Blog | The English Teacher Training College

New and Exciting at the English Teacher Training College

Caitlin — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 15:33:00 +0000

We are thrilled to officially roll out our new English Teacher Training College and ABCi logos! The logo redesign comes as part of a larger organisation-wide rebranding with the goal to visually increase the link between the two facets of the organisation. The English Teacher Training College and ABCi are two parts of a whole that share a common mission to help children and transform TEFL teacher training. In celebration of the redesign, let’s take a look at the other new and exciting things that have happened this past year and will take place in the year to come!

What’s new and exciting at the English Teacher Training College and ABCi!

New Design

The new logos represent the spirit of our organisation and the professionalism we strive for in all of our endeavours. The new logos can stand alone but are meant to be placed side-by-side where it can be seen that the colours are the inverse of each other creating both contrast and a visual connection between the two branches of the organisation.

Along with the logo redesign, ABCi has received a complete website makeover while the English Teacher Training College site has been revamped with our new branding.

New Milestones

On November 11, 2016 the English Teacher Training College and Bilingual Classroom Initiative (ABCi) celebrated its 5 year anniversary of helping children. It turns out marrying a TEFL training course with fun and interactive English projects in Austrian schools was the perfect way to make a difference in the lives of children and young adults alike. ABCi has reached over 200,000 school children since its beginning, with 80,000 just in the last year, we are well on our way to reaching every schoolchild in Austria by the year 2020.

New Partnerships

We are happy to announce our new partnership with the Austrian Ministry of Education (Bundesministerium für Bildung) and their recommendation of us on their website. The English Teacher Training College and ABCi has been working with the BMB in order to develop a curriculum that best serves the Austrian school system and the children we aim to help with our fun, active-learning based English curriculum. When developing our active learning curriculum, the academic staff kept the 7 tenets of Project Work in mind.

Additionally, we have added 10 new vans to our fleet thanks to our partnership with Porsche Salzburg. Porsche Salzburg has shown continued support by providing us with the means to travel around the country and deliver English projects to as many schools as possible.

New Program

On August 28^th, we are happy to welcome a new group of Student Teachers to our first ever 5 ½ months TEFL-YL Program which with include both the Trinity CertTESOL and Cambridge CELT-P. The TEFL-YL Program gives Student Teachers to teach and travel around Austria while earning subsided world-recognized teaching qualifications. Student Techers aid with ABCi’s goal of reaching every schoolchildren with a free and fun English project by delivering Member English Projects and Outreach Project Days in Austrian schools. This valuable teaching practice not only develo9ops the Student Teacher into an experienced and confident EFL teacher, it truly makes a positive impact on the lives of the children they teach.

New Territory

While continuing on our goal to reach every school children in Austria, we are also expanding into neighbouring countries. ABCi knows education pervades national borders and every child in the world should have the opportunity for free education. We know that spreading English education, and doing it in an engaging and interactive way, will open doors for children in non-English speaking countries. This year we have delivered Outreach English Projects in Slovenia, Slovakia and Germany. Soon ABCi will deliver its first Member English Project in a Slovenia school. We are thrilled to be helping children in new countries and cultures and hope this trend continues.

New Campus

To facilitate our expansion into new territory, this year we opened a new campus in Wolfsberg, Austria. Wolfsberg is a town in Carinthia which is nearly equidistant from Klagenfurt and Graz. We have welcomed wonderful new staff down there who are enjoying the beautiful lakes and scenery the southern Austrian landscape has to offer. Our Student Teachers have been taking advantage of the grills outside their new student house to have picnics and soak up the summer sun.

With the success of our new Wolfsberg Campus, we are excited to announce our plans to open a Bregenz Campus in 2018. This campus will serve western Austria, southern German, Liechtenstein, northern Italy and beyond!

New Adventures

With the success of our new Wolfsberg Campus, we are excited to announce our plans to open a Bregenz Campus in 2018. This campus will serve western Austria, southern German, Liechtenstein, northern Italy and beyond!

Transforming EFL Teacher Training: How the Directors of the English Teacher Training College Make a Difference

Caitlin — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 13:22:07 +0000

The English Teacher Training College and its Bilingual Classroom Initiative began its mission of helping children through English education and cultural exchange in 2011. The vision of the organisation came from two educators who had fallen in love with Austria and wanted to find a way to add value to the school system as well as transform the way EFL teacher training was happening.

Ben Stone holds a Bachelors of Education and hails from Canberra, Australia. Ben is known as an exceptional outdoorsman and athlete excelling at rock climbing, horse back riding and his favourite pastime, rugby. He is also acknowledged equally as being an exceptional educator who is able to communicate and engage with children in a way that makes learning effortless... and fun!

Frank Carle is a former American football star at Rutgers University in New Jersey who later went on to earn his Masters in Philosophy at Oxford. Frank then became a Fulbright Teaching Assistant in Austria, where he met his wife and fellow educator, Kay Carle, who was a teaching assistant with the British Council. He took his first teaching job at the age of 24 at the Pädagogische Hochschule in Salzburg (State Teacher Training College in Salzburg) as a way to put off law school for another year, but instead began a career of teacher training which spans two decades. Frank and Ben's story of how they met and founded the English Teacher Training College and Bilingual Classroom initiative is an inspring one - and best told from Mr Frank Carle himself:

"Those experiences [teaching Austrian school children] laid the groundwork for the idea , but the specific experience that triggered the idea for ABCi and the College was born as co-founder Ben Stone to this day the best teacher I’ve ever worked with) and I sat together talking after a long day of teacher training at a beer garden in Bavaria, Germany. We were responsible for conducting the teacher training for a commercial language school running summer camps in Germany. At the end of yet another 12-hour day, the group of 20+ new staff members that we were training hadn’t been paid, hadn’t been fed since breakfast and some of them didn’t know where they were sleeping. Everyone had just arrived in Germany a few days earlier and these horrific (and I would only come to realize later illegal) conditions had put everyone on the verge of a mutiny and simply leaving the programme en masse. As our boss had already signed up hundreds of children at summer camps for the next five weeks, this would have obviously been a disaster for the kids and their parents. After a promised 7pm dinner at the training site never arrived, I called the boss and explained the situation, suggesting giving everyone one entree and one drink at a beer garden down the street would help prevent a disaster. She reluctantly agreed and Mr. Stone and I preceded to take a couple hundred dollars of our own money out of an ATM (as young university graduates, essentially our life’s savings at that point) to pay for everyone to eat. About an hour later, the food had arrived, the first round of Bavarian beer had been drunk, everyone’s mood had improved dramatically and Ben Stone and I were confident we had just averted a disaster. Just at that moment, the boss called Ben on his mobile phone and started shouting incoherently at him in such a loud voice that everyone at the table became quiet. Ben passed the phone to me and she continued her tirade.

