GENAU GENAU was founded by Wekas Gaba. The project is run by Smart Bildungswerk and the Classroom is provided by the Hope e.V. It is a joint project that aims to bring Wekas’ ideas about language to life. For him, it is important that every teacher can express their strengths in the best possible way so that the learning groups can benefit optimally. At GENAU GENAU, the focus is not on textbooks, but on the needs of the learners.
Wekas Gaba
I came to Germany as a child in 1985, graduated from high school in Hamburg in 1999, and moved to Berlin the same year — a city that has since become my true Heimat. My professional journey first led me through Berlin’s vibrant creative and intercultural scene: I worked as a party organizer, restaurateur, event manager, designer, DJ, and film producer. Along the way, my fascination for stories, people, and the power of language kept growing. In 2017, I returned to university to reconnect with my passion for language, grammar, and etymology. Inspired by Plato’s belief that thinking begins with dialogue, I see grammar not as a rigid system of rules but as a living reflection of logic, identity, and human connection. As the founder of the German language school GenauGenau in Berlin and an active member of the Smart Genossenschaft for freelancers and self‑employed creatives, I combine my intercultural, linguistic, and creative background with the art of storytelling. Where science ends, storytelling continues — transforming grammar into a story of how we think, relate, and make sense of the world. For me, language is not just a means of communication, but a mirror of who we are.
Annina Iwanowitsch
I was born and raised in Berlin and learned French in elementary school, continued learning English and Spanish during my high school years, added Italian during my bachelor’s degree, and finally discovered Portuguese during my master’s degree. I want to pass on my passion for everything related to languages, be it grammar, literature, translation, or even spelling and punctuation. I also love preparing students for exams such as Telc or Goethe, and I am a licensed Telc examiner. In class, we primarily simulate the oral exam and practice for the written exam. This way, there are no surprises on the big day, and my students feel well prepared and ready. What do I like best about the preparation? Writing a complaint for the written exam (Telc B2) – it’s just so typically German 🙂 As a functioning introvert, I am particularly aware of students’ individual dispositions and make sure to include everyone. In a relaxed atmosphere, no one feels pressured when it’s their turn to speak. Through games, lively discussions, or grammar exercises, I try to help students overcome their fears and achieve the ultimate goal—to express their individual personalities and maybe even be funny in German.
Manh Trung Vu
Born and raised in Potsdam, Germany, I grew up bilingually with vietnamese roots. The rich experience of different cultures and languages during my whole childhood laid the foundation for my later teaching career.
My curiosity for other cultures and people was growing over the years, taking me to long travels and unexpected stays abroad from South America to Asia and New Zealand. During those trips I was able to deepen my intercultural skills, sharpen my interpersonal understanding and recognize the need for a common language within a living space.
For me, language is not only a tool of communication, but also an art of expressing myself, verbalizing thoughts and feelings and bringing them to life in the form of language. Outside of the classroom, I immerse myself in classical literature, contemporary art or try out new language learning apps to improve my Spanish and Vietnamese.
Dörthe Worthmann
I taught English and German in Brazil for 6 years and discovered my passion for teaching there. Since the beginning of 2019 I have been in Berlin, where I have been teaching German at various language schools or privately, both on site and online. I use different techniques, media and teaching methods, always according to the needs of the students. Every learner has different ideas and expectations of the lessons and the way they learn can also differ greatly. I therefore always try to adapt to my students and offer them the best possible lessons. Since I’ve been in Berlin, I’ve had students from all over the world. The Exchange of ideas with students from all over the world is very enriching for me. As a trained ethnologist and “intercultural” communication trainer, I am able to support my students understand Germany and the Germans better. I speak English, Portuguese, Spanish and a little French.
Wekas’ thoughts about language
Every person is unique. What makes each person so special? Let’s assume that it must be language. But could a person’s fashion style also be a language?
Yes, I think so. Somehow everything symbolic is a language and every language is understood if there is a common code for it. As individuals, we learn these social rules mostly unconsciously when we are born into a society. As we grow up, we develop a teenage language and gradually learn other languages, such as job-specific jargon or another foreign tongue. By now, you’re probably an adult, right?
I first make you aware of how you basically use language, and then I teach you a soft skill tool that helps you understand the logic behind grammatical rules. This way, you’ll systematically learn to speak and understand German in such a way that it becomes a part of your identity and no longer has to feel like a strange concept. Somehow, though, grammar feels like mountain climbing.
I have to admit that I recommend climbing the mountain first. Descending then brings many benefits to those who need to use their limited time efficiently. But not everyone has the time or energy for this route. So if you prefer to look around and walk around first, gaining experience to want to climb the mountain with a little more experience, I will be happy to help you find a group course that suits you. Of course, you can come to me anytime and afterwards to get your unanswered questions answered. But if you still don’t know what the right path for you is, then why not book a free 15-minute consultation with me online. We will then find a solution together. A little tip: No matter where and how you seriously want to learn German, at some point you have to climb the mountain. It then ultimately comes down to the ease of your equipment.