Program Reviews

This course provided comfortable amenities and consistent guidance throughout the entire experience. If you are up for a bit of challenging work then this course will prepare you to be a more well-rounded teacher as well as set you in the right direction for entering the TEFL world. The teacher are very well informed and are always available to assist you with any queries you may have. As long as you don't mind early mornings and a challenging work load then this course is a good match for you. It is a good opportunity to practice speaking German with fellow colleagues and to experience life in beautiful Austria. The best part was working with over 1000 children in just a short time span. The children are always excited to start English week and they make the experience worthwhile.

I did this course in 2017 for 6 months; it was an intensive learning experience, and for someone who had never taught English before, the learning curve was steep!

The instructors were great, really passionate about what they were doing and eager to help us learn. I was lucky enough to spend two months in each campus, which allowed me to explore more of Austria and be taught by a range of instructors. I met some fantastic people on this course and gained a lot of experience teaching young learners all over beautiful Austria. This course became the perfect stepping stone for me into the TEFL world; even though it was heavy-going and tough at times (what with all the teaching and our own studies for the qualifications), it really helped prepare me for a real-world job afterwards.

The senior staff (academic/course managers and tutors) were able to offer support for a variety of issues due to their range of experiences. Course lectures were spread over a wider period than intensive one month programs which allowed more time for new information to be understood and put into practice within the classroom.

The staff were very approachable and frequently checked in with everyone on the course about day-to-day course commitments and general welfare which created a welcoming atmosphere. I felt personal problems could be frankly discussed so that solutions could be found. Some intermediary staff such as senior teachers had personality clashes with students and weren't always available for support in the school but whenever such concerns were raised, they were dealt with.

The course provided accommodation, travel and a huge amount of experience in comparison to any other 1 month TEFL course which usually provides about 10-20 hours classroom experience rather than 350+ hours. This gave me so much more confidence than other TEFL graduates seem to have after speaking to other English teachers I have since met. Due to the course length there was more opportunity for experimentation to help improve teaching skills and see the theory in practice.

Staff were always keen to recommend social activities and events whilst occasionally offering paid days out to local cities and restaurants.

CVs can be reviewed and advice given about where to look for work whilst utilising a network of schools that have previously hired graduates.

The course is tough and demanding but this definitely prepares you for your first job than rushing through a course with minimal teach experience. Teaching jobs can be very demanding so the large workload helps you to prepare for the realities of ESL employment.

I joined this course in 2017 and completed a 6 month training program.
One of the most important factors worth considering when looking at TEFL programs is how worthwhile the process will be.
The course was definitely challenging, both physically and mentally, but since graduating and working as an ESL teacher I have seen how much of a benefit my training has been compared to other teachers who have completed TEFL programs. Several of these teachers have not been properly trained to teach and have struggled massively with the standards. By comparison I found settling into my new job relatively easy and have enjoyed a relatively stress free process.
Although there was a high work load which often was stressful, the guidance provided by the academic staff was great and really provided an insight into the standards needed to be a good teacher.
Most importantly, the amount of classroom experience gained through this course was fantastic. The design of the course meant that I taught at a diverse range of schools from the middle of the Austrian countryside to right in the centre of Vienna. This provided me with an insight into how different schools vary and prepared me to be ready for a wide range of differing academic levels and behaviours.
As for the social side, I had a great time living with friends, travelling to different parts of Austria and different countries. The accommodation was lovely in Vorchdorf and Wolfsberg with large houses and plenty of space. Admittedly the Pressbaum accommodation wasn't the best but the location was beautiful and it was only a 20 minute train right to Vienna. This definitely made it worth it. It was occasionally hard to live on food vouchers and this did sometimes become problematic but more often than not I had more than I needed and even the problems became part of the fun.
I had a fantastic time during my 6 months despite any mishaps and it has been hugely beneficial to me since leaving.

