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‘It heightened the awareness of German language across the whole school – for pupils and staff … encouraged staff to seek out German for class use and provided a more personal approach to language teaching and cultural awareness.’
‘The German teacher’s visit provided a breath of fresh air at a difficult time for the school. She added another dimension to the language teaching and the cultural activities she shared with the pupils. We will miss her contributions.’
Under this programme, previously known as the German Hospitality Programme, teachers from Germany visit the UK for either two or three weeks to observe the teaching of languages and other subjects in UK schools. Primary, secondary and special schools are all eligible to apply. Visiting teachers are either teachers of English or have a good knowledge of the English language. The German teacher is technically attached to the host school or college as an observer rather than a teacher, although both visiting and receiving staff tend to favour more active participation. The UK hosting teachers need not be teachers of German but those intending to make a return visit should have a working knowledge of German.
What is expected from the host and the visitor?
Visitors spend their time in the host school or college primarily as observers of MFL teaching, but there may be subjects in addition to languages in which they would like to be involved.
Benefits to UK hosting schools include:
•an ideal opportunity for Germanists to refresh their language
•a fresh injection of genuine German culture into the school
•potential INSET for teachers of German in the school
•an opportunity to discuss current educational issues with a
colleague from Germany
•an opportunity to develop a potential partnership for future project activities
It is helpful to plan a rough timetable of the visitor’s activities in order for them to observe daily life in a UK school, which could include the following:
•observations of language teaching (including different ability groups)
•teaching input, including pronunciation exercises
•accompanying host teacher on duties and extra-curricular activities, and attending staff and departmental meetings
•visiting other schools or institutions in the area (eg primary or further education establishments).
To read about one school’s experience, as reported in their local paper, click here
The success of these visits depends to a great extent on a good match between the teachers concerned. During the matching process, particular attention is given to the type of institution and age of pupils/students specified.
The visiting teachers are usually accommodated in families - preferably the family of a member of staff responsible for the hosting arrangement - either as a paying guest, or on the basis of a reciprocal return visit to Germany. Teachers may be accommodated in hotels or guest houses where host family accommodation is not possible. In all cases, some hospitality towards the visiting teacher is expected from the school.
On a paying guest basis, the visiting teacher pays the host family £100 per week for board and lodging. Payment is made direct by the visiting teacher. Under this arrangement no return visit to Germany is made by the UK host teacher, but it is hoped that the UK institution will benefit from the presence of the visiting teacher during his/her stay.
On a reciprocal basis, the initial visit to the UK is made by the German teacher, and a return visit to Germany is made by the UK partner at a later date. Funding for return visits (minimum of 5 working days) may be applied for from the Comenius Professional Development INSET programme – Individual Training Grants (part of the EU Lifelong Learning Programme).
Please note that all teachers in Germany are civil servants, employed by their respective federal state and related authorities. As part of the process of acquiring civil servant status they have to undergo several stages of preparatory and probationary service, including assessment both of teaching qualifications and aptitude as well as a criminal record check. The application process for this programme necessitates the approval of both the headteacher of the applicant teacher's school and that of the relevant education ministry or regional education authority.
The UK hosting teacher must have obtained his/her school or college’s agreement to receive a visitor for either two or three weeks, and be in a position to arrange accommodation in his/her home or elsewhere.
Download an application form and a printable version of these guidelines
For further information, please contact our colleagues at the UK-German Connection
T: 020 7824 1570.
The Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD), based in Bonn, organises the programme in collaboration with the British Council. Applications will be forwarded to the PAD after the closing date. Any enquiries relating to the visiting teachers should be referred to PAD, which is responsible for matching the German teachers with UK hosts. If you have to withdraw your school offer after the closing date, please notify the PAD immediately (by fax if possible):
Frau Elke Ebers, Sekretariat der Ständigen Konferenz der
Kultusminister der Länder in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD)
Postfach 22 40, 53012 Bonn, Deutschland
T 00 49 228 501 225 F 00 49 228 501 259
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