"Isabelle van den Heuvel is my turn-to guru when it comes to expertise in the English language. Words that I believe define Isabelle are ‘expert’, ‘results-driven’ and ‘warm’.

I have always admired her fluent, easy-to-read and easy-to-understand style. It is a joy to observe the effortless way in which her sentences flow. It is generally recognised that bi-lingual speakers often have a preferential language; this is not so in Isabelle’s case. I know that in Dutch circles, Isabelle is highly revered for her outstanding command of the Dutch language; equally, as a British native speaker myself, I can vouch for her mastery of the English language. Isabelle has, in my opinion, a flair for being able to employ exactly the right style for her audience.

Isabelle shows a tireless determination to work on texts until they are perfect. She is driven by a desire for flawlessness. Moreover, I have seen the way in which she inspires speakers to perform at their best. Her calm, encouraging manner instils a confidence that simply works.

After a 25 year working relationship with Isabelle van den Heuvel, I can say that it was a pleasure and a privilege."

R. Mathieson

I approached Isabelle to improve my English pronunciation. Although I have a good understanding of the language and a broad vocabulary, I hadn’t learned proper pronunciation and phonetics. When I moved from South America to the Netherlands for work, I realized that people had trouble understanding me, and I felt insecure about speaking because I wasn’t confident in my pronunciation.

Regarding the learning process, the book we used was very helpful, and the exercises to learn to hear the differences between my pronunciation and that of native speakers, especially the vowels, were particularly useful. Some concrete results were that I significantly improved my pronunciation over a period of six months, which has given me more confidence to speak in a professional setting and give presentations. Of course, constant practice and speaking up are also important for progress.

Isabelle is a very kind, flexible, and empathetic person, which makes it comfortable to talk to her and share frustrations and achievements. She always finds ways to adapt to specific needs and requests. I highly recommend taking classes with her.

Melisa Rivas

Open Innovation Analyst

"I loved getting clarity on my story and being able to fully be myself in the process with Isabelle. She really sees you and always has amazing feedback and edits to make things more tangible and be more on point. Writing your one story is an emotional project. We want to trust the ones who we share a new version or angle of our story with fully. Isabelle is the one for me, who I can trust and experience my stories with. Most valuable, I feel I created a great base for my signature stories and confidence to be able to weave them naturally into any context."

Taya Stapelfeldt

Somatic Mentor

"Isabelle helped me to improve my self-confidence and self-expression during job interviews. After the first session, she motivated me positively, encouraging more eye contact with interviewers and enabling me to express myself comfortably. She supported me a lot during this process, helping to clear all the question marks in my head. I thank her for her support on this path. I am very lucky to have crossed paths with her. If you are looking for a good coach, I would definitely recommend her. It's not over yet, and I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to work with her again."

Dilan Cakir

Business Analyst

"Isabelle develops English practice tests for ToetsMij, a platform for

secondary school students, and I can warmly recommend her work. From my position as founder and CEO of the platform, I have worked with at least 150 authors, and Isabelle stands out within that group - not only because of the quality of her work, but also because it is exceptionally pleasant to collaborate with her. She helps us with a set of writing and reading tests for senior high school students. This results in comprehensible and educational practice tests full of clear explanations and useful tips. Isabelle is a delightful sparring partner and brings out the best in our collaboration. Furthermore, we have been able to fully rely on her extensive educational experience to ensure that the tests align optimally with the learning objectives. I sincerely hope that Isabelle will continue to make her expertise and knowledge available to us for a long time to come!"

Marc Luitjens

Founder and CEO ToetsMij

"Isabelle was an English teacher at the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague for about a decade, during the time I was rector there. She contributed to the development of a new and successful exam program. In addition, the Cambridge candidates she taught achieved excellent results in the Cambridge Advanced exam. Isabelle was an expert teacher, with the particularity of being bilingual in Dutch and English. This naturally makes her highly qualified to guide clients in delivering presentations in natural and convincing English. Isabelle is friendly and engaging in her approach: she will not only be a dedicated and knowledgeable coach, but also a pleasant one."

Dr. Hans Rookmaaker

former rector Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet, The Hague

"During my time as rector at Sorghvliet, Isabelle was an English teacher there. Driven by her interest in students of all ages, she taught both lower and upper school classes. I came to know her as a teacher with integrity: she cares about her students and motivates them to work hard for the subject. As a result, our students excelled in English.

In her classes, Isabelle allows students to develop to their fullest potential. All aspects of English are covered, from reading Shakespeare to delivering passionate speeches on current topics. Making mistakes is encouraged, as they enhance the learning process.

Isabelle is strict but fair, and she takes her students very seriously. She led a team of passionate teachers who truly made the most of teaching English. In short, she is a dedicated and inspiring colleague!"

Swen Zuiderwijk, MA

Rector Montessori Lyceum Rotterdam

"If you're hesitating about hiring Isabelle as your teacher or coach, let me tell you: don't hesitate. I fondly remember my English lessons with Isabelle. She is clear, calm, helpful, and patient. Of course, she is linguistically proficient, but what I find most important is that she is very approachable. Making mistakes is natural, and that's how it feels with Isabelle too. Your confidence grows, also because she genuinely celebrates your achievements. If I ever need to practice for a big presentation in English in the future or require a crash course, I know who to turn to."

L. Jesko

Veterinary surgeon and teacher

"Isabelle is an excellent writer of literary reviews. She knows how to thoroughly grasp a book, extract its essence, and write a clear review about it, giving the interested reader a good understanding of the book. In addition to writing thoughtfully, Isabelle also reads and interprets meticulously. Due to the consistent quality of her texts, she is a highly esteemed reviewer. The collaboration with her is always pleasant."

Anky Mulders

editor Literair Nederland