Daria Ledwon
Russian Language Educator
Welcome to my website! My name is Daria, but you can call me Dasha, the friendly short form of my name. I am a language enthusiast from St.Petersburg living in Brussels. I specialise in teaching Russian and designing language courses, textbooks, curricula, and exams.
About Me
What’s my background?
I studied in Saint Petersburg and hold a Ph.D. in Pedagogy and Methodology of Language Teaching, a Master's in Cultural Linguistics, and a Bachelor's in RFL and ESL.
I started teaching RFL in 2003, still a university student myself. At the same time, I was helping university applicants prepare for their Russian exams.That very first student and those first lessons sparked a deep connection with the Russian language and teaching, and it has stayed with me ever since.
For me, teaching languages isn’t just a job. It’s truly at the core of who I am, the foundation from which my entire teaching journey has grown.
What experience and insight do I bring?
Since 2006, I have been teaching Russian and English to students from over 25 nationalities, both one-to-one and in diverse classroom settings, online and offline. Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve been actively developing my skills in online teaching. I studied instructional design and have taken part in numerous webinars and professional development programs focused on digital education and remote learning.
I have a passion for learning languages. I speak Russian, English, French, and German, and I've also studied Dutch and Spanish, as well as ancient languages like Latin, Old Russian, and Old Church Slavonic. As a lifelong language learner myself, I understand the process from a student’s perspective. This helps me notice similarities between languages, and it inspires me to keep rethinking how foreign languages can be taught in a clearer, more human way.
Where am I now?
Since 2016, I’ve been living in Brussels, teaching mainly at European institutions and cours du soir. I also offer tailored lessons for adults, and have experience teaching English to kids at a school with a native language approach for several years. However, my true professional passion lies in teaching Russian as a foreign language to adult learners and exploring how multilingualism and intercultural communication shape the way we learn and connect through languages. My professional interests also include e-learning and modern instructional design.
What are my key projects?
I co-authored the textbook I Love Russian (A2–B1) and created several beginner courses, including the Russian For Complete Beginners course, the Essential Russian mini-course, and the Alphabet course. I have also developed curricula for all levels and designed exams for various language schools. Additionally, I specialise in TORFL and TELC exam preparation. I also run an educational YouTube channel dedicated to teaching Russian as a foreign language. And I create learning products, including worksheets for vocabulary and grammar, a comprehensive Russian learning guide, and listening scripts with exercises.
I studied in Saint Petersburg and hold a Ph.D. in Pedagogy and Methodology of Language Teaching, a Master's in Cultural Linguistics, and a Bachelor's in RFL and ESL.
I started teaching RFL in 2003, still a university student myself. At the same time, I was helping university applicants prepare for their Russian exams.That very first student and those first lessons sparked a deep connection with the Russian language and teaching, and it has stayed with me ever since.
For me, teaching languages isn’t just a job. It’s truly at the core of who I am, the foundation from which my entire teaching journey has grown.
What experience and insight do I bring?
Since 2006, I have been teaching Russian and English to students from over 25 nationalities, both one-to-one and in diverse classroom settings, online and offline. Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve been actively developing my skills in online teaching. I studied instructional design and have taken part in numerous webinars and professional development programs focused on digital education and remote learning.
I have a passion for learning languages. I speak Russian, English, French, and German, and I've also studied Dutch and Spanish, as well as ancient languages like Latin, Old Russian, and Old Church Slavonic. As a lifelong language learner myself, I understand the process from a student’s perspective. This helps me notice similarities between languages, and it inspires me to keep rethinking how foreign languages can be taught in a clearer, more human way.
Where am I now?
Since 2016, I’ve been living in Brussels, teaching mainly at European institutions and cours du soir. I also offer tailored lessons for adults, and have experience teaching English to kids at a school with a native language approach for several years. However, my true professional passion lies in teaching Russian as a foreign language to adult learners and exploring how multilingualism and intercultural communication shape the way we learn and connect through languages. My professional interests also include e-learning and modern instructional design.
What are my key projects?
I co-authored the textbook I Love Russian (A2–B1) and created several beginner courses, including the Russian For Complete Beginners course, the Essential Russian mini-course, and the Alphabet course. I have also developed curricula for all levels and designed exams for various language schools. Additionally, I specialise in TORFL and TELC exam preparation. I also run an educational YouTube channel dedicated to teaching Russian as a foreign language. And I create learning products, including worksheets for vocabulary and grammar, a comprehensive Russian learning guide, and listening scripts with exercises.
One-to-One and Group Lessons I Teach:
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General Russian CourseThis course improves Russian language skills by integrating grammar, vocabulary, communication, and culture. Skill levels: A1 - C1 -
TORFL and TELC
Exam PreparationCourse to prepare for the Russian as a Foreign Language Exam at every level -
Conversational RussianA practical course designed to help you speak and understand everyday Russian through real-life dialogues and cultural insights. -
Specific CoursesGrammar Course, Russian for tourists, Russian literature, Russian media, Russian history, Politics and diplomacy, Conversation and slang, Individual consultations, Reading news.