Ben and I sat at that table for the rest of the evening, drinking and thinking, talking and drinking some more. The gist of the conversation was simple: “We are two of the best teachers and teacher trainers that either of us had worked with, why were we working for a person who treated us terribly, paid us illegally low wages, and now, moments after we had used what little money we had to save her company, yelled at us in front of her new staff members (who she also treated terribly). What was the point? It wasn’t like we are really helping anyone (we only had 5 days to train the new teachers with the absolute minimum that they needed to do the job, and as soon as the summer was over, everyone was dumped at the airport without any support, CPD or job prospect, waiting to be exploited by the next TEFL employer) and the pay was below minimum wage (The boss had convinced Ben Stone that he was actually a “volunteer” that week and in earlier years, I had been paid 200 EURs in an envelope to work 120 hour weeks) ALL while we watched the boss’ house get bigger, luxury SVUs get more numerous, and pools get installed.” We realized that we were so focused on the end of trying to create a fun and effective learning environment for the children, that we had lost sight of the means that were going into producing this outcome. Those means were exploitative, manipulative and simply illegal. It didn’t take the two of us long to realize that it would be possible to do this better (to focus on both the training of new EFL teachers and provide a meaning project for pupils AND not on the profit margin) and the idea for the College and ABCi was born! Suffice it to say, this employer IS NOT one that the College's Job Placement Program recommends our graduates apply to!"

In the first years of organisation, the two founders worked tirelessly to set the groundwork for an organisation that has trained up hundreds of EFL teachers and taught fun, interactive, native-led English projects to more than 200,000 Austrian schoolchildren! The organisation celebrated its 5th anniversary in November 2016 and continues on its mission to deliver fun, interactive and FREE English projects to every school child in Austria by the year 2020. Working for no salary for the first three years, the directors have poured their souls into building an up a team that is now 40 members strong. Frank and Ben will continue their efforts to offer quality teacher training to Student Teachers aiding in the College's Bilingual Classroom Initiative by furthering the reach of schools we work with and increasing the amount of scholarships offered to students to Student Teachers to participate on the TEFL-YL Program.

Interview with English Teacher Training College President, Frank Carle

Caitlin — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Our Marketing and PR Officer, Katharina Grabner, sat down with organisation President Frank Carle to ask him some deeper questions regarding the organisation and its impact on the TEFL sector. To find out more about how the College was founded, why Austria and the legacy Mr Carle hopes to leave, read on!

1. Why do you think teaching is so important?

If George Orwell was right and “He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past” then it must be the case that teachers control the future, for it is from teachers that many people get their understanding of both the present and the past. To some degree, we are all the products of our environments. A good teacher can help negate the effects of a poor environment just as a bad teacher can nullify the effects of a good upbringing. Effective teaching doesn’t tell a person WHAT to think, it teaches a person HOW to think. We all remember good teachers from our youth, and it wasn’t the ones with “an axe to grind.” It was the ones who helped turn us into the people that we are today by giving us the tools and skills to achieve a self-awareness and in so doing, fully develop and embrace our human dignity. It is those teachers who educated not just subjects, but the “whole person.” Modernity gives us many examples of a world in which it is not the lack of an education, but a prevalence of mal-education - authorities using education as a means to teach young people what to think - that causes the majority of human suffering. I am motivated by a very real desire to help young people avoid this fate and achieve a full measure of human dignity. As Socrates told us: “the unexamined life is not worth living.” I feel strongly that the best way to achieve this self-awareness of yourself combined with empathy for others.

2. What made you personally want to be a teacher? What was your main motivation, or was there any specific experience that inspired you?

If I am totally honest, my first teaching job at the State Teacher Training College in Salzburg (Pädagogische Hochschule Salzburg) at the age of 24 was a way to put off Law School for another year. While there, I found that I had a talent for teaching; a year became two years, then three years and finally a new career in TEFL teacher training spanning two decades. There were two specific experiences that motivated me: one, the first time that I as left alone with a group of children. I immediately felt the immense duty placed upon me by all the parents who had trusted me with their most valuable possession, their children. Indeed, the calling to be a teacher is only made possible by the sacred trust of parents allowing others to safeguard the welfare of their child and help guide their development into adults. Without that trust, teaching as we understand it wouldn't be possible. I felt a duty to earn this trust every time I stepped into a new classroom. Now that I have children of my own, it has only intensified this feeling. The second was the slow realization that as a teacher trainer, your potential to have a positive impact on the world is multiplied exponentially by how many teachers' lives you can touch. At the PH in Salzburg, I saw hundreds of young teachers graduate mimicking my American accent, dialect and mannerisms as they started teaching English (for better or worse!). After seeing a new teacher do this with a classroom full of young Austrian children, I realized that by becoming more self-aware and controlling more precisely what I was doing while I taught, I could affect the way in which an entire generation of children in a large region learned the world’s new lingua franca.
Those experiences laid the groundwork for the idea, but the specific experience that triggered the the idea for ABCi and the College was born as co-founder Ben Stone (to this day the best teacher I’ve ever worked with) and I sat together talking after a long day of teacher training at a beer garden in Bavaria, Germany. We were responsible for conducting the teacher training for a commercial language school running summer camps in Germany. At the end of yet another 12-hour day, the group of 20+ new staff members that we were training hadn’t been paid, hadn’t been fed since breakfast and some of them didn’t know where they were sleeping. Everyone had just arrived in Germany a few days earlier and these horrific (and I would only come to realize later illegal) conditions had put everyone on the verge of a mutiny and simply leaving the programme en masse. As our boss had already signed up hundreds of children at summer camps for the next five weeks, this would have obviously been a disaster for the kids and their parents. After a promised 7pm dinner at the training site never arrived, I called the boss and explained the situation, suggesting giving everyone one entree and one drink at a beer garden down the street would help prevent a disaster. She reluctantly agreed and Mr. Stone and I preceded to take a couple hundred dollars of our own money out of an ATM (as young university graduates, essentially our life’s savings at that point) to pay for everyone to eat. About an hour later, the food had arrived, the first round of Bavarian beer had been drunk, everyone’s mood had improved dramatically and Ben Stone and I were confident we had just averted a disaster. Just at that moment, the boss called Ben on his mobile phone and started shouting incoherently at him in such a loud voice that everyone at the table became quiet. Ben passed the phone to me and she continued her tirade. Ben and I sat at that table for the rest of the evening, drinking and thinking, talking and drinking some more. The gist of the conversation was simple: We are two of the best teachers and teacher trainers that either of us had worked with, why were we working for a person who treated us terribly, paid us illegally low wages, and now, moments after we had used what little money we had to save her company, yelled at us in front of her new staff members (who she also treated terribly)? What was the point? It wasn’t like we were really helping anyone (we only had 5 days to train the new teachers with the absolute minimum that they needed to do the job, and as soon as the summer was over, everyone was dumped at the airport without any support, CPD or job prospects, waiting to be exploited by the next TEFL employer) and the pay was below minimum wage (The boss had convinced Ben Stone that he was actually a “volunteer” that week and in earlier years, I had been paid 200 EUR in an envelope to work 120 hour weeks) ALL while we watched the boss’ house get bigger, luxury SUVs get more numerous, and pools get installed. We realized that we were so focused on the mission of trying to create a fun and effective learning environment for the children, that we had lost sight of the means that were going into producing this outcome. Those means were exploitative, manipulative and simply illegal. It didn’t take the two of us long to realize that it would be possible to do this better (to focus on both the training of new EFL teachers and provide a meaningful project for pupils AND not on the profit margin) and the idea for the College and ABCi was born! Suffice it to say, this employer IS NOT one that the College’s job placement programme recommends our graduates apply to!

