Ready to speak German with more Confidence? - Come to the Fluent & Fearless Workshop
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🆓 Free of charge
🗣️ Workshop language: English
Are you sometimes stressed when speaking German?
Are you struggling with nagging inner critics and unhelpful perfectionism?
Then maybe some of this sounds familiar:
You want to speak — but something tightens inside your chest.
You second-guess every sentence.
You stay quiet even when you know exactly what you want to say.
You're afraid of judgment. Of being corrected. Of that impatient look.
Or simply... not being understood.
And deep down you wonder:
“Why is everyone else having such an easy time… except me?”
The real struggle?
It’s not grammar.
It’s not vocabulary.
It’s not discipline.
It’s everything that happens in your head the moment you try to speak.
You want what everyone else wants – but it still feels out of reach:
To speak German with ease and joy
To participate confidently at work and find new opportunities
To connect with locals and build friendships
To stop feeling like a foreigner and start feeling at home
All of this is possible!
And it’s not as far away as you might think.
But here's the truth:
More German classes won’t get you there.
More grammar and vocab won’t get you there.
And more language learning apps certainly won’t get you there…
Your self-esteem needs special attention!
That’s why we created a workshop that draws on methods from motivational training, positive psychology, and psychotherapy to help you build confidence — and experience more ease, enjoyment, and success when speaking German.
It’s a different kind of German course: not about speaking better, but about feeling better when you speak.
The workshops offer just the right amount of relevant psychological background, followed by engaging self-reflection exercises and plenty of opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and learn from like-minded German learners.
What people say about the Fluent & Fearless workshops:
“The experience was really fulfilling and changed how I see myself as a learner. It helped me approach German with more compassion and playfulness”
“The workshop was extremely helpful and professional. It was great to meet other people who face the same challenges. Everyone was just so friendly!”
About the Instructor
Ingo C. Schoenleber has been a passionate teacher of German as a foreign language for over 20 years. After studying German literature, political science and psychology in Berlin and Austin, Texas, he taught in the USA, Spain, Argentina, France and Vietnam. Since 2018, he has been based at the Goethe-Institut Berlin and works as a trainer for teachers worldwide. In collaboration with the Technical University Berlin, he created the workshop series “The Psychology of Learning German,” of which this workshop is a part of. His online course Fluent & Fearless in 9 Weeks will start again in January 2027.
The Psychology of Learning German
In this workshops series, we explore key psychological aspects of learning and speaking German: motivation, self-confidence, perfectionism, belonging, and the role of positive and negative emotions – as well as what it really takes to find satisfaction and meaning in your journey to the German language.
Our goal is to offer insights and practical tools that make learning German not just possible, but truly enjoyable – an adventure, so to speak.
Ideally, you'll gain much more from this journey than just a new language. We see it as a powerful opportunity for personal growth – a chance to unlock your potential and even reinvent yourself.
All content is grounded in current psychological and neuroscientific theories and models – including Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan), Consistency Theory (Grawe), the Internal Family Systems Model (Schwartz), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Positive Psychology, and general Communication Psychology (Friedemann Schulz von Thun).
We’ll also explore original material I’ve developed over the past few years while working as a teacher and teacher trainer at the Goethe-Institut Berlin – including the Deutschberg Framework.
“I really enjoy these workshops – they boost my motivation to learn German and give me plenty to reflect on. The atmosphere is so warm and welcoming, which makes it easy to connect with others and share insights on topics that are incredibly relevant – yet rarely even addressed in most language classes.”
Fluent & Fearless Workshop Part I on October 18, 2025
Past Workshops
Saturday, October 18th, 2025 (9:00 AM – 2:00 PM): Fluent & Fearless: Speak German with Confidence (Part I)
Many language learners sabotage themselves with unhelpful perfectionism, nagging inner critics, and debilitating fears of speaking German. These mechanisms of self-worth protection will be at the heart of this workshop. How and why do we develop them? How do they work? And most importantly: what can we do about them?
Drawing on Sociometer Theory and the Internal Family Systems Model, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your individual challenges related to self-worth, start a dialogue with your inner critics, and ultimately increase your confidence when it comes to speaking German!
June 14th, 2025
The Psychology of Learning German: The Five Basic Needs III – Self-Esteem (Part II)
June 7th, 2025
The Psychology of Learning German: The Five Basic Needs III – Self-Esteem (Part I)
March 29th, 2025
The Five Basic Needs I + II – Consistency is Key (Purpose & Autonomy)
March 15th, 2025
The Road to Satisfaction – Der Deutschberg (for students of levels A1 and A2)
October 12th, 2024
The Vicious Circles of Perfectionism
October 19th, 2024
The Road to Satisfaction – Der Deutschberg
The Deutschberg Framework has been developed to help German learners to stay on track from beginning to end and know exactly what is important and when. Es teilt den Lernprozess in verschiedene Phasen auf und sagt dir, which decisions and acceptances await you at crucial inflection points. The ultimate goal of the framework is for you to remain resilient and to maintain and develop the joy of learning and speaking German.
In the workshop, we want you to start a conversation with others - and with yourself - about what your individual goals and challenges are, and question some of your unconscious and perhaps not always helpful assumptions about language learning.
“The workshops have given me a clear, conceptual framework for learning German – something truly valuable for visualizing the process from beginning to end. Also, being encouraged to reflect on how I actually want to learn, and what else I might gain from learning German, was something I hadn’t really considered before.”
Workshop The Five Basic Needs I + II – Consistency is Key, March 29th, 2025 at TU Berlin