What is a teacher refresher course?

Although most modern language teachers would love to go abroad regularly and practise their skills in an authentic setting, for the majority this is unfortunately not possible.

A great alternative though, can be a to set aside a designated week or two per year that not only allows them to practise their language skills and familiarise themselves with the latest cultural trends, but to update their language awareness and/or knowledge of latest teaching materials and methodology in a classroom setting. 

Generally, teacher refresher courses are offered by large, well-established language schools that have the resource and expertise available to provide specialist courses like these. The courses are usually available for both primary and secondary school teachers, although the focus for these two types of teacher may differ slightly. Whereas primary teachers tend to need to improve existing language skills (some primary school teachers are expected to teach languages despite not necessarily having any language skills themselves), secondary teachers normally need language tuition at a more advanced level that usually also includes sessions on materials, methodology and sharing best practice.

Normally, the courses are offered over a two week period, although some schools in Spain (Granada, Malaga, Nerja and Valencia) offer them on a one-week basis too.

The cost of the courses can vary from centre to centre, although somewhere between £550 and £800 seems to be about standard for tuition on a 2-week course. The good news though, is that funding for these courses is available via the European Comenius Grant Scheme, for which Cactus is an approved provider. If you want to apply for funding, we can pass your details on to experts who can help you through the process.

Currently, Cactus offers Teacher Refresher courses in French, German and Spanish. Courses are available in locations across France, Germany, Austria and Spain, and full details can be found on the Cactus Language website.