3. What were the greatest difficulties you experienced as a young TEFL teacher, and what made you decide to build the College?

While at the Pädagogische Hochschule in Salzburg, I set out to explore many different corners of the EFL teaching world at state and private institutes in Austria and Germany. I was surprised by what I found. At state institutions, there was a tendency to focus on reading and writing over speaking and listening - students who could write grammatically perfect essays in English struggled to communicate confidently in a simple conversation. While reading, writing, grammar and accuracy are of course important, the more immediate skills of speaking, listening, communication and social skills were often overlooked. Despite recent advances in methodologies like Task-Based Learning (TBL) and Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the majority of classrooms still resembled grammar-translation factories from 50 years ago. If the view in the public sector was mixed, the view in the private sector was depressing: language schools and summer camps run by MBAs who had no background in education and could hardly speak English were the norm. Support, training and continued professional development was non-existent. Work was seasonal, hours were scattered (7am to 9am, 12pm to 2pm and 5pm to 7pm days were common), and subject to change: sometimes you were expected to work 24 hours a day at an English summer camp. Pay was hourly (not including prep time) or cash in an envelope (and could be withheld if you displeased the boss), health and social benefits were not provided, legally questionable freelance contracts were signed, promised visas and work permits never materialized. The whole sector was a mess and needed fixing from the ground up. Businesspeople were running businesses where they charged children and their parents as much as possible while paying their staff of native speakers as little as possible, often with predictably mixed results for the young learner. That’s when it occurred to us that we needed to get the profit motive out of the education of young children. That’s when we knew that we needed to found a college to help a constant stream of young people coming to Europe to start a career in EFL avoid being exploited and used as “TEFL Cannon Fodder” - a particularly memorable phrase I heard from a veteran of the EFL sector in Europe. The thinking was simple: arm these young teachers with the training, practice and knowledge to put themselves in a better bargaining position for their first EFL job and be sure to only recommend reputable employers to alumni so they didn’t need to learn the hard way like my generation did.

4. What made you choose Austria as the place for yourself and the College?

This is a good question, as many people ask why help Austrian children - don’t they have it good enough already? Well, in truth, there is inequality of opportunity in every country, children don’t get to choose where they are born and it doesn’t seem fair to say Austrian children are less worthy of our outreach just because they were born here and not somewhere in the developing world. It is easy for us in English-speaking countries to forget the importance of English language education and cultural exchange. The level of a child’s English in a place like Austria has the same sort of predictive effects on future outcomes as socio-economic factors like school transfers, familial stability, even childhood instances of abuse. From a logistical and strategic standpoint, Austria is central to Europe and a good place from which to expand our mission and “evangelize” in favor of our TBL and CLT methodologies to the rest of Europe and the world. Austria as a country has many positive aspects: sometimes I look at it as a country that takes all of the positives of Germany (trains run on time, everything is clean, drivers are safe) with the best of Italy (food and drink are delicious, people are welcoming and friendly, tradition is lived every day). Why did I decide to stay on in Austria? Well, on a personal note, I wanted my children to grow up in a safe and beautiful country. As one of the co-founders, I have had to work long hours (up to 80 hours a week) that sometimes mean that I wasn’t always there for my young family when they needed me. I needed to know that wherever I worked that my wife and children would live in a secure country in a pristine Alpine setting. Austria is nothing else if it isn’t that - waking up in Austria and looking out the window is a bit like looking at a postcard. And did I mention the Schnitzel?

5. What kind of support do you provide for Student Teachers today that you wish you had had?

One of the negative effects of the College’s rapid growth over the past few years is that I’ve been stuck behind a desk and kept out of a classroom for the better part of 3 years now. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Every now and then I stop and have a look at what we’re doing on our TEFL course, and think to myself: “I would have LOVED the opportunity to do something like this when I was a young man” - it would have changed my life and opened doors to opportunities that I would have otherwise not considered. The heart and soul of the TEFL course are the observations: hours upon hours of the student teacher observing a more experienced teacher, observing a fellow trainee, being observed, student teachers even observing their own teaching on video and giving themselves feedback. It is impossible to go through this process with the staff and student teachers that we have and not become a more effective teacher. In addition, the theory sessions in the afternoon do an excellent job of pulling everything together and providing an intellectual/academic basis for everything that they’re doing in the classroom. As I alluded to above in an earlier answer, it is one thing to understand WHAT to do, it is altogether another to understand WHY you are doing it AND it is that knowledge which empowers the teacher to never stop striving to discover an even better way of doing things. Getting your TEFL certificate here at the English Teacher Training College isn’t the end of your professional development, it is just the beginning.

6. What is the best feedback you have had so far about the College?

Easy. Polly Esther Cotton (I'm not kidding, that was her real name, she won a contest in Australia for best name one year) One of our first participants on the old volunteer program, she wrote back years later to say that her time with us had made her decide to go to University and study to become a public school teacher - she made it quite clear that these few months had changed her life. That's a good feeling. In terms of helping Austrian students, we know we are doing something right at the school when Austrian teachers tell us: “I just watched that student speak more English in the last 3 hours then I have seen in the last 3 years.” It’s all about language and communication, that’s the key. A lot of people talk about “cultural exchange” and “cultural understanding” - but if you can’t understand each other to begin with, it’s all just a bunch of nice-sounding meaningless buzzwords. That’s what the College’s ABCi initiative is helping to ensure here: that there is a dialogue between the next generation of English-speakers and German-speakers. And we’re using language, culture and sport to make sure that happens.

7. What inspires you an a day-to-day basis as College President?

The stories (mostly via emails that are forwarded to my inbox from course staff) of people who who first heard the call to be a teacher while on the College’s course. Once you’ve seen more than ten of these, you start to realize that you have been entrusted with an incredible responsibility. It is the aspiration to live up to this responsibility that gets me up in the morning. The 18-year-old Austrian pupils who recognize me from a 6-hour long free outreach project from 4 years ago and run up shouting my name and explaining (in good English) that our free project at their school was the most memorable day of their school experience and gave them the confidence and social skills to keep trying to communicate, to “learn by doing” after we left their school.

8. What are the main qualities you want in an applicant (new member of staff or aspiring teacher)?

That they are a good person. By good, I mean empathic and self-aware. It is impossible to be those two things and not be a good person. As long as someone has the developed the ability to get outside of themselves to objectively view how their actions affect others AND combines this objectivity with the empathy behind the idea that you should treat others as you yourself wish to be treated, that person and I can do anything together; from that starting point, I can give you the tools, training, time and resources to accomplish anything. A good person understands how their actions affect others. A good person therefore cultivates trust and respect in all relationships, private and professional. A good person understands the boundary between their private and professional lives: professional distance. A good person finds a way to complete their responsibilities no matter what the circumstances because they know that someone else is going to have to do any work that they leave behind. A good person realizes that there is a difference between the minimum that they must do and the maximum that they should do, but always gives the extra effort (even after a long day) to go beyond “must” to “should.” It is this sort of person that I am attempting to collect together to fulfil our mission here in Austria.

