Report
on TEA Summer Course 2006
More than twenty teachers of English working at primary, secondary or even tertiary level attended the 13th TEA Summer School
between 20 and 25 August 2006 at "Retzhof", Lebnitz/Leitring. The course was organized by Margarete Nezbeda and led by
two highly qualified and experienced tutors who created a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Deborah Starkey teaches at the University of Applied sciences in Eisenstadt, she is also an oral examiner and seminar presenter
for Cambridge ESOL. She placed a special emphasis on the following topics: Evaluating reading skills, Evaluating writing skills
Evaluating listening skills, Evaluating speaking skills, The Cambridge examinations as tools of evaluation for the classroom.
Debbie demonstrated us how we can adopt some of the test-taking techniques for classroom use.
We also managed to get to know more about Mozart's life and masterpieces in one of the evenings which was devoted to the
great musician. The small groups of four teachers did the Mozart quiz really succesfully.
The other tutor, Randall Lund, who is a professor at Brigham Young University in Utah, helped us towards the intercultural
language learning and showed us the USA inside out. He shared his ideas with us how to teach languauge and culture
together, how to use music and literature as window to culture and language. He provided us a great opportunity
to have an insight into the world of "the real West" showing interviews with modern Westerners, such as a cowboy,
a Native American or a farmer. "Anything Goes" was one of the most memorable evenings when we got a revue of American
music from the Revolution to Rock with the help of CDs and live performance.
I - as an only non-Austrian participant of the summer school - really enjoyed the peaceful, village-like venue of the course
at "Retzhof", the Austrian hospitality and cuisine. I highly appreciated the variety of the professional and social programmes.
I hope that this week in Austria will continue through common projects, having received lots of practical tips and ideas to
be thought through further. Last but not least I would like to thank Grete, the organiser of the course who was every-
where and did everything we could think of or wish for. Special thanks to the tutors, Debbie and Randall for making useful,
alive and unforgettable the time spent in Leibnitz/Leitring. I am also very grateful to TEA for making my participation in the
course possible sponsoring it with April Bowie Scholarship and to IATEFL-Hungary for financing my travel expenses.
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