Teaching English in Halle, Germany

By The Excellence Center In Europe / In Teach In Germany

Teaching English in Halle, Germany: I first started looking at opportunities abroad when I finished my TEFL course in Ireland. I applied to many places at home and some online teaching English jobs, but because I had no practical experience my prospects weren’t high. Volunteering at the Excellence Center would enable me to gain experience in teaching English in Germany while also learning a new language and moving to a new country.

Moving to Germany

I had been to Germany a few times before, once to Hamburg and twice to Berlin. But this would be my first time to Halle, Germany. Halle is a small city in Sachsen-Anhalt a train ride from Leipzig. Getting to the Excellence Center in Halle was a little tricky during Covid-19. I had to take a test before I started at the Center which meant I had to wait three days for the results. And as it turned out, I was ‘Negativ’. I could now start at the Center.

Settling into Halle

So having just landed with my massive suitcase following directions from Google Maps, I walked down from Hauptbahnhof towards the Center. And there I waited for Rafat who runs the school. And soon enough he arrives with another student and I get to meet the people I’ll be working with for the next two months. They help with my bags and my doubts about coming here are relieved.

My German Host Family

After getting little tour of the Sprachshule I’m then introduced to Sabine, the mother of my host family. In an incredible coincidence she had lived in Ireland for 11 years, two in Cork and nine in Northern Ireland (Which she still hasn’t lost the accent from). I immediately feel at home. Sabine drives me to where she lives in Teutschenthal, about half an hour away from the city and introduces me to her family, two teenage girls Sonia and Sofia, and Udo, her husband. I was so happy that I got this family, they’re so nice and my room is perfect.

Life at the Center

In my first week at the Sprachshule, I get to take it slow and ease my way into life there. Rafat takes me on a tour of the city and shows me what’s good. Then next day I meet my first student Amro, a Syrian living in Halle for two years. He has a decent level of English and we worked on some grammar. I would teach my first group class the next week, and this time to make sure I engage everyone we play a game of Guess Who at the end using their knowledge of English. This finally gives me the confidence that I can teach bigger classes from this group of four.

Teaching English with Covid-19

Teaching English in Halle, Germany during Corona is a bit different, everything is up in the air with Corona so it was great that I could even travel during this time. I got to the Center in September 2020 and because of the restrictions there were much fewer teachers and students. Like I said all the teachers have to take a test before they arrive but the Center seems to be managing well given the circumstances. Because of the small sizes of the classes it’s not necessary to were masks inside the Center. But thanks to the good weather we’re still having (fingers crossed) we make the best out of it and take our classes outside.

Gain Teaching Experience

As a volunteer in the Excellence Center’s program I have the opportunity to teach English in Germany to a variety of learners and levels. Many of the students are Syrian and are highly motivated to learn the language. The students have different goals and future prospects to use the language which allows a wide breath of experience in teaching English to students of different levels. This teaching environment enabled me to develop my skills as an English teacher.

Study German or Arabic

The Center provides three hours of language classes a week in either German or Arabic. Just like the classes I teach; these classes cater to my level in the language, German for me, and my goals for learning it in the future.

The location of the Center in Halle, Germany provides the perfect environment for immersing myself in the German language. Likewise, the Center has many Arabic speakers and students that make learning Arabic just as immersive.

Life Outside the Sprachshule

But it’s not all work. My classes are only from Monday to Thursday and I get the rest of the week off. I use these days to my full advantage to relax and to explore Halle, the nearby Leipzig, and even Berlin is two hours on the bus. In Halle there’s also a Pub quiz every Thursday night in the Irish Fiddler, which I would say is the token Irish pub here but actually there’s two. It goes on until late but we only stay for three or four rounds. It’s great for meeting new people, especially the other English teachers in Halle. And I’ve tried the Guiness, it’s not so terrible.

Teaching English in Halle, Germany article was written By John Collins