9. What do you believe are the greatest challenges and opportunities for educational systems today, and what is the College’s role in a greater context?

In general, I think the biggest challenge facing educators in the 21st century is maintaining a minimum standard in core subjects for everyone while still allowing specialization. Humanity is diverse and people are different, and so are their children. And these children are best served by an education system that recognizes that theory is most useful WHEN IT IS APPLIED to solve real world problems and not every situation needs the same skills/talents. There are far too many young people today being sold a false vision of the future built on studying abstract, theoretical subjects instead of the honest truth of a practical education. I can use myself as an example: at university, I studied History (among other things like politics and law) as an undergraduate back in the United States, but there are only so many jobs out there for a “historian.” That isn’t to say that my education wasn’t useful or that knowledge of history isn’t important, but my studies should have been less academic and more focused on giving me the skills I needed to apply my talents in the real world. For example as a history teacher, librarian, archivist, researcher, etc. But majoring in “history” ? In retrospect it feels a bit like I majored in a hobby (that could have been replicated in many ways by reading Wikipedia articles and watching the History Channel) and only later was called to my occupation in education through real world experience in the classroom, something I couldn’t just read about, something that I needed to LEARN by DOING.

10. How would you like each Student Teacher to describe their time at the College after they graduated (in three words or phrases)?

WORDS: Life-changing, educational, practical.

PHRASE: Inspirational: To leave understanding that being a teacher isn’t a job, it is a calling.

Interview with English Teacher Training College Co-Founder, Ben Stone

Caitlin — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 11:29:01 +0000

1. Why do you think teaching is so important?

Learning is a privilege. The opportunity to learn is an even greater privilege. In turn, teaching is a privilege and the opportunity to learn how to teach is an even greater privilege. Through learning and through teaching, we open doors for ourselves and for our learners which may never have existed for us.

2. What made you personally want to be a teacher? What was your main motivation, or was there any specific experience that inspired you?

A teacher I had myself. This was the initial motivation. It was such a great feeling to finally understand something so clearly though the help of someone else that I thought if I could be the one to help, what an even greater feeling that must be! Helping students understand and be able to achieve their goals provides constant motivation for me and it is these experiences that constantly inspire me.

3. What were the greatest difficulties you experienced as a young TEFL teacher, and what made you decide to build the College?

Lack of support from colleagues and limited in-class experience prior to actually having a teaching job. Part of the reason to build a college like we have today is based on these two things. I wanted to make sure students had the ability to learn how to teach by actually teaching and not just listening to someone telling them how to do it.

4. What made you choose Austria as the place for yourself and the College?

Well, just look at it, do you know a more beautiful place? Joking aside, the people and the education system really provided the ideal location. With a changing national curriculum making project work compulsory and a greater focus on CLT and in particular speaking and listening competences, the education system needed something like this to support regular teaching.

5. What kind of support do you provide for College students today that you wish you had had?

The opportunity to teach and reflect on their teaching through a variety of observations. Through observing more experienced teachers, observing peers, being observed by more experienced teachers and observing themselves through video, observation becomes very common place and isn’t this big scary event that it usually is on training courses.

6. What is the best feedback you have had so far about the College?

This is a pre-service teaching certificate on steroids! Student teachers finish their time at the College better prepared for the realities of teaching than any other course I have seen.

7. What inspires you a day-to-day basis as Academic Director?

The hard work and passion of the staff around me.

8. What are the main qualities you want in an applicant (new member of staff or aspiring teacher)?

Commitment and flexibility. Teaching is a hands-on profession involving people not equipment. Things change, learners change, circumstances change. I want people who understand this and can quickly react to situations to make the best out of them.

9. What do you believe are the greatest challenges and opportunities for educational systems today, and what is the College’s role in a greater context?

Profit-making companies and politicians with short term goals based on money and personal ambition. Education at schools is about nothing else other than what is best for the learner. Too often different organisations don’t work together because they want to protect their little “patch”. I see the College’s role as bringing different organisations together so that we can help in improving the quality of education by assisting both learners and teachers.

10. How would you like each student to describe their time at the College after they graduated?

Life changing.

The Beginning: TEFL-YL Program

Caitlin — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Check out the beginning of our TEFL-YL Program and see what you could be doing in your first couple of weeks at the English Teacher Training College!

The Call to Adventure

Caitlin — Fri, 26 May 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Amelia Earhart – ‘When a great adventure is offered, you don’t refuse it’.

When I applied to the Winter 2017 CertTESOL course, the word ‘adventure’ was appropriate for my overall feelings of what lay ahead. Looking back, my experiences reflect Joseph Campbell’s concepts of the ‘Hero’s Journey’ and the ‘Call to Adventure’. In essence this refers to when a person, living their normal life, suddenly receive an invitation or information which acts as a call to head into the unknown. To offer some perspective, I graduated in July 2016 with a BA (Hons) degree in History from Queen’s University Belfast. Like many graduates, I was stuck in this awkward limbo, unsure where the next chapter of my life would unfold. Looking back on it now, the day I stumbled upon the English Teacher Training College and their CertTESOL course on the Guardian jobs website was a blessing. This was my ‘Call to Adventure’.

Prior to beginning the course I had limited teaching experience. As a result of this, it is fair to say that when I first entered an Austrian classroom, I was a bag of nerves. Unlike other TEFL organisations, one of the key benefits of the CertTESOL course offered by the College is the sheer degree of classroom experience you gain during the four month course. By April 2017 I had taught in fifteen different Austrian schools, and acquired 316 hours of teaching experience. To put it simply, you will be a teacher by the end of this course, and you will have the credentials to back this up. Whilst progressing through the course, the feeling of fear when entering a new classroom on a Monday morning had gradually subsided to a feeling of excitement and anticipation, as my confidence in the classroom increased. One of my favourite aspects of teaching was building rapport with my students. If I’ve learned anything from Austrian students, they love three things; bottle flips, selfies, and pink fluffy unicorns. If you have done the course, you know what I mean.

The program is challenging. It is intense. However, from my perspective, the intensity of both teaching in the classroom alongside working towards the CertTESOL qualification only helped to develop my character as both a person and a teacher. When you are waking up at 5am in the morning, travelling to schools, teaching, returning to campus for input sessions, and then working on lessons plans and assignments, you have to grow certain character virtues. Perseverance, discipline, creativity, courage, and leadership are just a few of the personal characteristics I enhanced thanks to my time in Austria.

One of the main reasons I enjoyed my time in Austria, and successfully completed the course is thanks to the people I met along the journey. Whether it was my fellow student-teachers, course tutors, or specific people working within the English Teacher Training College itself, they all had a positive impact on my time in Austria, helping me along the way. Although it sounds cheesy, the people you will meet during your time in Austria will become like a big extended family. Moreover, although a lot of work is involved, I was also fortunate enough to travel to various cities and places throughout Austria and even Germany in my free time. I visited Hallstatt, Salzburg, Gmunden, Passau, and Vienna, to name a few.

