Name: Wiebke Franke       

Nationality: German

How long have you been teaching?        

I have been teaching English since 2004.

What are you teaching? EFL/ESL?    

I teach ESL for adults.

What certifications do you have?    

I have a teaching degree for elementary schools (math and sports), and Magistra Artium in English literature.

How did you get into teaching English?    

While I was at university I was looking for something I could do with my English studies and somehow got into contact with people organizing presentations in English for ESL learners at adult education centers in Hanover. So I started giving slide shows in English and then took over a few evening classes.

Where are you currently working? country, school, companies, etc.            

I am currently working in Hanover, Germany, for an English Language School, Wall Street English. The school works with a combination of e-learning and teacher lessons.

What kind of contract are you working under?              

I have an unlimited 10h/week contract. But it comes with overtime, as we do not have regular classes but individual lessons that change every week.

How long have you been working there?          

Technically since 2006, however, I didn’t start as a teacher but as a personal tutor. I have been employed as a teacher there for 2 years now.

Where else have you worked?             

I’ve worked for adult education centers, and for a private vocational school. There I have been teaching English for students getting an education in hotel management and tourism.

 

Where do you prefer teaching English?            

Definitely at the language school. We don’t use exams and standard evaluation systems, like grades. Adult education centers are great, too, but people don’t often come regularly. I prefer working with adults who want to learn the language.

What do you love about teaching English?     

 I love the language and I think it is very important in today’s world. Teaching English gives me the opportunity to meet many people with varying backgrounds. I enjoy having conversations and discussions on various topics with them, this way I can learn something from my students, too.

 

What are the advantages to teaching for you?                

Like I said before, teaching English I meet many interesting people and I am not limited to one topic. To keep classes interesting I need to stay in touch with what is going on outside my little job bubble. Furthermore it never gets boring, although there is some routine, no class is like any other.

What are the disadvantages to teaching for you?          

 It is very difficult to find a job that is secure and supports you.

Do you like teaching English?  Why?                               

I like teaching English for the aforementioned reasons, it is always interesting and exciting. Plus I get the chance to work in a language I love.

Do you do another job?                      

Currently I also work in a cinema and am on a break from teaching aerobics classes.

I’d like to give a big thanks to Wiebke for sharing a bit of her English teaching in Germany.  You can also check out Wiebke’s very interesting You Tube channel called 1book1review http://www.youtube.com/user/1book1review where she reviews books and talks about other bookish topics.