  |
||||||
|
|
Want to live abroad? Are you a U.S. college senior/recent grad or a current university student in the UK? Consider Austria's English Language Teaching Assistantship.
Each year, the Austrian Ministry of Education, Art, and Culture places native speakers of English in high school-age classrooms to lead conversation, help teachers, and give lessons about the English-speaking world. Typically, English Language Teaching Assistants (TAs) are assigned to two schools (in some cases one or on rare occasion three), and must spend a specific number of hours in the classroom per week (twelve for US assistants, fifteen for UK assistants). Each TA receives a monthly salary of about 1200 Euro, from which taxes (which go toward federally mandated health insurance) are deducted. Applying to Teach in Austria U.S. college seniors can apply through the Austrian-American Educational Commission/Fulbright Commission and must write a personal statement, supply at least two letters of recommendation, and provide some sort of proof that they can speak German. UK students must supply a recommendation and a CV, and can apply through the British Council and their home university. The Austrian Ministry of Education also has a form that all prospective language assistants need to complete in order to be considered. Application deadlines vary depending on the TA’s home country, so see the Fulbright and British Council websites for more details. Preparation for Language Assistants upon Arrival AbroadAt the beginning of each year, the assistants take part in a week-long seminar, either in the southeastern city of Graz or the western mountain village of Hinterglemm, depending on which region a TA has been assigned to. During this week, the assistants learn about the Austrian school system, tips for teaching, and activities and strategies to use in the classroom. TAs must also prepare and present a brief lesson to their colleagues (acting as Austrian “students”), and each assistant receives constructive feedback on the presentation. Inside the Austrian ClassroomSo what happens once the assistants leave the supportive environment of the seminar and set foot in the real classroom? Each English teacher has her own style, so TAs have to be flexible as far as lesson planning goes. In some classes, assistants will serve simply as a "human dictionary" (which, of course, is not supposed to be the TAs’ sole job). More often, however, Austrian students will benefit from a lesson taught entirely by the assistant, with the teacher hanging out in the back of the classroom to observe and contribute occasionally to the discussion. A Rewarding Teaching ExperienceIf you are looking for an exciting year abroad, where you will learn about Austrian culture and gain new perspectives on your own culture, have a great deal of independence, and live in a beautiful country, the English Language Teaching Assistantship in Austria may be just right for you.
The copyright of the article Teach English in Austria in Teaching Abroad is owned by Suzanne Swartz. Permission to republish Teach English in Austria in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|||||
|
|
||||||