My time in Austria is something I will never regret. The people I met, the places I saw, and the memories I made will be something I will always cherish. Again it may sound clichéd, but a piece of my heart will always remain in Austria. To those thinking about applying, DO IT. Accept the ‘Call to Adventure’. You won’t regret it.

Are you ready to answer your 'call to adventure'? Learn more about our TEFL-YL Program

Written by former Student Teacher, Shannon Melaugh

Recommended by the Austrian Ministry of Education

Caitlin — Fri, 19 May 2017 10:00:00 +0000

We are very pleased to have been recommended by the Bundesministerium für Bildung - Austrian Ministry of Education - on their official website. The English Teacher Training College’s Bilingual Classroom Initiative (ABCi) was founded in 2011 with the goal of reaching every schoolchild in Austria with a free, fun and interactive English project by the year 2020. The organisation president, Mr. Frank Carle, is a former Fulbright Teaching Assistant who loved teaching in Austrian schools so much that he thought of a way to improve the school system and integrate English project work into the curriculum and deliver it in a fun and engaging way.

Project Work

Project Work is the Austrian school system’s way of incorporating active learning methodologies into their curriculum. Schools select week during the semester to focus on a subject they really love and learn more about it in a hands-on way, rather through a textbooks and exams. Project Work must fit seven important criteria, which are as follows: reflects the interests of the participants, self-organisation and self-responsibility, aimed at a specific goal, interdisciplinary, increases social competence, has a positive impact on the larger community and incorporates all the senses. So where does ABCi fit in?

ABCi English Projects

The Bilingual Classroom Initiative offers Outreach English Projects and Member English Projects to Austrian schools in order to deliver native taught English lessons to Austrian schools. Outreach English Projects are free half-day or day long projects where our native speaking Senior and Student Teachers take over a school for a day and play games, sing songs, do sports and more – all in English of course! It is our goal to reach every school with one of these by the year 2020. Member English Projects are a way that parents and schools can support us by booking weeklong projects where ABCi comes and creates an active learning, immersive English environment for a week culminating in an exciting performance! Senior Teachers also support teachers by offering free CLIL seminars to teachers of any subject who are interested in the interdisciplinary use of English in their classroom.

The Bilingual Classroom Initiative has always been committed to working closely with the Austrian Ministry of Education to adhere to its guidelines and offer a program that is the most beneficial to the schools, children and community. We are honoured to be recommended on their website and look forward to continuing to serve the school system.

Are you interested in working with our Bilingual Classroom Initiative to offer fun, interactive English lessons to school children in Austria? Check out our TEFL-YL Program.

Day in the Life of a Student Teacher

Caitlin — Fri, 12 May 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Follow Student Teachers Shannon and Luke from the Pressbaum campus to school and even to Vienna for some fun after a busy day with the English Teacher Training College!

Presenting English as a Living Language

Caitlin — Fri, 05 May 2017 13:24:52 +0000

One of your main challenges as an EFL teacher is presenting English as a living language. By living language we mean a way of communicating, the doorway to a new culture and a bridge to connect gaps in our understanding of this world we all share. Most students of English will only know English as a dry subject in a textbook. Students may know aspects of English and American pop culture, but may not be able to draw any connections to the language they learn in school. As an EFL teacher, you can really engage your students in their learning by making English useful to their everyday lives as well as a means to achieve greater goals

Relate to Culture and People
One way to present English as a living language is to relate English to the people and cultures who speak it. Present your students lessons on American, Australian or Irish culture. Talk about the history of the English language and how it spread across two oceans. Play a game of cricket, watch some Irish dancing or sport your kilt in the classroom. Who are the type of people who speak English on a daily basis and what do their lives look like? What are their interests?

Talk about Pop Culture and Media
One way to create an instant connection with your students is to associate the English language with pop culture and media from English speaking countries. Young people are much more likely to know about One Direction than the six wives of Henry VIII or their favourite football club than the royal family. Elicit movies, shows and celebrities your students know which come from English speaking countries. Your students may not realize Disney is an American company or the Beatles come from Liverpool. Once you draw these connections, you can use what they already know to relate to the English language and culture.

Role play, role play, role play
Role plays are a great way to present functional language, that is, language used in real life scenarios. More often than not, a student’s use of the English language extends to writing two page essays about what he or she did over the weekend – not so useful for everyday life. Have your students set up a restaurant, one student can play the waiter, the other the guest. Maybe your students are going to the mall. What different types of shops would they visit? What questions would they need to ask the employees? Have your students create their own roleplays as well, this way they will practice exactly the English they feel is useful to them,

Sing songs, play games, do sports

This is pretty self-explanatory. Get your students out of their seats and using English in fun and interactive activities. Build vocabulary with a catchy tune students cannot get out of their head. Play a game in English, so English suddenly becomes their means to reach the other side of the game board and win that piece of candy. Play sports in English so students realize that English is a language that they can do anything in. The more your students use English in exciting real-life scenarios, the more they will see English as an asset and learning English as an endeavour worth taking on.

Let us know in the comments what methods you use to present English as a living language to your students!

Why You Should Spend Your Summer in Austria

Caitlin — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 13:57:08 +0000

There are many great reasons to visit Austria all year round, but we have compiled a list of five reasons why summer is one of the best times to visit Austria! Where will you be planning your next summer holiday?

1. The Weather

If your idea of summer is hot and sunny, then look no further! Austrian summers have gorgeous weather and clear blue skies that support an endless number of outdoor activities. The temperature tends to be in the range of mid-20s to high-30s Celsius (80s-90s Fahrenheit), cooling off slightly in the evening. Most of the rain will have subsided with the end of spring so humidity is not an issue. The days are long as well, with the sun setting at 9 o’clock on the summer solstice – Don’t forget your sunscreen!

2. The Mountains

There’s nothing more Austrian than spending your Sunday hiking up a mountain trail with your family. With the spectacular mountain scenery Austria has to offer, it’s not difficult to see why. Mountains are visible across country, the most familiar – and surely the most grand - being the Austrian Alps. From Vienna’s Kahlenberg with its beautiful vineyards to Traunstein, noted for its treacherous passes - There’s a trail for everyone. If you’re not a fan of hiking, you can enjoy the mountain landscapes on scenic drives through the countryside or by hopping on a cable car. Make sure to stop at the Gasthaus for some traditional Austrian schnapps!

3. The River and Lakes

Despite not being on at the coast, you are never far from water in Austria. If you are in the city on a hot summer’s day and wondering where everyone is – They are at the Danube. The Danube (Donau in German) is a river which courses through Central Europe and empties into the Black Sea, is the spot to be to cool off in the summer. The manmade Donauninsel (Danube Island) offers boardwalk-like attractions including strand bars, music, an outdoor trampoline park and plenty of green space for picnis! If you are in the west of the country, no need to fret – There are several idyllic lakes to satisfy your swimming and lounging needs. Try Zell am See for its gorgeous scenery or the Traunsee if you want to witness Austria’s floating castle!

