What inspired you to join the team at GET Academy?
I love the work that the GET Academy does. It is a multi-faceted and dynamic organization that informs the way teachers in Austria approach language education. The English projects are informed by contemporary research about how student learn. As such, many of the lessons in a project will be task-based and aimed to create authentic contexts for the students’ language use. The staff that I get to work with at the GET Academy are also infinitely inspiring and make working here a joy!
Can you tell us about your role as the Director of Studies?
In my role as Director of Studies, I am responsible for overseeing the teacher training program we run at GET Academy. Our three to four month TEFL (Trinity CertTESOL) Program is a well established, vocational training program that places new teachers in real Austrian classrooms. The purpose of the program is to provide lots of practical classroom experience to support the theories our student teachers learn in the teacher training sessions.
In this context, I aim to provide the best support and learning experiences possible for our student teachers by ensuring that our training team is ready for all the challenges that this intensive and rewarding program brings.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favourite part of the job is the teaching! I really enjoy creating lessons (both for EFL students and student teachers alike) that are engaging, informative, and leave the students walking away feeling like they have benefited from the lesson.
Why should individuals choose GET Academy?
The GET Academy offers a teacher training experience like no other. The sheer amount of teaching experience that our student teachers leave with - in addition to two teaching qualifications - is not offered anywhere else in the world for pre-service teachers of TESOL.
Our graduates are preferred by employers in the industry because they have a deep understanding of TESOL methodology and the practical skills to run successful classrooms.
What lessons are essential in successful teacher training programs?
The essential aspects of successful teacher training programs is a well balanced combination of theory and practical experience. Student teachers on our program benefit from being able to implement theoretical knowledge studied in the training room in real classrooms with real students the very next day! This ensures that acquired knowledge is quickly proceduralized and becomes part of the teaching toolkit for life!
How do your own experiences of traveling the world as a TEFL teacher influence your current work?
I think that because I have worked in the TEFL industry in a number of countries it helps me keep goals for our student teachers in mind. I want to ensure that the training that our student teachers receive here at the GET Academy really do prepare them, both academically and practically, for the challenges of entering the industry and finding their first teaching post in the country of their choice. My past experiences as a TEFL teacher have informed the way we provide ongoing support for our student teachers to transition from student to employee.
Why is it essential to get trained before teaching English abroad?
First and foremost is that employers around the world now expect an initial qualification in TEFL/TESOL. In an industry that was largely unregulated for a number of years, standards are improving and competition to secure a desired teaching post is increasing. Further, it is imperative that EFL teachers are informed about their subject area and clear on the pedagogical principles that will help their learners learn. It is not enough to put a native-speaker in a classroom and hope that the student will magically learn. For best student outcomes, there needs to be clear objectives to each lesson that are supported by sound, methodical teaching.
What does meaningful travel mean to you? And how is teaching English abroad a good tool for meaningful travel?
Meaningful travel is about contributing to the places you visit. As people around the world aim to improve their level of English, teaching EFL is a great way to contribute. Teachers of EFL can volunteer at community projects, engage in work exchanges, or take up paid positions. There are almost unlimited opportunities for contributing using your teaching skills.
Describe your ideal GET Academy participant.
The ideal GET Academy participant is someone who is ready for a challenge. The days on the training program can be long and mentally draining, but the nature of the program means that course participants learn a lot! Participants who are passionate about teaching and looking to learn about the most contemporary methods for teaching EFL do very well on the program. Overall, a can-do attitude and a willingness to let the experience guide you will set any participant up for success.
What hopes do you have for the future of GET Academy?
We have a range of great new products being launched this year. Sport-summer camps, after-school English clubs, and business English packages are all helping to diversify our reach in the Austrian market. I would like to see the GET Academy become even more influential in best-practice teaching in these areas as I really believe that our communicative, task-based approach to language teaching is the most effective way to build our students communicative competence and make them better English speakers!
