Our school is one of the largest and most successful language training organizations, with about 300 training centers in 30 countries around the globe. Our school itself was established in 1990 in the historical city center of the World Heritage city of Salzburg by Ursula Pretting.
The emphasis of the lessons is oral practice. Through dialogues and discussions which cater to the needs of these age groups (only valid in special for the SD-Premium) with students of 50 years and over, you are guided step by step towards an active command of the language, preparing you to face everyday situations with all their demands(the other groups are mixed with students from 16 to 60 years).
All training is backed up by carefully designed materials developed and continuously updated by our Methods and Materials Center. These materials conform to the international ALTE (Association of Language Testers)-standards and allow you to simultaneously improve your ability to understand, speak, read, and write German. You may also continue your training at any of the 300 our schools worldwide.
Our school's General Programs as well as the Business Programs provide a sound foundation for students wishing to take internationally recognized examinations. Both programs conform to the levels determined by the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) under the auspices of the Council of Europe. They are also linked to the US Norms and specific bands of TOEIC scores. Our courses:
- Group courses: The intensive and small group courses for German consist of a maximum of 6 participants in winter and 8 participants in summer to ensure a rapid acquisition of the foreign language. Participants may also continue their training at any of the 300 our Schools of Languages worldwide.
The linguistic competence of participants is assessed on Mondays prior to the start of the course; this is done in the form of an oral and/or written assessment test. The courses themselves are scheduled from Monday to Friday and are either held in the mornings or afternoons, depending on the level of the course.
The emphasis of the lessons is intensive oral practice. Through constant goal-oriented dialogues with the other participants and the trainer, who only teaches in his mother tongue, students are guided step by step towards active command of the language, preparing to face everyday situations with all their demands.
- Individual lessons: One-to-One training is the most efficient way to learn a foreign language, as the training program is tailored to meet the demands of the participant (concise argumentation in discussions, telephoning, technical vocabulary training or specialized vocabulary training for e.g. music studies, etc.) as well as their own personal linguistic shortcomings.
Participants may also form a "Special Team" with a colleague or acquaintance and split the price (5% surcharge for each additional participant). Depending on the personal schedule and availability, the participant decides which day the course begins, which days he/she meets as well as time and intensity.
- Seminars and Intensive Courses: Small-group seminars (4-8 participants) are exceptionally appropriate for those wishing to train technically difficult situations.
By alternating between group-work, simulation, and specially designed and developed video and audio support-materials, participants acquire competence in the foreign language in a creative way and learn to use what they have acquired with confidence. Besides training speaking fluency participants train listening comprehension, proper pronunciation, and writing skills.
- Company Training: we design suitable training programs tailored to the specific needs of each individual company. The basis for such tailor-made programs consists in our comprehensive needs analysis. The following step-for-step model allows the perfect program to be designed for each firm:
* Determination of goals and tasks to be achieved;
* Assessment of language competency of participants;
* Analysis of linguistic needs of each participant (situations, domain of responsibilities, etc.);
* Determination of amount of time needed to achieve stated goals of each participant;
* Clarification of needs analysis with seminar organizers in terms of capacity, terms and conditions, and time availability (7.30-21.30 is possible) as well as location (our Seminar Center or head office rooms);
* Determination of desired evaluation/feedback processes on the part of organizer: attendance tracking, final and mid-term examinations, course assessment options etc;
* Consolidation of our Learn-Ware according to proposed specialized content of course;
* Choice of one of our teachers, teaching in his or her own mother language and trained in the context of our Teacher-Training-Network;
* Free offer based on points 1-6;
* Personal consultation and flexible support for all wishes and ideas.
- Integrative Courses: We are certified by the Austrian government to assist refugees in integrating into the Austrian culture by offering language course. Accordingly, € 182 can-should the appropriate conditions be met-be reimbursed for German small group courses.
- Group Packages: Our school is more than happy to put together individualized packages for single groups from firms, schools, and other agencies. The size of groups, beginning date, length, intensity and program can be freely chosen.
- About Salzburg: Located in the heart of Europe and easily accessible by all means of transport, Salzburg offers a diversity equaled by very few other cities in the world. Known around the world as a center of art and culture, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's native city has much more to offer than just the summer and Easter festival, Whitsun concerts, theater productions and museum exhibitions.
