Eleven classroom assistants gain valuable experience at the British Council

Classroom assistant Lori Todorova assists Senior Teacher Young Learners, Richard Cherry, with level Junior 9.

In British Council teaching centres around the world, classroom assistants enhance the classroom experience of thousands of Young Learners. This term, The Sofia teaching centre is trialling classroom assistants in our Primary and Junior classes.

 Classroom assistants add value to Young Learner classes by supporting our teachers in a ‘background role’ – for example, by helping to distribute classroom materials, and by providing extra supervision as young people move around our building. Classroom assistants also provide children with valuable role-models of expert English language users, and support our 100% English language policy. Of course, the preparation and teaching of classes remains the sole responsibility of the British Council’s own highly qualified and experienced teaching staff.

Eleven young English language undergraduates from Sofia University and the New Bulgarian University are participating enthusiastically in the trial. Observing British Council teachers at work allows the classroom assistant to gain useful experience for their future teaching careers, and marks a new level of co-operation between the British Council and tertiary English educators in this country.

Our students and their teachers have responded very positively to the presence of classroom assistants in the British Council teaching environment, and we look forward to introducing new ways to add value to our Young Learner courses in 2012.

By Richard Cherry
Senior Teacher Young Learners
British Council Bulgaria