4. The City

If you are not a nature lover, there is still plenty to see in Austria. A country with a truly imperial past, its capital is fit for a king – or better yet – a Kaiser. Vienna offers an abundance of tourist attractions such St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg Palace and the Imperial Zoo. Vienna is one of the safest cities in Europe and frequently voted the most liveable city in the world! If you are a Sound of Music fan you will definitely want to check out Salzburg as well. Quaint and full of traditional Austrian architecture and culture, Salzburg is just as alive with the sound of music as the hills which surround it.

5. The Events

Austria is never short on things to do. On top of the mountains, lakes and city sights, there are frequently festivals and events taking place across the country. From outdoor movie viewings to free museum days (first Sunday of the month in Vienna), many of these events won’t cost you a dime. There is also plenty of nightlife and music events for those who love to dance. Mark the Donauinselfest on your calendar at the end of June – It’s Europe’s largest free open-air music festival boasting top-billed musicians. Arrive early to secure your spot at the front of the stage!

Want to spend your summer in Austria? Receive a scholarship to teach with a non-profit and earn an internationally recognized TEFL qualification! Apply here.

Our Spring Course 2017 Is Underway!

Caitlin — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 13:52:34 +0000

On Tuesday, April 18^th, we welcomed 60 new Student Teachers to our Trinity CertTESOL and Cambridge CELT-P course. This is our largest intake to date and we are ready to start off the Spring Course with a bang!

Over the next 15 weeks, these Student Teachers will be earning over 220 hours of classroom experience in real Austrian classrooms as well as the world-renowned Trinity CertTESOL or Cambridge CELT-P qualification. These Student Teachers will work with the College’s Bilingual Classroom Initiative (ABCi) in its aim to reach every child in Austria with a free, fun and interactive English project by the year 2020!

We hope these Student Teachers are ready to explore Austria, teach English and make friends and memories that will last a lifetime – We are wishing them the best of luck! 😊

Through Thick and Thin: Graduation Winter Course 2017

Caitlin — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 12:09:53 +0000

We enjoyed a wonderful luncheon and Graduation Ceremony yesterday, April 13th 2017, at Restaurant Schloss Hochhaus in Vorchdorf. Wonderful food and conversation were shared amongst staff and Student Teachers (now fully-fledged EFL teachers) as well as tearful goodbyes. Student Teacher Superlatives included "most fashionably late but always fashionable" and "loudest snorer". Surprise Course Tutor Superlatives, thanks to our Pressbaum Student Teachers, included "most likely to get your attention by yelling "Repeat After Me"" and "most likely to receive applause for walking into a restaurant".

Please join us in congratulating the new Trinity College London CertTESOL and Cambridge University CELT-P Graduates! Best wishes for the future!

To learn how you can join our teacher training program and teach, study and travel in Austria while earning subsidised TEFL qualifications and helping children, please visit our homepage at https://www.english-teacher-college.at/

Can You Improve a School System?

Caitlin — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 15:06:54 +0000

YES! As a Student Teacher you have the opportunity to help children learn English while making meaningful contributions to an entire education system. Student Teachers gain an internationally recognized teaching qualification, the Trinity CertTESOL or Cambridge CELT-P, and over 220 hours of practical teaching experience – But we often hear about the intangible rewards being the most motivating, such as making a difference in the lives of children. Read about the ways becoming a Student Teacher and acting as a cultural ambassador brings value to the local community and works towards the bigger picture.

The Students
As part of your teaching practice, you assist the College in its mission to reach every child in Austria with a free, fun and interactive English project by the year 2020. The College’s associated Bilingual Classroom Initiative (ABCi) works with the Austrian education system to bring native speaking teachers from the English speaking world into Austrian classrooms to share their language and culture in an exciting and engaging environment – And the children love it! Our active learning curriculum, which includes singing songs, playing games and drama, engages the children in language learning and puts the focus on them. They are out of their seats moving around and growing their confidence and self-esteem. Their classroom teachers will often comment how students who are typically shy and reserved blossom in this new environment. Student Teachers form bonds with each unique student. Each class leaves a lasting impression and teaches you something new about being a teacher.

The Teachers
When Student Teachers are in the classrooms teaching our active learning curriculum, this is a great opportunity for Austrian teachers to observe non-traditional teaching methods, such as game based learning, in action. Being a teacher is all about growing and developing your techniques and we are privileged to work with a school system where teachers are open to learning new methods and ways of delivering their lessons. Our Course Tutors (Teacher Trainers) offer in-school CLIL seminars to teachers who are interested in using more English while teaching their respective subjects. The support doesn’t end there, we also offer English assistance for teachers via email as well as access to our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), an online classroom where their students can interact with us and continue developing their English skills with a native speaker.

The Community
At the end of the week the children put on a performance of all the new things they have learned throughout the week – all in English of course! Families, friends and representatives from the local community are invited to attend. Local small business often support the projects by sponsoring students to participate (assisting in the payment of the €100 membership fee due to our structure as an Austrian non-profit.) The organisation also has larger sponsors who recognize the powerful positive impact our work has and support us through donations and partnerships.

The Future
The English Teacher Training College plans to continue our goal of reaching every school child in Austria by the year 2020. Last year alone we worked with 80,000 schoolchildren and are well on our way to meet our goal. In the meantime we will also be heading into neighbouring countries and giving more children than ever before the opportunity to learn language and culture from a native speaker.

Education is the Great Equalizer and everyone should have the opportunity to learn skills that will better their future prospects. Not only is language learning a valuable academic pursuit, but it is the means to discover a new culture, bridge gaps, and communicate with people you were not able to communicate with before. This deeper cross-cultural understanding is vital for our continuously globalizing world.

Written by Caitlin Fitzgibbon, Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator

Austrian Culture Shock: Top Ten Differences Between Austria, Britain and America

Frank — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 06:52:29 +0000

1. People Will Stare at You
In Britain and America, openly staring at someone is considered rude, but in Austria it seems to be quite normal. Whether someone is admiring your outfit, or just likes the way you look, expect to be stared at - particularly on public transport and if you're wearing anything unusual. We find a friendly smile soon makes the person staring feel uncomfortable and look away. Apparently staring is okay, but smiling back is frowned upon? We're still trying to figure it out...

2. Amazing Public Transport
The public transportation systems in Austria are simple, cost effective, and efficient, and make the initial disorientation that comes with a new move less intimidating. Buses and subways provide transportation within cities, while trains and airplanes offer efficient transportation from one city to another. The idea of living without a car may seem shocking for those who come from a culture where most people own vehicles, but it is entirely possible to live in Austria and never own a vehicle. The cities are pedestrian- and biker-friendly, and this makes it easy to get groceries, travel to work, or meet with friends sans automobile. That said, a car offers you the ability to go anywhere at any time and with most of Europe just a day-trip away, that's a tempting idea. If an expat living in the city decides to purchase a vehicle, it will be important to consider the availability of parking near their home. Many apartments come with a designated parking spot, while others only offer parking on the street.

