“The greatest part of being a teacher is without a doubt the feeling that comes when your students succeed…I will always look back on this experience with pride and fondness—especially when I think about those students whose teacher I was lucky enough to be.”
—Mitch MacDonald, CET 2021-2023
English is the language of business, tourism, media and so much more. Native speakers are in high demand as teachers of English and have the advantage of natural grammar and vocabulary. Lutheran schools in Central Europe have partnered with the ELCA to bring native speakers of English into their classrooms to boost the confidence of students and provide cultural exchange.
Central Europe Teachers works with high schools in Slovakia, most of which have bilingual programs; several have elementary or middle school programs as well. Native speakers teach conversation and culture; some teach literature, grammar, religion or other subject areas in English. Teaching may include preparing for the intense school-leaving exam, Maturita, on the C1 level. This follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and is the level before native speech on the 6-level scale. Students usually begin high school at the high A2 or low B1 level (levels 2 and 3 respectively on the CEFR scale), so it is quite an accomplishment to improve that significantly.
Teaching 18-22 hours a week in classes of 12-18 students, teachers need to be creative, flexible and prepared to assume heavy demands of time and energy. Teachers can help students develop language and other skills that will enable them to move forward in their chosen careers and to serve their church or society.
Trained teachers or those who want to explore teaching can practice in a novel environment and add to their resumés. Those who are not trained as teachers before joining the program learn quickly and are supported through training and the school’s teaching community.
“Studying at a bilingual Lutheran high school changed me. One of the things that really impacted me was being taught by native English speakers. Each one of them was unique, gifted with many talents and enthusiasm for each new day. Classes with them were unforgettable.”
—Simi Sečanska, 2019 graduate of CET partner school in Bratislava
