FAQ
Here you can find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions during the previous years of preparation of the field studies in the Czech Republic. They concern teaching, family life, food, etc. If your question isn´t here or is insufficiently covered, don't hesitate and write to us!What is the age of the students we will teach?
Usually between 14 to 17, it depends one the type of school you will be teaching at.
How many students are there in a group?
Approximately 15 – 18.
How long is a lesson/break?
A lesson takes 45 minutes, a break usually 10 minutes (+ there is a 20-minute break for snack in the morning).
Here is the schedule:
8:00 - 8:45
8:55 - 9:40
10:00 - 10:45
10:55 - 11:40
Then there is a short time for a meeting with your English teacher and for daily feedback. The afternoon program usually starts after lunch but at different time.
What will we do in the afternoon?
You will usually spend time together with your students. You can go swimming, bowling, play ball-games, or just have pizza or ice-cream or a walk in a park. It can vary according to the interests and preferences of you and your students.
Or you will have program with the other MU students (museums, excursions, short trips).
Are we supposed to teach grammar?
Your main focus is teaching conversation and teaching about life in the USA. Sometimes you will feel that some essential grammar corner with exercises or grammar games might be really helpful adn worth doing (e. g. prepositions, past tenses, comparatives). Your host teacher will help you to decide or find materials.
How many different lesson plans will be needed per day?
Usually two because you are mostly in pairs at schools teaching two groups, which means you will teach each lesson plan twice.
What kind of families will we stay with?
Different types – but always somehow connected to the project (most frequently the families of your students, sometimes teachers).
How will we get to school in the mornings?
It will depend on the distance from your school – on foot, by car with your host parents, by bus, by tram …). First days with your host sister or host brother, later you will manage to travel on your own – Olomouc isn`t so big or complicated and public traffic system is quite good. You will be provided by a tram pass for thirty days (a kind of a prepaid ticket).
Will my cellphone work in the Czech Republic?
Most can, but you have to make sure you have the right type, and that you have international calling; you may also have to change the SIM card in your phone (Ask Dr. Blanning).
What is the weather like in the Czech Republic in June?
Generally speaking, very similar to Oxford. In June it can be pretty hot but still it is safer to take some clothes for colder weather. And if for nowhere else, a jacket can be useful for the planned trip to karst caves. Try to travel light and be prepared to use layers.
What can we expect in terms of food?
It is very difficult to speak generally because it differs from family to family. Traditional Czech cuisine is not supposed to be very healthy since it tends to contain a lot of calories, fat and sugar. However, thanks to globalisation you can get almost anything you want anywhere.
Our two points of advice are
- Be open to experiment (You can take food as a part of your culture studies!) and you might find something really good - even a meal „to die for“.
- Always feel free to say No, thank you, I am full etc. because host mums and host grandmas would like to feed you well and give you more and more.
Every host family has a washing machine, so it should be no problem to ask your host mum to help you with this. However, driers aren`t that common in the CR.
What about special activities during the trip?
Some of you are interested in Samizdat (forbidden literature), on the European Union, on Disabilities studies, & other topics. Your schedule will have a bit of room for such things, and it will be much easier to coordinate them if you let us know about them in advance. This also includes finding relatives.
Can we get group tickets?
We don’t usually have a lot of luck with this, but if we get a large enough number of students signed up early enough, then we might get a further reduction in the ticket cost. Therefore, when you are pretty sure that you are going, and you know that you will not be using frequent flyer miles or other such things, please let know Dr. Blanning.