3. They Love to Smoke Inside
In theory, Austria has a smoking ban. However, Austria’s smoking ban is much more relaxed than most other western countries. It is still possible to smoke in many restaurants, bars, cafes, clubs and even offices. For non-smoking Brits or Americans, the often very public smoking seems like something out of the 1950s. It's a strange experience to return home from a smoke-filled bar to find that your clothes reek. Austrians will also light up at train station platforms, and after a couple of drinks the underground stations can become smoking zones too. Austrians have a sort of live and let live pragmatism about life and they just don’t seem to take the ban as seriously as we do.

4. Formal Titles and Greetings in Austria
For a laid-back American (or an even more laid-back Australian) Austrians can seem rather formal at times. Austrian people appreciate personal titles (such as Dr, Mag, Herr, Frau), and it is polite to use someone's title when emailing them, addressing them in person, or introducing them to someone else. Colleagues often shake hands when greeting one another and again when they leave. If an expat is uncertain about what to do, it is safest to wait for the other party to extend their hand first. Close friends often kiss when greeting one another and departing. Typically, women will kiss other women, men and women will kiss, but men just shake hands with other men.

5. Political Incorrectness
Austrians are often "politically incorrect" from the perspective of an American or Brit. Perhaps because the US and Britain have such long histories of inward migration, the words German-speakers use can seem outdated to us. For example, Austrian citizens whose parents or even grandparents came from Turkey are still often referred to simply as "Turks" rather than Austrians. And Americans who find costumes like "Red Indian" and blackface offensive may also be surprised to find these readily available in fancy dress shops in Austria, where people might not understand the cultural significance. You’ll also notice some politically incorrect names on menus - such as the popular dessert Mohr im Hemd (a delicious chocolate pudding served with cream which is known as a “moor in a shirt”).

6. Austrians are very direct
Some cultures wind everything they say into convoluted sentences full of "compliment sandwiches", for fear of being thought rude. Austrians tend to cut the small talk, and say it straight. “Pass the salt” will do nicely and won’t come across as impolite. And it’s not just trivial conversation either. You can meet someone in a bar, and rather than exchanging niceties, the first question will be: “So why did you Brits vote for Brexit?” It may take time to get used to it, but you do eventually realize it’s not impolite. In fact, you'll soon find it saves time!

7. Food and Shopping or "Why is everything closed on Sunday?"
While grocery stores provide a wide variety of foods, spices, and fresh produce, expats may nonetheless encounter a few surprises when initially perusing the shelves for their favourite tastes of home, and it’s best to be prepared for the country’s little idiosyncrasies. Pre-packaged foods are not as readily available as in some countries, and organic milk, cheese, and produce are labelled with the word "Bio” – these can be purchased at most stores for reasonable prices. Most shockingly for new arrivals, many stores are closed after 7pm and closed on Sundays, so it is important to plan grocery shopping accordingly. At first, this is hard to get used to. But after a bit, you start to enjoy the fact that there is one day without any sort of commerce or business to do. Additionally, many grocery stores and some smaller shops are just now starting to accept credit cards or bank cards, but it is most common and most efficient to pay with cash.

8. Eating Out and Tipping
When it comes to eating out in Austria, tipping for drinks and meals is common, but the tips are small. When the waiter or waitress presents the bill, patrons decide on how much to tip them at that time. Usually, diners just round up to the next full Euro. A normal 15% American tip from a tourist can often be the high point of a waiter's day.

9. Language barrier in Austria
The language barrier might well prove to be the greatest challenge facing expats moving to Austria. The official language of Austria is German; however, Austrian German differs greatly from what is spoken north and east of the border and is full of regional particularities. Learning some basic words and phrases – or even better, enrolling in a language class – will help expats with integrated into the culture; especially since Austrians are famous for starting up conversations with strangers on the street or in train compartments. While many Austrians know some English, they often hesitate to speak English unless it is necessary for foreigners to communicate with them. However, expats will be relieved to know that English is widely spoken in the business world in Austria, especially in the larger urban centres.

10. The Catholic Country
As is made clear by the churches, shrines and cruxfices that one sees every couple kilometers, Austria is very much a Catholic country. Austria has a long tradition of both Catholic and other Christian groups and that history is integrated fully into everyday life to the point where nearly all of the public holidays in Austria are actually religious holidays. However, it might not be "catholic" in the way that one from America or Britain expects. For example, it is not uncommon to find a brothel down the street from the local church - now that's something that takes time to get used to!

Written by English Teacher Training College President, Frank Carle

Pressbaum Campus Tour

Caitlin — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 11:35:24 +0000

Catch a glimpse of our Pressbaum campus in the winter! Visit https://www.english-teacher-college.at/ to find out how you can teach, travel and study in Austria with a non-profit and make a difference in the lives of children.

Is It Too Good to Be True?

Caitlin — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:38:58 +0000

When you apply for a scholarship to teach, study and travel with the English Teacher Training College, you are applying for a €10,000 value! Your scholarship covers your participation in the program as well as your qualifications (already a €4,000 value!) But what else is included...? Let's take a look!

So what exactly do you receive?

Free Accommodation

You will receive a bed in one of our shared accommodations. The CertTESOL Student Teachers split their time between our two campuses – Pressbaum (next to Vienna) and Vorchdorf (near Linz). The Pressbaum campus has dormitory style accommodation while the Vorchdorf campus has a converted flat. The CELT-P’s are based out of newly opened Wolfsberg campus. Amenities (save beds) are shared among participants. Each Student Teacher can expect access to a kitchen, a study area/desk space, WiFi, wardrobe space to store clothes/belongings, a bathroom (with shower and sink), a toilet (and toilet paper), a washing machine, basic cleaning supplies and your own bed and bedding in a room with members of the same gender. Here is a link to a YouTube video of the Vorchdorf flat. (NOTE: The accommodation is provided for the ease and benefit of the participants; however, Student Teachers are not required to live in the accommodation and may find alternate housing.)

Basic Food Supplies

Student Teachers will also receive basic food supplies delivered to the flat on a monthly basis. This typically includes fruit, fresh and frozen vegetables, rice, pasta, sauce, milk, cereal, coffee, tea, Nutella, etc... The Welfare Team can amend the monthly shop if they receive feedback from the Student Teachers (e.g. more Nutella, less rice.) FULL LIST COMING SOON.

Teaching Materials

Have you ever seen one of our Student Teachers sporting a nifty polo and carrying an embellished over the shoulder bag? Well, you will receive TWO polo shirts and a bag stuffed with teaching supplies. Each bag includes: a flag from your country, a die, masking tape, hand sanitizer, magnets, a whiteboard marker, a beanbag, a whistle, and plenty of flashcards! (NOTE: The bag and shirt are on loan for the duration of the course. Student Teachers are asked to pay a deposit that is returned upon return of the materials.)

Course Related Transportation

Thanks to our generous sponsors, the English Teacher Training College boasts a fleet of cars. Each car is painted white and sports the flag of an English speaking country. These cars act as our main mode of transportation to and from schools across the country. Every morning you and your cohort of Student Teachers will be picked up from campus by your Teaching Practice Coordinator and driven to school for the day. Upon completion of the school day you will be driven back to campus. Make sure you look out the window and take in the breathtaking mountainous Austrian landscapes!

