaking teacher leads a small group in our online room. Everyone speaks, and there is no homework.
- 04
Practise in between
If you want extra practice, an AI practice partner is available. It supports your speaking; the teacher always leads the class.
A note from James
I have taught English for 24 years. I started Simmonds in Hannover in 2004, and again and again I meet people who read and write English well but freeze when they have to speak.
Many tell me they watch films and series in English. That is good, but soaking up dialogue with the subtitles on won’t make you fluent. The brain is not a sponge, it is a muscle, and it needs exercise.
That is why our conversation classes are small, live and at your level. You speak in every session, a teacher guides the conversation, and you leave having said more than you thought you could.
James SimmondsFounder and trainer
Good to know before you start
Who are the conversation classes for?
For adults who understand English and can read and write it, but want to speak more freely: at work, when travelling or with friends and colleagues abroad.
What happens in a session?
The teacher brings a topic, introduces a few useful phrases and then keeps the conversation going so that everyone speaks. You get short, helpful corrections along the way.
What does the AI practice partner do?
It is an optional extra for speaking practice between classes. It never replaces the teacher, who leads every live session.
How does the membership work?
The conversation classes are a monthly membership: €30 a month, and €10 for your first month. You can cancel every month and pause for up to two months.
Can I have private lessons as well?
Yes. If you prefer one-to-one, we also offer private lessons online with a native-speaking teacher, built around your own goals.
Frequently asked questions
How can I practise English conversation online?
Join a small live class at your level with a native-speaking teacher, and speak in every session. Between classes, an optional AI practice partner gives you extra speaking practice.
How much do the conversation classes cost?
The membership costs €30 a month. Your first month costs €10. You can cancel every month and pause for up to two months. Language lessons are exempt from VAT under German law.
What level do I need for the conversation classes?
Groups run from level A2 to C2. A short level check places you in a group where you can follow and take part.
Can I still improve my English at 50 or 60?
Yes. Age is no barrier to speaking better English. What makes the difference is regular practice in a relaxed group at your level, which is exactly what the classes offer.
Can I practise English with ChatGPT instead?
AI tools are useful for extra practice, and our classes include an optional AI practice partner. But speaking with real people, with a teacher who guides the conversation, is what builds confidence.
Who leads the classes?
Native-speaking teachers from the Simmonds team, which James Simmonds founded in 2004. The teacher always leads the class.
Is there homework?
No. The classes are about speaking in the session itself.
Why James started the conversation classes
Most people already know more English than they use. What holds them back is speaking: finding the words in real time, with other people listening.
Regular conversation in a small group at the right level is the fastest way through that, and it is what every class is built around.
The brain is not a sponge, it’s a muscle.Read the transcript
- Hi, my name is James Simmonds and I’m an English teacher based in Germany with over 20 years of experience.
- And this is We Need to Talk About.
- We need to talk about things that will help you improve your English,
- but maybe we can start by talking about a few things that really won’t work.
- So to start with, we need to differentiate between passive understanding and active learning.
- A lot of students tell me that they watch English films or TV series, and you know, that’s great.
- But osmosis, or soaking in a warm bath of English dialogue with the subtitles on,
- isn’t gonna help you present the latest figures to your multinational team on Monday morning.
- Remember, the brain is not a sponge, it’s a muscle, and it needs exercising.
- I did actually play that, even though you can’t see my fingers.
- Magical thinking. We need to talk about magical thinking because magical thinking is actually going to
- stop you from learning.
- Magical thinking is this strange belief that somehow it’ll all happen by itself.
- One day you’ll wake up and there’ll be a click and all of a sudden you’ll understand English.
- You’ll be able to speak it properly and it’ll just be absolutely amazing.
- We’ll just be in the middle of it and it’ll all be happening.
- It doesn’t work like that.
- It’s a messy, cumulative, long-term process that requires effort to memorise information.
- Which brings me to point number three.
- Magical thinking’s evil twin.
- Bauchgefühl. Intuition.
- Wir sehen uns nächste Woche.
- We’ll see each other next week.
- We see each other next week.
- We see us next week.
- We’ll see us next week.
- Which one feels right to you?
- And did you make a party or have a party at the weekend?
- Will we look forward to hear from you, or will we look forward to hearing from you?
- What feels right? You need to memorise this information.
- Your poor English teacher will no doubt have told you a thousand times over that they look forward to seeing you next week.
- We’ll see each other next week, and that they had the most wonderful party at the weekend.
- Have you managed to remember it?
- If in any of those cases there’s even a tiny little bit of uncertainty there,
- how is Bauchgefühl going to help you?
- It won’t. Let me summarise.
- Passive understanding is different than active learning and remembering.
- Osmosis is not a technique.
- Magical thinking, the click will never happen.
- Bauchgefühl doesn’t really work either.
- Either you memorise something correctly and you know it, or you’re uncertain and you don’t.
Say more than you thought you could.
Start your membership for €10 in the first month, or check your level first. You can cancel every month.
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