Students' reviews
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Stavros 🇬🇷In our first lesson, Dasha spoke in Russian, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I understood. In subsequent classes, it became clear that Dasha fosters an immersive environment that cultivates an independent relationship with the language. Her dynamic and fun exercises helped me tackle challenges without fatigue or discouragement. Her engaging approach made learning enjoyable and productive! -
Patricia 🇬🇧Let’s face it, Russian isn’t easy to learn! You need a really good teacher. And Dasha is great!
She plans the lesson individually, tailoring it to the student’s needs. She is patient and thorough, and most important of all, she knows the Russian language inside out. She can answer every question, and explain every vagary of the grammar, and make it fun at the same time. Go for it, you won’t regret it! -
Jean 🇫🇷Daria is an excellent teacher. She has a very good sense of pedagogy, was able to adapt to my level and my expectations to help me progress quickly in a stimulating and friendly atmosphere. The course is a complete and fun immersion, you come out of it super motivated and energized! Thank you Daria! -
Greame 🇨🇦Excellent teacher with a strong pedagogical background and a friendly personality, both of which make her a strong language instructor. She is well organized and punctual, but also takes care to create a relaxed and positive atmosphere for lessons. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a good learning experience! -
Louis 🇧🇪I needed to obtain the TRKI-1 certificate (level B1) for my job, and I'm fascinated by the language, country, and culture. I really appreciate Daria's comprehensive and personalized courses that cover all aspects: oral expression, writing, reading, and listening. She is patient and finds creative ways to explain difficult concepts. Daria also takes my topic preferences into account. I highly recommend her; you won't be disappointed! -
Matt 🇨🇦Few can compete with Dasha's thorough knowledge of how to teach her language and helping a student understand how the language itself works. Two thumbs up for Dasha! Thank you for a job well done. -
Christopher 🇩🇪 🇺🇸I have been studying Russian with Dasha for several years and thanks to her help have made substantial progress. She is kind, patient, very knowledgeable, and knows how to explain complex grammar in a way that the student understands. She really cares about her students, and lessons with her are always a lot of fun. If you are looking for a Russian teacher, you could not make a better choice than Dasha! - Lionel 🇧🇪Daria is a pleasant, approachable, smiling, energetic and motivating teacher. Always very punctual, she teaches both in person and remotely. She has the art of encouraging her students and pulling them up. She is really the kind of teacher who makes you want to continue learning and who you don't want to disappoint. If you want to learn Russian, I recommend her with my eyes closed!
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Attila 🇧🇪Daria is energetic and very active, exhibiting an incredible amount of enthusiasm in everything she does. She puts in a lot of effort, which makes her lessons not only informative but also a great pleasure for everyone involved.
Self-Paced Online Video Courses I Offer:
Online courses with short videos, where I explain the theory and practice the material with you; PDF homework assignments with answer keys, PDF presentations, bonus materials, and a vocabulary list to each lesson. You can always revisit and rewatch the lessons, as well as download the PDF materials. Lifetime access and personal email support.
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A mini-course (13 videos with downloadable) focused on:
- the Russian alphabet,
- pronunciation rules,
- and spelling basics.
- Lifetime access and personal email support.
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The mini course includes 5 lessons (8-10 videos each, pdf's, homeworks and extra links):
- alphabet and pronunciation,
- useful phrases and questions,
- essential verbs of 2 conjugations,
- professions,
- personal pronouns
- and adverbs.
- Lifetime access and personal email support.
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The course includes 26 step-by-step modules with video lessons and PDF materials.
By the end of the course,
you’ll be able to:
- Read and pronounce Russian words;
- Introduce yourself and ask simple questions;
- Understand and use essential verbs, personal and possessive pronouns, adjectives and adverbs, numbers, and the first grammatical cases;
- Talk about topics like family, weather, hobbies, food, sports, and daily life;
- Feel confident using Russian at an A1 level.
My approach to teaching
- Adaptive TeachingI break down complex grammar and vocabulary into simple explanations. For example, instead of just listing the six Russian cases with abstract definitions, I show how they work using everyday examples, like how the accusative case answers "What are you eating?" or how the prepositional case tells you where something is. I adjust my pace and methods to suit your level.
- Personalized LearningEvery student is different. If you love cooking, we use recipes and food blogs; if you're into politics, we discuss current events. I design lessons around your goals. Lessons are always relevant.
- Inspiring LessonsLanguage should feel alive! We role-play real situations: ordering in a café, arguing about movies, watching and discussing news, or navigating the Russian metro. Depending on your level, I use authentic materials, videos, songs. My goal is to keep you engaged, and looking forward to the next class.
- Student PerspectiveI know what it's like to feel lost in a new language, I’ve been there myself. That’s why I try to anticipate what might confuse you (pronunciation, word order, cultural differences). I’ll share the little tricks that helped me and point out things native speakers might not even notice.
- CommunicationFrom day one, I get you talking. I’ll always encourage you to ask questions, make mistakes, and express your thoughts. Russian might be complex, but with a safe, supportive space to practice, you'll find your voice faster than you think.
My teaching moments
Discover your language level
Before choosing a course, take my online test to assess your current level
- this will help me tailor the perfect learning path for you.
- this will help me tailor the perfect learning path for you.
Contacts
If you are interested in my courses or private lessons,
I am happy to answer your questions
through email or Telegram,
so feel free to reach out to me:
© All Rights Reserved dasha.ledwon@gmail.com
