Basic Information about The Boland School for prospective teachers

The Boland School T.E.F.L. Training Center has two areas of specialization; teaching English as a foreign language, and International T.E.F.L. Diploma teacher training for native and fluent non-native speakers of English. The school has been based in Brno, Czech Republic since 1992 and also has a T.E.F.L. training center in Suzhou, in the southeastern part of China, near Shanghai. The Boland School language school is accredited by the Czech Ministry of Education, and also by the Chinese government (Foreign Experts Bureau). The International T.E.F.L. Diploma is a 148-hour four and a half-week entry-level teaching qualification that meets international standard and is recognised worldwide. Boland graduates are not only qualified to teach English as a Foreign Language, but are also eligible for a wide range of credit transfer and tuition reimbursement options by educational institutions and employers around the world.

The Communicative Approach

Regular EFL classes at the school are taught using a combination of the Direct Method and the Communicative Approach. Both of these are often referred to as "immersion" methods. Working with these approaches involves teaching using only the language being taught to teach new grammar points and vocabulary, and works well with students at all levels. The method is conversation-based; that means that the majority of each class is spent practicing new structures and words in every day conversation and in role plays. Effective teaching within this type of method involves giving simple explanations using vocabulary and structures the students have already learned in order to explain new words and grammatical points. New material is then practiced in a conversational manner. Correction and explanation of student errors at appropriate points also help accelerate the learning process. Direct translation is not used in the classroom, as it is considered more valuable for students to learn to communicate with English speakers in real-life situations, instead of relying on translations into their native tongue.

The exercises in the textbooks and workbooks are meant to be done outside of class, as class time is considered too valuable to spend on written work which can be done at home. The students at the Boland School are assigned and are expected to do homework regularly. This assigned work is then checked in class so that problem areas can be explained and practiced.

Direct Method and Communicative Approach principles are used in the language classroom, and also in the TEFL training classroom. The classes at the school are all in small groups of up to 8 or 15 students to ensure top quality. Students are placed into classes on the basis of a written and oral placement test, and great effort is made to ensure homogeneous student levels to facilitate effective learning.

The Teaching Materials And Facilities

The Boland School language classes use a wide range of textbooks, as do the trainees in the Boland TEFL training program. The school has its own in-house series which was designed for adult EFL students from the total beginner to the upper intermediate level. Additionally, several other top series, such as Headway, English File, New Interchange, BEC, Business Objectives, Business Opportunities, and a wide range of EFL language learning audio/video materials are used in the classroom.

As the teachers at the school are under no pressure to cover a certain amount of material within a given term, use of outside supplemental material to help the students work on problem areas is encouraged. The teachers have access to a reference library which includes a large number of audio and video cassettes, as well as standard teaching reference materials. There is also a school lending library, which is equipped with standard T.E.F.L. textbooks, reference books and English language fiction and classics, and is available to both teachers and students alike.

The Teacher's Role

The teacher's role in the classroom is similar to that of a moderator, in that he/she leads the class, explains new material and sets up the means by which the students should practice it. The teacher is also expected to correct the students when mistakes are made so that incorrect usage and grammar don't become ingrained. Assets one should bring along to the position are creativity, enthusiasm, patience, and a sense of humor and adventure.

In the TEFL training classroom, the trainers play many roles. They teach English grammar and EFL teaching methodology, share their experience as EFL teachers, and help each trainee to discover the teacher within themselves. Trainers observe new teachers in their practice teaching, give feedback, help with materials creation, class planning, and job placement. They give tips on teaching in other countries, working permits and visas, and help with the everyday essentials in making the transition into a new career in a new country. The TEFL Diploma teacher training program keeps a 12-trainee to 2-trainer ratio, so as to allow the maximum amount of individual attention for each trainee. A TEFL trainer's job is varied and interesting, and involves working with different trainee teachers from all over the world each month.

The Training Course

Teaching English as a foreign language requires in-depth knowledge of the English language and grammar, as well as the ability to explain new words, or why something is correct or incorrect, clearly and concisely. All new teachers and TEFL teacher trainers are given an in-depth training course before beginning actual classroom teaching to help them work with the method and materials at the school. For newly-qualified teachers, or those with just a few years of teaching experience under their belts, specific areas of training include grammar and language presentation to Czech/ Chinese students and teaching children, as well as British v. American English. Teachers with a T.E.F.L. certificate, diploma or previous teaching experience may place out of sections of the training program. The training curriculum is set based on a training placement test that each new trainer takes before the start of the training program .TEFL Diploma teacher trainers are given a curriculum overview, and trainer-specific assistance to help them become familiar with the order in which points are presented in the course, and also the TEFL Diploma standard. Training length is dependent upon each individual teacher or trainer's experience and qualifications, though applicants willing to complete full IETTC TEFL Trainer training are preferred. All training for the Boland Czech location is held at the Boland School in Brno, and training for the China school is held at our Suzhou location. Following the initial training period, all Boland school teachers meet periodically for teacher development sessions for an introduction to new teaching materials, or to focus on problem areas/issues requested by the teachers.