Whatever your age, whatever your experience and whatever your educational past may be, this course will give you the experience and expertise to become the best EFL Teacher you can be. Gaining over 300 hours of teaching experience, living in one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, and also getting to share the incredible experience with other Student Teachers, some of whom will very quickly become life long friends, is a life-changing experience.
I arrived in Austria in February 2018 having taught EFL a handful of times, and having completed a few TEFL certificates in the UK. To say you're thrown in at the deep-end is an understatement. Teaching students within 10 days of arriving in Austria and barely having begun your studies is daunting, but there lies the beauty of project weeks. You begin a new chapter every week, and can learn and grow as a teacher from your previous weeks mistakes. You will be too harsh one week, you'll be too laid back another, you can have a class who don't have any interest in English one week, then the next you'll have students bringing in books they've written in English in their spare time the next week. Every week holds a new and exciting adventure, sure, you probably won't love every minute of it, but in hindsight you will appreciate every class you have ever taught, as in one way or another, they shaped you into the teacher you are today.
I can not recommend this program highly enough, if you're willing to work hard, want to become an EFL Teacher, or improve your Teaching skills, this course is perfect for you!

I took part part in ABCi’s August - February program in 2017-2018. I had just completed a Masters program in history, and was interested in teaching, traveling, and learning languages. The experience I had was, on the whole, fantastic. Since completion, I have been teaching ESL in China. In this time I have benefited from the experience and instruction I recieved at ABCi, and I would definitely recommend it to others.

The two aspects of the program that really set it apart are: 1) the quality of the feedback, training, and methodologies taught; and 2: the classroom experience. To the first point, the course tutors I had were consistently experienced, thoughtful, and engaging instructors. An emphasis on Task Based Learning, CLIL, and generally communicative, student-centered teaching was central to both our teacher training and the content we delivered in the classroom. The senior teachers are supportive and understanding. The overall rigor struck me as substantially higher than comparable TEFL courses with which I’m familiar, but student teachers who struggled with the coursework were well provided with support and guidance.

The impact of the training and instruction itself was greatly magnified by the opportunity to put it into practice every day in diverse classroom settings. There is no real substitute for being thrown in the classroom and teaching, and ABCi offered the support and structure to enable prospective teachers to experience this without undue stress. Teachers learn, practice, and execute day and week long immersion programs at various schools, generally working with two classes of students (each for half the school day). The vast majority of students are eager and intrinsically motivated to develop their English, all the more so given the dynamic teaching style fostered by the organization. While the first few weeks are, invariably, quite rough for many, the benefits of plunging into the classroom and learning how to manage, engage, and instruct students soon become clear.

Among the greatest appeals of learning to teach in this manner is the broad range of classroom environments one encounters. Over my time with ABCi, I taught students from kinder to high school ages and from low A1 to high B2 CEFR levels. I taught in rural, urban, and alpine environments, in schools in Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. In the space of two weeks, I went from teaching in an isolated mountain town in Carinthia -- where students and teachers spoke a highly localized dialect of Southern Austro-Bavarian, hardly intelligible to outsiders-- to an urban Polytechnische Schule with immigrants whose first languages ranged from Serbian to Dari.

I lived at all three campuses, and found the accommodations largely satisfactory. At the outset of my time there some logistical issues regarding food vouchers occured, though these were ultimately resolved. Each location offers fantastic opportunities to travel independently on top of what you do in going from school to school. The communal spaces will, ultimately, be what you and your fellow teachers make of them. The vast majority of Austrians I met were incredibly welcoming, and each location offers unique opportunities to experience different aspects of local Austrian culture, from Krampus and Christmas Markets to Fasching. Even waking up at the crack of dawn to drive to some far-off school is made considerably more agreeable by the consistently breathtaking landscapes one gets to see at sunrise.
The course is by no means a breeze. Teaching a full school day, then attending input sessions, and finally settling down to attend to coursework can all add up-- particularly if you don’t manage your time well. You will no doubt frequently avail yourself of the coffee and pastries generously offered in most Austrian faculty rooms. But you will also find ample support from your course-tutors, senior teachers, and ofcourse your fellow student-teachers, who will all be in the same boat.