Whether you are an art connoisseur or a gourmet, music lover or a holiday-maker looking for rest and relaxation, a daydreamer or a night owl, you will simply love Salzburg, the city of variety. You can stroll leisurely through the narrow streets and alleys of this baroque city.
Countless stores invite you to do some shopping, and from the terraces of the world-famous coffee houses you can enjoy the view of beautiful architecture in the well-preserved, historical city center and take a break from sightseeing with a delicious piece of cake.
- Accommodation: Salzburg has a wide variety of accommodations for every taste, ranging from cozy pensions to luxurious wellness hotels of five-star quality. Our team is more than happy to help you choose and make the appropriate reservations.
- Host families: Not at home, but yet feeling at home. Our host families offer you the chance to get to know the culture and customs of our country in an intimate setting. During the courses carefully selected hosts are available to our course participants. Being a guest in a host family allows participants to use the German language in their leisure time. To guarantee this we never permit two people of the same mother language to stay with any given host family or private pension, unless explicitly asked for by friends or partners.
- Private Pensions: Suited for those who value cozy surroundings as well as personal space. All rooms are furnished from simple to elegant, according to price category. Bath and toilet are shared. You can choose between a single or double room with breakfast. In the case of early bookings, there are also rooms available on a half-board basis, i.e. with breakfast and dinner.
- Hostels and Inns: For a reasonable price these places offer social togetherness for the young and young-at-heart. The houses normally have a recreation room with TV, dining rooms, but sometimes also the possibility to use a kitchen as well as various sport and leisure facilities. They are also easily reachable by public transportation.
- Hotels: You can find a wide spectrum of hotels in and around Salzburg.
Faculty Information:
All teachers are native speakers trained and supervised by our school's International Training Network of, which also keeps each school abreast of the latest developments in language training methodology.
All training is backed up by carefully designed materials developed and continuously updated by our Medthods and Materials Center. These materials conform to the international ALTE (Association of Language Testers) Standards and allow participants to simultaneously improve their ability to understand, speak, read, and write German.
Other Activities:
Once a week our school from Salzburg offers to its course participants situational lessons of about 3 lesson hours in the afternoons or evenings. The programs are selected from the highlights of the month. Participation is facultative and for free for students of our school.
Sports are really important in Salzburg. Whether golf, riding, tennis, hang- or paragliding, swimming, sailing or windsurfing, parachuting, mountain climbing, skiing, snowboarding or mountain biking - Salzburg and the surrounding area offer something for everyone.
Known around the world as a center of art and culture, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's native city has much more to offer than just the Mozart Week (End of January), the Easter Festival, Whitsun concerts, the world famous 'Summer Festival (July and August), the Jazz Festival (Autumn) and the 'Advent Singing' (December).
The "Glöcklerlauf" (January), elegant balls and funny Carnival Parties (November to February), raising the May-Tree (‚Maibaum Aufstellen': begin of May), Ruperti-Festival (September) and the Christmas Markets and - celebrations (December).
Those wishing to take day-trips to the lake region of the Salzkammergut and take in the beauty to be found in the countryside of Salzburg would find the city of Salzburg the ideal point of departure.
Enjoy a breathtaking ski adventure in the middle of a spectacular mountain scenery and combine it with learning German in mini-groups or one-to-one sessions. A wonderful experience with lots of fun.
Facility Information:
Our Direct Method guarantees rapid acquisition of a foreign language without tiresome vocabulary drills; right from the start you speak only the new language. This is the best and most efficient way to learn to speak a foreign language fluently in a short time.
With our active video-audio training typical situations are presented in short scenes. Through the practical application participants familiarize themselves with the newly-learned words, grammatical structures and oral comprehension. With the help of video-audio-supported exercises participants learn to use these forms correctly.
The oral lessons are backed up by authentic materials (books, videos, cassettes, CDs) developed and continuously updated by our Methods and Materials Center in Bern.
Notes:
Minimum age for open group-courses - 16 years; neither our school nor the host family can be held responsible for minors. The parent or legal guardian agree to the preceding statement by signing.
Also see Vacation Schools in:
Europe
Austria
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