I'm Debbie
your native-speaking English coach
Preparing you for English, whatever the weather
My story
I am an English language coach from England, with over 20 years of experience. I have a degree in French and Spanish and also speak Dutch.
My teaching career began in Spain, where I taught English to small groups of adults and children at a local language school.
I returned to England for a few years, working in translation and public relations, where I broadened my experience of the commercial world.
I then moved to the Netherlands, where I worked as an English language trainer at the prestigious Regina Coeli Language Institute, also known as "The Nuns". The school was started by nuns and inspired the methodology, still used today, of immersive language learning with native speakers. Here, I taught around 2000 students and developed my coaching skills.
Five years ago, I decided it was time to move back to the UK, so my family and I made the move, and now live just outside Birmingham. I have continued to teach English both online and in person, both in the UK and abroad. This has led me to start Umbrella English to help my students become English-ready.
Students have told me they appreciate my down-to-earth friendly approach, that I really listen and give them space to try things out, make mistakes, and grow. They also find that I am able to explain grammar clearly and help put it into context effectively. My years of experience along with my interest in people and psychology, mean I can adapt my teaching to a wide range of needs and enjoy getting into depth and detail.
In my spare time, I love to read, write creatively, watch films, go to the theatre, swim in the sea, and sing.
Right: Roger the Robin by Debbie McNab
A word on confidence and emotions
This is a painting I did at a recent art course I followed. I started the course feeling nervous, useless and stupid. I can't paint, what am I doing here? I thought. The others are all better than I am. The teacher will think I'm no good. Okay, I am still no Picasso, but I ended up loving this experience, and I am proud, and even a little amused, by my work of art, Roger the Robin!
Learning something new or developing a skill, especially a language, can feel personal, but please know that I understand the emotions this can bring with it:
😨nervousness - I feel scared, physically
😠defensiveness - I know the answer. Don't correct me!
😠resistance - Why should I have to change?
🫣self-criticism - I am not good at this.
🧐 perfectionism - I need to get it right, every time and to know everything now.
I've seen it all in my years of teaching and learning experience and have felt most of these emotions myself while learning something new, at one time or another.
It is absolutely OK to feel and display these responses, but my goal is to help you overcome them and transform -
🙂 nerves into excitement
🙂 defensiveness into positive vulnerability
🙂 self-criticism into self-acceptance and pride in our achievements
🙂 resistance into openness and curiosity
🙂 perfectionism into belief in yourself, your teacher and the process