INTRODUCTION TO THE ETA PROGRAM
The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program places recent college graduates and young professionals as English teaching assistants in primary and secondary schools or universities overseas – improving foreign students’ English language abilities and knowledge of the United States while increasing the U.S. student’s own language skills and knowledge of the host country. Applicants to the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program in Belgium come from many backgrounds. For the most part, they are not certified teachers; rather, a typical ETA is a recent graduate with a demonstrated interest in teaching. In the past, ETAs in Belgium have included recent graduates whose fields of study ranged from Secondary Education and Comparative Literature to Communications and German Studies.
The application process for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program begins in the fall, over 12 months before the start of the grant. Applicants are evaluated first by their home universities, then by the National Screening Committee, and then finally by a committee organized by the Fulbright Commission in Brussels. When selecting grantees, the Fulbright Commission in Brussels specifically looks for candidates with the necessary maturity, flexibility, and initiative to operate independently in their host country. Successful applicants demonstrate that they will be able to work alongside experienced teachers, even though they themselves are often only a year or two out of college, and to engage fully in both their host institution and their local community. Once top candidates have been selected, the Fulbright Commission places each ETA in his/her host institution. While effort is made to ensure a good match between assistants and their host institutions, grantees are sometimes surprised to find themselves assigned to a region they did not expect!
Once in the classroom, an ETA’s work can consist of assistant tasks like leading English conversation with small groups of students, tutoring students who need additional help, and/or correcting homework or grading exams. They are also able to design coursework and give lessons about the United States and American culture, English language and literature, and a variety of other topics. Outside of the classroom, ETAs often get involved in student organizations and bring aspects of their U.S. university experience to Belgium.
HOST A FULBRIGHT ETA
For the last several years, the Fulbright Commission in Brussels has worked with a cost-sharing model that allows Belgian universities and university colleges to receive a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in exchange for covering half the cost of the total grant. In secondary schools, the generous support of the U.S. Embassy to Belgium makes possible the free placement of a part-time English Teaching Assistant.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FULBRIGHT COMMISSION
The Fulbright Commission administers the selection and placement of the teaching assistant, including conducting interviews and selecting teaching assistants that meet the specifications of each placement. The Fulbright Commission also administers the payment of the grantee’s monthly stipend and travel allowance upon their arrival in Belgium.
In addition to handling the administration of the grant, the Fulbright Commissions offers in-country support and cultural programming to all Fulbright ETAs. At the beginning of the grant period, the Fulbright Commission organizes an annual cultural orientation for all U.S. Fulbright grantees to Belgium and Luxembourg. The Fulbright Commission covers the meals and materials of all participants in this orientation. In addition to U.S. Grantee Orientation, teaching assistants benefit from an additional day-long ETA Training Day. Hosted by alumni of the Fulbright ETA and FLTA Programs, this orientation provides grantees with the resources necessary to contribute effectively from the beginning of their grant. ETAs discuss cultural differences when it comes to class participation, teacher expectations, and grading, as well as strategies for managing workplace expectations. Throughout the grant period, the Fulbright Commission will provide free educational materials, information, and advice to support the teaching assistant and to connect the teaching assistant with his/her fellow ETAs. Throughout the grant period, the Fulbright Commission will organize both mandatory and optional cultural programming and events for the ETAs and other U.S. Fulbright grantees.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HOST INSTITUTION
The host institution — whether a university, university college, or secondary school — should organize the reception and placement of the teaching assistant upon his/her arrival and should endeavor to assist the teaching assistant in his/her cultural adaptation. While the Fulbright Commission organizes both pre-departure and in-country orientations, ETAs may appreciate additional local advice from their host institution about topics such as finding housing, applying for a residence permit, or engaging in the local community that may be specific to their city or commune.
While ETAs often work with multiple faculty members and across different departments, the host institution is expected to provide a primary supervising teacher to work with the teaching assistant. The supervising teacher will be expected to:
- Liaise with the ETA before his/her arrival in Belgium and to inform him/her about official responsibilities and workload;
- Assist in the orientation of the ETA following his/her arrival in Belgium. The supervising teacher should acquaint him/her with textbooks and other education aids used in class, explain relevant institutional requirements and procedures (both related to everyday teaching responsibilities as well as to field trips, vacation, sick leave, etc.);
- Support the ETA in his/her teaching role by giving tips and advice, sharing experience, and providing feedback about teaching methods and lesson content;
- Inform the ETA in a timely manner about official holidays or days off, as well as changes to the institution schedule (reduced / canceled hours, etc.);
- Facilitate the integration of the assistant in giving practical advice (e.g., recommending an English-speaking general physician in the city); and
- Complete and send to the Fulbright Commission two reports about the ETA as required by the Commission (one in January and one in June) about the ETA’s performance at the institution.
Teaching assistants should be assigned approximately twelve hours of work per week; if the teaching assistant is based at two schools, he/she should not be assigned more than six hours of work per week by each school. The assistant should work under the supervision of another teacher or teaching team. Sample projects include:
- Preparing and giving lessons on a given or self-selected topic (e.g., daily life in the United States, American culture and civilization);
- Leading English conversation with small groups of students;
- Grading or providing feedback on assignments or exams;
- Correcting student pronunciation in a language lab;
- Coordinating or assisting with extra-curricular activities; and/or
- Providing one-on-one or small- group tutoring to students who need additional help.
Please note that ETAs are not expected to be full-time teachers. This means that their responsibilities do not include taking over the teaching of an entire course during a teacher’s absence or doing the majority of grading for a course for which they are not responsible. ETAs are reminded that they may choose to seek out or take on additional responsibilities, like designing a course or working independently; however, they should not feel pressured to take on tasks that go beyond the duties of an ETA.
LEARN MORE
Interested in hosting a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant on your campus? Email info@fulbright.be to express your interest and request a short application form. (Please note that the selection of Fulbright ETAs occurs on an annual basis and decisions about placement are made each year in February and March.)
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