In short, if your interested in rigorous teacher training, extensive and varied classroom experience, and the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture and scenery of Austria, I would strongly recommend this program.

Living and working in Austria during this 6 month program was such an amazing experience. I learnt so much and really enjoyed every minute of it.

I found all the accommodations perfectly suited to the purpose of this program - to train teachers to teach, while giving student teachers the chance to practice what you learn and implement it in your classrooms.

Depending on when you are there (I was there from Jan - June) there are so many holidays that make traveling all around Austria (and beyond, we went to Budapest) possible (budget extra for this, you'll really want to be able to make use of your days off!).

I do however want to note that this is not exactly a holiday - you will work hard, you will wake up early and if you don't plan your time correctly, you'll be planning lessons over the weekends too.

This course is comparable to a boot camp for English teachers!! By the end of it, you will have an incredible amount of experience teaching and organizing classes of different backgrounds, language levels and sizes. Teaching as well as studying allows you to put into practice the teaching theory you are learning while it is fresh in your mind, living with other student teachers means you have peers with whom to share ideas, good days and bad days.

Being involved in organizing the dramas and running end of project performances helps develop public speaking skills, creativity and your confidence of self.

With the confidence that develops after up to 400 hours of experience in the classroom and the familiarity that 1000s of hours talking about teaching with your peers brings, any interviews you have thereafter will be a mere formality.

The course was very intensive but during my 6 months completing the course, I was still able to make time for my son and work on most weekends. Many of the people studied for online courses in the evenings and visited the surrounding countries during time off. Though through travvelling around austria

By far the hardest thing about the course is saying goodbye your peers!!

I cannot recommend this course enough for people that are looking to improve their teaching or are starting out as a teacher.

Not much can match GET's ability to prepare you for teaching. No TEFL courses, teacher assistant roles, even teaching degrees fall short in some areas compared to what GET provides.
Admittedly that means it's damn tough. If it's the same as when I went in February-June of 2018, it will mean going near immediately into teaching, almost completely independently. The magic however lies in that you teach at a new school every week.
So that time you froze up and had to find your senior teacher to bale you out, while you contemplated your decision to travel to Austria of all places? Finished, new week, let's go.
That time you tripped in class and landed on your face (not just metaphorically) losing the respect of your students for the rest of the week? Finished, new week, let's go.
That time you had to teach a class that was so badly behaved your throat was hoarse and you spent your breaks staring into the abyss? Finished, new week, let's go.

There will be bad classes, there will be amazing classes you are sad to see go, you will fail, and you will find ways of teaching something new that you hold on to for the rest of your career.
And after every day and every week of teaching, you have an amazing group of peers from all over the world to come home to. And they will not be leaving you. I met some of the best people I have ever met in my life, and I'm often sad it ended at all.

Don't expect an easy time, but do expect one of the best times of your life.
Work hard, voice your opinion, be kind.

Teaching English in Austria was one of the best experiences of my life!
I encourage you to embark on this adventure if you:
• Are an ambitious and hard-working person
• Want to spend 5-6 months in Austria- through the winter, spring and into summer
• Want to gain amazing Cert TESOL qualification/s- without the added cost
• Are willing to be paid in accommodation, food vouchers (which cover most of your food costs), world renowned Cert TESOL qualification/s and the joy of teaching
• Are willing to wake up at 6AM and be active until at least 9 or 10PM
Typical daily schedule:
6AM: Wake up
6.30-8: Travel to school
8-2PM: Teach lessons to Austrian children
2-3.30: Travel back home
4-5.30: Cert TESOL teaching seminars
5.30-6.30: Cook dinner, eat
6.30-8: Complete assignments
8-10: Relax, hang out with the other student teachers
REPEAT!
Weekends: Explore Austria with your fellow student teachers, catch up on assignments

Attending this college and gaining excellent teaching experience and qualifications, has aided me greatly in successfully gaining employment. During the last month of the course I was successful in several interviews and was able to choose where I wanted to venture to next.