Antónia Zsiros graduated from Gál Ferenc College with a two-year English language training course for teachers to teach English up until the sixth grade. Our student completed an internship at the L'albero di Antonia Language Center in Turin in summer 2019 with an ERASMUS + scholarship. Our college supports the international mobility of our students in all four faculties. Below is an account of Antony Zsiros, who may encourage others to complete an internship abroad with an ERASMUS grant.
“After last year's Maltese scholarship, this year I also had the opportunity to attend a summer mobility practice with Erasmus through the help of István Thékes. I found my host institution through Facebook and the TEFL Equity Advocates and Academy group. I was mainly looking for an institution that employs non-native teachers. I received answers from Egypt, India, Malaysia and Italy. My decision was clearly cast on Italy because I wanted to stay in Europe during my mobility. There is no direct flight to Turin from Budapest, so I flew to Milan and left from the central train station to Turin.
I found my accommodation with the help of my host institution, close to the city center, rather far away from the language school, but fortunately I got a monthly ticket for public transport with the support of the language school.
During the summer, English language camps are organized for children aged 6-10. My task was also to coordinate my daily tasks and to participate in the planning and selection of tasks. The daily routine was as follows: the children were handed over to us by the parents between 8:30 am and 9 am, and from 9 am they were engaged in different tasks. Usually we were dealing with 10-12 children. At 11 o'clock, we had a little ten-minite break, then we finished out the tasks, and the worksheets with the kids. After lunch, we took the kids to the park for free play. During the afternoons, we always had craft classes related to the morning material, the weekly theme. Weeks were divided into themes, such as music, film, nature.
I spent my free days and weekends traveling around Turin. I visited the royal palace, the Egyptian museum, and was in the cinema museum, with a tower overlooking all of Turin. By train, as far as Genoa and Bologna thanks to the incredible good train service in Italy. I went around Northern Italy a little bit.
I learned a lot of practical methodological things from my Italian colleagues, who were happy to share their knowledge and experience with me. I hope that I can use what I have learned from them as soon as possible. I also took part in the work phase when a curriculum was set up for a public school for the next school year. In Italy, it is common practice for public and private schools to hire teachers from language schools who, in cooperation with their teachers, strengthen their students' foreign language skills by relying on the curriculum.
’My Italian colleagues love and are able to work together and have welcomed me without reservation. I will always be grateful to them for teaching me how to collaborate in teamwork, to work and enjoy language teaching in a way that is a positive experience for everyone.’
