Martin Buxbaum, MA
Martin Buxbaum, MA
Where I come from: Vienna
My language skills: German, English, Russian, Spanish, French
My education: Diploma in English/Russian at the University of Vienna, Master of Arts (English) at the University of Toronto; role-playing/psychodrama director at the ÖAGG (Austrian Association of Role-Players).
My professional career: cultural management in the USA, from 2000 English-speaking theater work in Vienna and entry as language trainer (University of Vienna, Diplomatic Academy) and translator, increasing expansion of language and skills coaching, also freelance, growing use of psychodrama as a method in foreign language acquisition and skills coaching.
My teaching motto: Ever tried. Ever failed. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. (Samuel Beckett)
Rebecca Hughes, BA
Rebecca Hughes, BA
Where I'm from: Bath, Great Britain
My languages: French, German and Spanish
Education: CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), BA Hons French and Spanish - Interpreting, translation and socio-cultural studies
Career: General and Business English teacher and translator
Eva Huml, BA
Eva Huml, BA
My languages: English (C2), German (C2), Bulgarian (C2), French (B2), Italian (B2), Russian (B1)
Education: Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) Grade A (2009); Cambridge Certificate in Proficiency in English (CPE) Grade A (2008); Teacher Training Programme at Bremen University, Majors English and French (1997-2000)
Career: Teacher at the Language Center of the University of Vienna (2013 to present); Trainer for in-Company Business and General English language courses (2007 to present); external lecturer for Business English at the University for Applied Sciences BFI, Vienna (2012-13); Trainer for in-Company English and Italian languages courses at Inlingua, Bremen
My slogan for teaching/learning: Explain, guide, help!
Daniel Kirby
Daniel Kirby
Where I come from: England/Scotland
My language skills: English: Native, German: C1, Spanish: B1
My educational background: University of Stirling: BA Political Science
My professional background: ESL teacher 2005 - present; Translator (German-English) 2010 - present; Copy writer 2015 - present
My teaching motto: Speak, speak, speak.
Christine Marie Kolacio
Christine Kolacio
Where I'm from: Born in Boston, USA, into a European family. I lived my childhood and youth between the USA and Europe and then spent 20 years in Italy after university, raising my family. I arrived in Vienna 15 years ago and haven’t looked back since!
My language skills: Bilingual in English and Italian; French, Spanish, German, and Croatian.
My educational background: Education: B.A. in Modern Languages, major in French Language and Literature (1984); M.A. in Intercultural Competencies (to be completed Spring 2020)
Teaching Qualifications: Trinity College London CerTESOL - Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (2000); Psychodramatic Linguistics Training course and Train-the-Trainer course (2011-12 and 2017-18).
My professional career: Teaching Career: 1993-Present in Italy and Austria
Freelance Lecturer and English Trainer (University of Vienna Language Centre; FH des BFI, FH Wien)
Self-Employed English Trainer and Coach (Clients include major corporate groups in Vienna, the IAEA/United Nations, Vienna, as well as the Austrian Federal Administrative Academy).
From 2000 to the Present – Translator, Copy Editor, and language and communications coach for academia and the corporate world.
My teaching motto:
“A talent for foreign languages is a talent for listening.” – Alfred Tomatis
Anthony Kroytor, MA
Anthony Kroytor, MA
Where I come from: Grew up in New York, born in Moldova.
My language skills: English, Russian and German.
My educational background: Trinity College TEFL Certificate; MA Philosophy, University of Vienna: BA Philosophy, Brooklyn College, NY, USA.
My professional background: In my many years of experience, I have taught English in the USA and internationally, working with people of all ages from diverse cultural backgrounds.
My teaching motto: Say whatever you like-as long as it's in English!
Patrick Loan BA (Hons), MFA
Patrick Loan BA (Hons), MFA
Over ten years experience teaching ESL in Austria, within educational institutions and in-company. Seven years teaching at the Language Center of the University of Vienna, teaching general courses, specialist preparation courses, such as IELTS, and administering English language competency tests. Other roles include lecturing at the University of Applied Sciences, Burgenland on the IT Infrastructure Management course and giving seminars about teaching with video within the classroom for high school teachers at the University College of Teacher Education in Vienna and Graz. Have previous tertiary educational experience in the UK lecturing on art and design courses (BA Fine Art, Foundation Diploma and A-levels) at South Essex College, Southend-on-Sea and as a visiting lecturer at Cardiff School of Art & Design. Have organised a number of collaborative and participatory art and educational projects and events in schools and galleries in the UK.
Neil Mc Ardle, MEd
Neil Mc Ardle, MEd
Where I'm from: Ireland
My language skills: English, German, Portuguese, Italian.
My educational background: I graduated from University College Dublin, Ireland with a degree in Linguistics (BA.Hons) and a Master of Education (M.Ed). The University of Cambridge has also certified me to teach English as a Foreign Language (CELTA).
My professional background: I have been working in the field of education in the public, private and voluntary sectors since 2008. My professional experience covers many countries, especially Brazil, Ireland, Austria, Italy and Slovakia.
My teaching motto: ''You can never understand one language if you don't understand at least two''.
Mark Miscovich, MA
Mark Miscovich, MA
Where I come from: I am originally from Ohio/USA, but have lived in Austria for more than 20 years.
My language skills: I speak English and German and understand the regional dialect of Vorarlberg.
My educational background: I have a Bachelor's degree in Humanities and Philosophy and a Master's degree in Philosophy. I also have a sound knowledge of comparative literature, cultural studies and art history.
My professional background: During my time in Austria, I have mainly worked as a language teacher for various universities and institutions as well as an employed and freelance translator.
My teaching motto: ‘Where there is a will, there's a way’.
Paul Nogid, MA
Paul Nogid, M.A.
Where I’m from: New York, NY, USA
My languages: English, Russian, Latvian, Spanish, French, Slovak, Italian (at different levels of proficiency)
Education: B.A., Political Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA; M.A., International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, DC.
Career: I have been teaching English in the USA, Slovakia and Austria for about 15 years now and I really enjoy it! About half of that time I've worked at the Sprachenzentrum of the University of Vienna and I believe it is here that I have gained the most valuable teaching experience. Thanks to my students for making it so rewarding and unforgettable!
My slogan for teaching/learning: Sharing knowledge is a reciprocal process. It's not only that students learn something from their teacher - it's that the teacher should learn something from students. A good teacher is the one who never stops learning!
Gareth Pearce, MA
Gareth Pearce, MA
Where I come from: Great Britain
My language skills: English - Native, German - B1
My educational background: PhD in Philosophy (awaiting defence), CELTA - Pass A
My professional background: Four semesters of experience teaching philosophy and ethics at the University of Vienna. New to the ELT field, after successfully completing the CELTA.
My teaching motto: I subscribe to an autonomy-supportive pedagogy that places the student at the centre of the classroom. This involves tailoring lessons to student needs and outcomes, and highly interactive lessons that minimise teacher profile and maximize student involvement.
In a quote: A teacher should be the ‘guide on the side’ not the ‘sage on the stage’.
