Eleventh Biennial TEA Conference

Teaching English in the Twenty-First Century
23 – 25 April, 2010
VHS Favoriten, Vienna, Austria

When I submitted my speaker proposal for the TEA conference and my colleague Iva Fuxová registered for the conference as a participant in autumn 2009, we were not going to represent the MSSUA/MSATE as the two associations did not have the mutual partnership agreement. However, just a few weeks before the event, we agreed on signing the partnership agreement and became partners. As a result, we represented the Moravian and Silesian Association of Teachers at the Teachers of English in Austria Conference called Vienna ConneXion.

Friday
Having arrived in Vienna on Thursday night, I and Iva were able to enjoy Vienna before going to the first plenary speech of the conference, On the Subject of English, by Dr. Henry Widdowson. The editor of Oxford Introductions to Language Study and author of books on various aspects of applied linguistics and language education explored the difference between the natural / authentic language and the language of the learner, i. e. the difference between the user reality (native language) and learner reality (EFL, ESOL). Dr. Widdowson argued that ‘authenticity orthodoxy‘ makes learning more difficult and can even harm the learner.

The Welcome Reception was followed by Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit. The play was performed by the English Drama Club at Bundesgymnasium Fichtnergasse, Vienna, and directed by their teacher Elisabeth Meyer. The English Drama Club was founded in 2006 and has given performances of eight plays so far. We were really stunned by the good acting as well as fluent English of the grammar school students.

Saturday
The plenary speech National Assessments as a motor for educational change and quality development was very interesting indeed. It enabled me to compare the product of a Czech institution involved in introducing a standardized school leaving exam to the Austrian BIFIE (the Centre of Innovation and Quality Development). The first difference was obvious – our presenter, Gabi Friedl-Lucyshyn, was a secondary school teacher (English and French), a teacher trainer in methodology, CLIL, TEA, and she was an education inspector for Lower Austria before becoming the director of BIFIE Vienna. Also, if you check the BIFIE website, you learn at once who is who in the organization, who is in charge and who are the ‘Mitarbeiter‘. If you speak German, it is definitely worth having a look at the website http://www.bifie.at/bifie

The plenary speech focussed on two standardized school leaving exams
- at the age of 10 – 4. Schulstufe - the end of primary education – Baseline tests 2009/2010, German (native language), Maths
- at the age of 14 – 8. Schulstufe - the end of lower secondary education - Baseline tests Baseline tests 2010/2011, German, Maths, English
- feedback provided on all levels – teachers, heads, inspectors
- fair feedback - reference to what pupils can do under their circumstances, e. g. the secondary modern school (Hauptschule) is situated in the area where there are two grammar schools (Gymnasium) or the school is located in the area with a lot of immigrants whose first language is not German, social and educational background, ….
- trained experts ready to help if schools want

Since I was keen on learning more about ‘Matura / Reifeprüfung‘, I also attended the other session given by Gabi Friedl-Lucyshyn. I especially liked the fact that the exam aimed at those who want to continue their studies at University will have only one level, i. e. English at B2 only. I also appreciated the Austrian understanding of school autonomy, e. g. the questions teachers ask are up to them, you do not use the five questions set by the so-called expert.

In the afternoon I went to Motivating Students to Learn English through CLIL and Preparing Students for Great Exam Results. In the latter workshop Zoltan Rezmuves concentrated on the balance between formal structural and communicative tests, between fluency and accuracy. We agreed on familiarity → practice → confidence → results.

After the long day we relaxed a bit when listening to Andrew Wright’s plenary Your Stories for Them and at the Gala Dinner at Augustinerkeller. We could try the schnitzel, goulasch, sauerkraut, …, and talk to friends. Before returning to our hotels I invited my Czech colleagues for a walk past Albertina, Hofburg and Michaelerkirche, we continued along the street Am Graben towards Stephansplatz and the Dom, where we took the underground ‘home‘. We felt quite safe although it was nearly midnight.

Sunday
After my workshop we attended Mark Fletcher’s plenary Brain-friendly Learning and Teaching and waited impatiently for the Raffle with plenty of prizes. Though the conference was closed then, the TEA offered two optional programmes in the afternoon as well. Iva and I were very sorry we could not take part as we had a train to catch. The lucky ones participated in Mark Twain’s America read by cast members of Vienna’s International Theater and Mark Twain Walk through Vienna led by Dr. Candy Fresacher.

New (and old) friends and colleagues
It was a pleasure to meet Debbie Starkey, who I had been in touch with for a few months via email, Candy Fresacher, the TEA President, and Detlef Schaffer, who I signed the partnership agreement with, …
It was nice to meet Míša Čaňková, Jana Jílková and Sylva Doláková and give them and Iva Fuxová a short tour of the night city centre.
I was happy to bump into Bonnie Tsai from the Pilgrims, Mark Fletcher, who I first met in Zlín and then at Brighton IATEFL Conference in 2003, ….

Vienna
What could one say? A perfect system of public transport, clean streets, and above all beautiful sights, delicious Sachertorte and Wiener Schnitzel in Schönbrunn, ….



Mgr. Michaela Trnová