The Classes

Although the school offers a wide range of classes for both children and adults, the average student is between 18 and 40 years of age. Most of the classes are what we call "conversational English classes," that is, classes in which the focus is on general conversational English. There are also highly specialized classes in many different areas (Business, Medical, and Legal English, to name a few...). All classes are kept as small as possible (maximum of 8 students) to ensure that each student has plenty of speaking opportunities each time a class meets. Teachers at the Boland School teach most of their courses on-site, with a few off-site company courses thrown in for variety. TEFL trainers work in the TEFL training program with native English speakers, and do just a few additional EFL or in-service teacher training courses each week to stay 'in shape'.

The Teaching Schedule

Teachers at the Boland School are given full-time teaching schedules which range from 18 to 25 (60 min.) hours a week. The work week is normally Monday through Friday. Students sign up for either three-month or year-long courses and are given the option to renew when their contracts expire so that they have the possibility to continue their education throughout the year. For that reason, the school holds classes all year round (without using the semester system), and new students are able to place into classes according to their level. There are also week-long summer intensive courses throughout the summer. These courses are set up according to the availability of teachers so teachers at the school may choose their holiday length and time themselves.

The school currently offers students a wide selection of classes:
(1)	3-month contract classes
(2)	6-9 month contract classes
(3)	Children's and teens' classes
(4)	Short summer intensive classes -usually a week-two weeks in length
(5)	Business classes-held both on and off-site

As a recognised TEFL Training Center, Boland also has occasional vacancies for TEFL teacher trainers. The TEFL training program runs from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., five days a week, with teaching observations of trainee teachers in the evenings. Most TEFL trainers do some regular EFL teaching, in addition to their TEFL Diploma work. This variety of class types allows us to avoid most split shifts, and also ensure that each teacher has a good variety of course types. Boland School teachers and TEFL Trainers do not normally work weekends.

The Pay And Benefits

Czech location

TEFL Trainers are salaried for a base number of hours monthly and paid in the currency of their choice on the 12th of each following month. For new teachers and TEFL Trainers, the starting pay is negotiable, depending on experience, educational background, and type of T.E.F.L. qualifications. Teachers also have the option to receive a school-subsidized health insurance package. The basic one-year contract includes four to five weeks of paid vacation, paid national holidays and a bonus/travel cost reimbursement package. The Boland School provides working visa sponsorship for all non-EU teachers.

All Boland School teachers start off with a training and orientation period. Each teacher also receives his/her own desk in the teachers' room, computer and unlimited broadband access for class planning, as well as broadband internet access at the school. Teachers also have full use of the school reference and lending library. In addition, free Czech classes are offered to all full-time teachers as a part of the teachers` benefit package.

The school also has a helpful and friendly office staff which is experienced with the difficulties encountered by foreigners in the Czech Republic. The staff is committed to being of assistance to the teachers at the school in all areas of their stay in Brno, be it the red tape involved in extending a work visa, finding an apartment, to even making an appointment at the hairdresser’s.

The Boland School-Brno, Stefanikova

Luzanky Park-across from the school

China locations

Boland-China TEFL Trainers and teachers are salaried for a base number of hours monthly, with overtime for additional hours. All salaries are paid on the 10th of each month for the previous month in either local currency, or in EU, GBP or USD. Salaries are paid in cash, or to the teacher's local or foreign bank account. The starting pay is negotiable, depending on experience, educational background, and type of T.E.F.L. qualifications. Teachers also have the option to receive a school-subsidized health insurance package. The basic one-year contract includes four to five weeks of paid vacation, paid National Holidays and a bonus/travel cost reimbursement package. The Boland School provides working visa sponsorship for all TEFL Trainers.

All Boland School teachers start off with a training and orientation period. Each teacher also receives their own desk or work station in the teachers' room, computer and unlimited broadband access for class planning and personal use. Teachers also have full access to the school reference and lending library. In addition, free Chinese classes with a professional teacher are offered to all trainers as a part of the teachers` benefit package at Boland-China.

The office staff in our China location is committed to assisting Boland teachers in all areas of their stay in the country, be it the red tape involved in police registration, opening bank accounts, visa extension, finding accommodations, or even making doctor's appointments.

The Boland School Bayuquan-Dalian, main lobby

Boland Suzhou students' lounge

Boland Suzhou classroom

Ping pong at Boland-Suzhou

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