Testimonial by Juliane Geuten, student at the HECh in the Master’s degree program in Teaching – Department 3 German Studies, language internship at VISTA College in Heerlen in the Netherlands from March 24 to April 4, 2025:
My language study trip to Heerlen in the Netherlands was a very enriching experience, both personally and professionally. At first, I was a little nervous at the thought of spending two weeks in a city that was completely unknown to me. However, this immersion in a new language was very beneficial and helped me progress in many ways.
In terms of language, I had the opportunity to speak Dutch and a little English. By observing the Dutch classes, I was able to better understand the challenges faced by some learners for whom it is not their first language and thus reflect on inclusive pedagogical methods. In the English classes, I could concretely see how difficult it is for students to engage in learning a foreign language, which made me think about more motivating approaches. I learned to listen better, recognize teaching strategies and understand classroom interactions.
This experience has taught me a lot with regard to my future career as a teacher. First of all, at VISTA College in Heerlen I got to know a very different school organization than the one you would find in a Belgian school, but also similarities: very independent students, little personal school material, very practice-oriented courses and a great flexibility in time and attendance management. The fact that students communicate with their teachers via WhatsApp or TEAMS has shown me the importance of informal and digital contact adapted to their reality.
I also learned a lot by observing the pedagogical methods: the use of an interactive whiteboard, concrete visual aids, the benevolent acceptance of mistakes, the promotion of mutual help among peers… I have seen teachers who were both demanding and close to their students, able to adapt to the very different levels of a multicultural class. This has also given me ideas on how to encourage participation and collaboration, especially in small groups, which encourages active learning.
After all, I had to organize the trips, manage the meals, deal with the unexpected … All this made me more independent and flexible and taught me to work better in a team. It was also a time of sharing and socializing. I was lucky enough to build closer relationships with my fellow interns and experience wonderful moments.
In summary, this internship enabled me to better understand the reality on the ground, to put myself in the shoes of the profession, to discover a different school culture and to strengthen my skills in terms of independence and collaboration. I will remember this experience for a long time, as it was a turning point on my path to becoming a future teacher.
Testimonial by Chiara Cuffaro, student at the HECh in the Master’s degree program in Teacher Education – Department 3 Germanic Languages, language internship at Sintermeerten College in the Netherlands from March 24 to April 4, 2025:
At first I was a bit nervous about staying with a host family, but in the end there were four of us living in an Airbnb. It was a very nice and unusual experience as we were really on our own.
We were split into two per school and received a very warm welcome at Sintermerten College. We mainly supported the language teachers, especially the French teachers, and even had the opportunity to teach an English course, which was great because we were so active.
This internship allowed me to get to know a school system that is quite different from ours, both in its organization and in its methods. The teachers also introduced us to several interesting digital tools. At the same time, we were also able to learn more about Dutch culture.
This language internship was an enriching experience both professionally and personally.
Testimonial by Valentine Barbière, student at the HECh in the Master’s program in Teacher Education – Department 3 German Studies, language internship at Sintermeerten College in the Netherlands from March 24 to April 4, 2025:
I really enjoyed my internship in the Netherlands. I got on very well with my host family, who introduced me to the local culture and specialties. I also enjoyed watching the lessons at Eijkhagen College in Heerlen.
Not only was I able to practise my Dutch, but I also got to experience lessons that were completely different from what I had experienced in Belgium. This was particularly interesting, especially the fact that in the Netherlands a large part of the lessons is dedicated to independent work.
In summary, I can say that this trip was a very enriching experience from a cultural, human and linguistic point of view.
