GENERAL INFORMATION

OBJECTIVE?

 The tasks to which a Comenius assistant can contribute towards include:

  • To render support to the teacher in the classroom and to support project work.
  • To improve the comprehension and expression of the pupils in the mother tongue of the assistant and - where applicable – in other languages in which the assistant is fluent, f.e. early language learning activities;
  • To render support to deprived or less privileged pupils and pupils who have difficulties learning a foreign language;
  • To provide information about the assistant’s country of origin;
  • To produce teaching material;
  • To introduce or to reinforce the European dimension in the guest institution;
  • ... 


TARGET GROUP?

Future teachers 

CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION?

  • Studying (at least two years) for  a qualification as a teacher
  • Possess a qualification as a teacher, but with a little experience in teaching

Before the residency
The language assistant and the guest institution (in particular the training supervisor) must draft an agreement including within it the necessary agreements about the rights and duties of the assistant and the guest institution and a work program for the duration of the assistant’s stay;

 

During the residency

  • The assistant must be fully integrated into the life of the school and must be encouraged to play a part in the local community;
  • The assistant can sometimes be placed in more than one school (but never more than 3), either because his/her work will become varied because of it, or to fulfil the needs of neighbouring schools. In this case one of the schools involved must organize the residency and offer the assistant a training supervisor;


MEANS?

The Comenius assistants receive a contribution towards the travel and accommodation expenses that arise as a result of the residency (dependant on the duration of the stay and destination). By contrast the guest institution receives no financial support: it already gets ample benefit from the assistant’s presence and activity.

DURATION?

The residency lasts for three months to one school year.

APPLICATIONS?

Applicants should put forward their applications by January 30st at the latest (preceding the school year in which the assistant would like to find a place) to their own National Agency (NA) by means of the official application form .

In the scheme of the Life Long Learning/Comenius program, future teachers are able to submit an application for a scholarship to spend three months to one school year as a 'Comenius-assistant' in a guest institution (school or institute of adult education, not of higher education) abroad.

The main objective of the assistantship is to enable future teachers to improve and increase their knowledge of other European languages, countries and teaching systems, just as to correct and improve their teaching skills (= 'required' by the assistant).