About the author

Olena Bazalukova

Olena Bazalukova is a philologist and language instructor with an academic background in foreign languages as well as many years of experience in Deutsch als Fremdsprache (DaF) and exam preparation.

Her professional work combines a solid philological education with practical experience in the German education system. Her focus lies on the structured teaching of the German language and on targeted preparation for standardized language exams.

In her work, she places particular emphasis on clarity, structure, and transparency. Her goal is not only to support learners linguistically, but also to provide them with confidence in dealing with exam formats, task logic, and assessment criteria.

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Education

Olena Bazalukova graduated in 2003 from the National Linguistic University of Kyiv (Ukraine).
She completed a full higher education program in the field of Language and Literature (English, German) and obtained the qualification of philologist and teacher of German and English.
The university degree is available in a certified German translation.

Language Qualifications and Personal Exam Experience

Olena Bazalukova has personal, documented exam experience within the German examination system:

Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ, level B1)
Exam taken on 01.09.2023 at VHS Dortmund
Result: B1 – very well fulfilled (all exam parts)
telc German Test for the Workplace B2
Exam taken on 28.09.2024
Overall result: B2 (208.5 out of 240 points)
Special feature: Speaking 60/60 points

This personal exam experience forms a central foundation for her work in targeted preparation for DTZ and telc exams.

Professional Training and Practice in Germany

From October to December 2022, Olena Bazalukova participated in the program “Lehrkräfte PLUS” at the University of Duisburg-Essen, funded among others by the DAAD and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The program was designed for refugee teachers and included:

subject-related language training (level B1+)
educational science workshops
career counseling
a short internship (observation placement) with 148 teaching units at a German primary school

Practical Experience in Language Testing and Examinations

From January to April 2025, Olena Bazalukova participated in the Special Initiative “Partnering in Business with Germany”, a program of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

As part of this program, she completed a job shadowing placement at the Society for Academic Study Preparation and Test Development (g.a.s.t.), the central institution responsible for the development and administration of standardized language tests in Germany.

This practical experience provided her with in-depth insights into:

the structure and logic of standardized language exams
assessment criteria
task formats and typical exam requirements

Main Areas of Work

On the platform deutsch-vorbereitung.com, Olena Bazalukova publishes well-founded professional content on:

Deutsch als Fremdsprache
targeted exam preparation (DTZ, telc)
typical mistakes and assessment logic in language exams
structured and exam-oriented learning

All content is based on her own education, personal exam experience, and practical work within the German education system.

Integration Award of the City of Dortmund 2025

Certificate for the “Partnering in Business with Germany” programme

Participation in the “Lehrkräfte PLUS Duisburg–Essen” programme

Certificate “Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer”

Certificate “Deutsch-Test für den Beruf B2”

Diploma, degree programme in “Language and Literature (English, German)”

ÖSD

Writing

Structure, assessment and typical mistakes in B1 ÖSD Writing Part 3

Do not give away any points in B1 ÖSD Writing Part 3: we show you step by step the structure of a formal email with the Sie form and useful tips.

ÖSD

Writing

Topics, universal sentences and set phrases for B1 ÖSD Writing Part 2

Prepare perfectly for B1 ÖSD Writing Part 2: here you find the most common topics, universal sentences as a building block and useful set phrases.

ÖSD

Writing

B1 ÖSD Writing Part 2: structure, assessment and typical mistakes

Do not give away any points in B1 ÖSD Writing Part 2: we show you the perfect building-block structure and how you easily avoid typical mistakes with the register.

ÖSD

Writing

Topics, universal sentences and set phrases for B1 ÖSD Writing Part 1

This is how you nail the email in B1 ÖSD Writing Part 1! Learn universal set phrases for every guiding point as well as fixed building-block sentences for the perfect beginning & ending.

ÖSD

Writing

B1 ÖSD Writing Part 1: Structure, Grading, and Typical Mistakes

This is how you master the B1 ÖSD & Goethe-Zertifikat in Writing Part 1! Learn everything about the correct email structure, the 4 grading criteria, and points.

telc

Reading

Typical mistakes in Reading Comprehension Part 3 (telc B1)

Easily avoid typical mistakes in telc B1 Reading Comprehension Part 3: use our practical 6-step action plan for a flawless result.

telc

Reading

Structure, points and all traps in Reading Part 3 (telc B1)

This is how you master telc B1 Reading Comprehension Part 3: learn everything about the structure, the point distribution and how to cleverly see through the typical text traps.

telc

The Zeigarnik Effect: learn better for telc B2

The Zeigarnik Effect helps you retain more and learn more easily for the telc B2 exam. Find out why unfinished tasks strengthen memory.

telc

The Coffee Theory: Staying calm in the telc exam

Staying calm in the telc B1 and B2 exam: The Coffee Theory shows why small mistakes are no problem and how you can still pass successfully.

Sprachbausteine Teil 1 (telc B1·B2 Pflege): Grammatik verstehen und richtig trainieren

Pflege (telc)

Language modules

Sprachbausteine Teil 1 (telc B1·B2 Pflege): Understanding grammar and training correctly

Successfully through the telc B1·B2 Pflege exam! Here you will find tips, typical traps and a clear overview for Sprachbausteine Teil 1. Start preparing now!

telc

Language modules

All grammar, traps and tips for Sprachbausteine Teil 2 (telc B1)

How to solve telc B1 Sprachbausteine Teil 2 without stress: the exam format, points, the 10 most common traps and a clear grammar overview.

Schreiben in der telc-Pflegeprüfung: einfach erklärt für den Einstieg

Pflege (telc)

Writing

telc Pflege exam: Schreiben simply explained for beginners

Preparing for Schreiben in the telc Deutsch B1-B2 Pflege exam? Here you will find simply explained what matters most – incl. valuable phrases and expressions!

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Über sich sprechen: B1 DTZ Ablauf und Bewertung B1 DTZ

DTZ

Speaking

Procedure and Assessment for DTZ B1 “Über mich”

DTZ Speaking Part 1 (“Über mich”) Explained Simply: How the Introduction Works, the 6 Key Points, Examiner Questions, and Points for 1A and 1B – with Official Sources.

B1 DTZ Sprechen Teil 1: Was die Prüfer wirklich testen

DTZ

Speaking

What Is Tested in DTZ Speaking Part 1 (“Über mich”)?

DTZ Speaking Part 1 Has No Wrong Answers – but 7 Hidden Rules: Where Do the Questions Come From, What Does a Short Answer Show, and What Does “nicht verstanden” Mean?

DTZ B1 Sprechen „Über mich“: 7 typische Fehler vermeiden

DTZ

Speaking

7 Common Mistakes in the DTZ “About Me” Section: And How to Avoid Them

DTZ Sprechen Teil 1: Vermeiden Sie 7 typische Fehler bei „Über mich“ und lernen Sie, wie Sie sich spontan und sicher auf die B1-Prüfung vorbereiten.

telc

Reading

telc B2 Reading Part 1: matching headings — how the task is structured

telc B2 Reading Part 1 explained simply: 5 texts, 10 headings, Globalverstehen (global comprehension). What the task looks like, which texts come up and how to solve it step by step.