US TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP PROGRAM Challenges and Opportunities Belona Berchtaler, Fulbright Austria

Financed by the Austrian Ministry of Education (BMB) FULBRIGHT AUSTRIAN STUDENT PROGRAM Background of the Austrian USTA Program Established in 1962 Financed by the Austrian Ministry of Education (BMB) Administered by Fulbright Austria USTAs are part of the Fulbright Austria community but they are not Fulbright grantees (employees of provincial school boards) In the 2016-17 program year 147 teaching assistants have been placed in secondary schools all over Austria

Residency permit application and other legal matters FULBRIGHT AUSTRIAN STUDENT PROGRAM Challenges and Opportunities: Challenges for USTAs Residency permit application and other legal matters Pre-departure issues Getting used to a new country, a new environment, new duties What we do: Fulbright Austria provides guidance and ad hoc emergency intervention from the day they apply to the last day of their employment Every Austrian province has a volunteer regional advisor/coordinator

Not all USTAs necessarily have a lot of teaching experience. FULBRIGHT AUSTRIAN STUDENT PROGRAM Challenges and Opportunities: Teaching Experience Not all USTAs necessarily have a lot of teaching experience. What we do: USTAs are selected and placed with the utmost care and according to the schools‘ needs USTAs receive a week of training by qualified Austrian teachers at orientation seminars USTAs have mentor teachers -> critical! TAs need guidance! The USTA community is a strong network, teaching ideas and advice are being shared on a daily basis What USTAs do: USTAs are expected to be flexible and work independently in a wide variety of institutional settings for 13 hrs/week Providing for authentic native speaker US-English in Austrian classrooms under the guidance of experienced teachers Foster active educational and cultural exchange

Cultural ambassadors – representing and explaining the US FULBRIGHT AUSTRIAN STUDENT PROGRAM Challenges and Opportunities: Cultural Differences and Cultural Exchange “[...] the most significant lesson that I’ve learned all year was: certain things defy the language barrier. ... Like the look of confusion and disgust on every Austrian’s face when I mention my extreme love for peanut butter … the sigh of relief when the students were expecting an exam but then I walk into the room instead of their usual teacher… the blank stares when I try to explain the rules of baseball… the roars of laughter when I ask if Austria has a good soccer team … and the loud applause when I surprised the students with my perfect pronunciation of “Oachkatzlschwoaf” during the final weeks of school”. (Lauren, USTA 2011-12 in Innsbruck, Austria) Cultural ambassadors – representing and explaining the US Promoting mutual understanding in communities large and small all over Austria

Fulbright Austria (Austrian-American Educational Commission) FULBRIGHT AUSTRIAN STUDENT PROGRAM Q & A and Contact Information Fulbright Austria (Austrian-American Educational Commission) Belona Berchtaler USTA/FLTA Program Officer Q21/MQ Museumsplatz 1 1070 Vienna Austria Phone: +(431) 236 7878-13 BBerchtaler@fulbright.at www.fulbright.at