Graduation Dinner

At the end of the course, enjoy a nice dinner and drink with your fellow Student Teachers and English Teacher Training College staff. Oh, and don't forget your certificate!

What is NOT included?

Your flight and transport from the airport

Unfortunately as a non-profit organization, we do not currently have the funds to pay for plane (or train, or bus) tickets from your home to our campus. You are responsible for bringing yourself to our campus on the first day. We are happy to provide you with information on how to find us. Make sure you also budget enough money to get yourself home as well - or to your exciting new TEFL job!

€105 Membership Fee
First off... why a membership fee? The way we are structured as a non-profit in Austria (gemeinnützige Verein, ZVR: 249983245), every staff member, Student Teacher, and Austrian student becomes a member of our organization. We request that Student Teachers pay this fee as a way of committing to the course. The €100 that each Student Teacher pays goes right back into the organization to help pay for teaching materials, accommodation, and so on.

€25 Printing Free
A new addition to the student accomodations this year are brand new printers. While studying for your Trinity CertTESOL or Cambridge CELT-P, you will have plenty of lesson plans to print. These printers will allow you to print out all necessary materials at your convenience. This €25 fee will cover paper, toner, and maintenance. (You'll still responsible for planning your own lessons!)

€75 Deposit
This deposit covers your accomodation, teaching materials, and polos. Upon return of your materials (in good condition) at the end of the course, you will receive the deposit back in full.

Anything else you may require

If you require additional food, medications, and personal items or you want to travel on the weekends or eat a Schnitzel at a fancy Austrian restaurant with your new friends, make sure you budget for this! We suggest that Student Teachers budget an extra €150 for each month they participate on the course. This money will cover additional food, leisure travel, and recreational activities.

If you want to have a look at our 2016 budget, please check out this post.

€10,000 Scholarships Available to Teach, Study, and Travel in Europe

Caitlin — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 14:32:04 +0000

Participating in the TEFL-YL Program at the English Teacher Training College is so much more than earning a TEFL certification. Not only do you have the opportunity to earn TWO internationally recognized teaching qualifications, the Trinity CertTESOL and Cambridge CELT-P, you gain more than 300 hours of practical teaching experience in real Austrian classrooms. While honing your own teaching abilities, you are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of Austrian schoolchildren. In rural areas of Austria, children learn English from a textbook without ever having met a native speaker. You have the possibility to broaden the horizons of your students as you act as a cultural ambassador, sharing your language and culture while learning about theirs. This rewarding experience doesn’t just benefit you and the children, but the entire Austrian school system. The English Teacher Training College offers training for Austrian school teachers where they can learn our fun, active learning teaching methodologies and how to incorporate more English in their classroom. It’s truly a win-win-win situation!

On top of participating in this important and valuable cycle, you are truly immersing yourself in Austrian culture. Austria, the home of classical music, philosophy, and Schnitzel, boasts one of the highest qualities of life in the world. You will be travelling to various schools across the nation, experiencing both rural and city life. You will be sharing these experiences with a cohort of fellow Student Teachers. As you live, teach, study and travel together, you will form strong bonds and make friendships that last a lifetime. Along with your fellow Student Teachers, our staff is always here to support you on your journey as well.

Free accommodation, basic food, teaching materials, and course related travel within Austria all for €100. Surely, all of this is worth more? A look at our 2016 budget would show that the true cost of putting a Student Teacher through the program is €10,953. This would be a significant amount of money to ask of our participants. As part of our mission, we recruit Student Teachers based solely on academic merit and ambition, not on their ability to afford expensive course fees. As a non-profit organization, our work in the Austrian school system and donations from our generous sponsors have allowed us to subsidize nearly all of the cost. With these funds, we are able to create scholarships for determined TEFL teachers-in-the-making to join our program and embark on this life-changing global experience.

Our 2017 budget shows that we have the funds to offer these €10,953 scholarships to more Student Teachers than ever! We look forward to inviting more qualified and enthusiastic candidates to the English Teacher Training College and allowing them this once in a life time experience!

Could this be you? Apply today and begin your next adventure!

How to Be a Cultural Ambassador

Caitlin — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 13:00:00 +0000

As an EFL teacher, you often find yourself sharing not only your language with your students, but your background and experiences as well. It is important to know how and why sharing our culture improves our language teaching. Enrich your lessons by offering your students the opportunity to go further in their understanding of English. Follow these five steps and learn how to be a cultural ambassador in the classroom!

How to Fill the Role of a Cultural Ambassador:

1. Present English as a Living Language

When you share your background and experiences with your students, you present English as a living language. Oftentimes students only learn English from a textbook; it is simply another dry school subject, not a means of communication that can open the doors to unlimited possibilities. When we speak in our natural accent, or talk about dialect or slang, we present English as a way to connect with other people, a language real people speak which opens a gate to understanding new cultures.

2. Be Proud of Your Culture

Being proud of your culture and country makes a big difference in your effectiveness as a cultural ambassador. Enjoying your country’s pastimes, culinary tradition, sports and cinema or knowing about famous celebrities from your country always creates interesting discussion points for class. What being proud of your culture doesn’t mean is always agreeing with your country’s government or political leaders. Politics is a touchy subject and, as a rule, not a topic for an ESL classroom.

3. Be Knowledgeable About English Speaking Countries

How much do you know about your home country? Who were its greatest contributors to the arts or philosophy? Learn about the history of your country and how it shaped the modern society. Being able to field questions from curious students is always important to keep the lesson flowing. Be aware of other English speaking countries as well. Your students may be huge fans of US pop culture, but know very little about England and its various football clubs. Students will be interested in the range of English speaking cultures and may not be able to differentiate between them at first.

4. Be Culturally Sensitive

Showing cultural sensitivity is a vital part of being a cultural ambassador. Being a representative of your country does not mean only viewing the world through the lens of your culture. Understanding the values of other cultures and how they differ from your own is integral to leading a cultural dialogue in the classroom. You can’t go wrong by having an open mind and an understanding of the culturally diverse world we live in today.

5. Learn From Others

One way to increase your cultural sensitivity and effectiveness as a cultural ambassador is to learn about other cultures, specifically the culture of your host country. Studying the traditions, customs and religions of other cultures can help you understand the values that specific population holds and can help you communicate with that culture more effectively. Knowing about your host country’s culture will not only help you relate to your students but also connect the concepts they are learning to concepts they already understand by drawing parallels and contrasts. Keep your students engaged and interested in learning a new language by presenting it as a gateway to a new culture.

We hope these steps help you enrich your lessons and engage your students on a deeper level. Travelling the globe sharing your own culture while learning about your students' is one of the biggest benefits of being a TEFL teacher. Let us know in the comments what being a cultural ambassador means to you!

Written by Caitlin Fitzgibbon, Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator

Teach, Study and Travel: Let's Help Austrian Kids

Jürgen — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 12:40:16 +0000

Musicians came together to help the children of Austria with this catchy jingle!

The Mission of the English Teacher Training College Explained

Caitlin — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 15:18:07 +0000

APPLY TODAY: https://www.english-teacher-college.at/