For many people working in education, English is no longer just a subject taught in classrooms — it’s becoming a tool for everyday professional life. Whether it’s communicating with colleagues abroad, supporting students on exchange projects, or exploring new teaching ideas, a basic command of English helps staff connect more easily across cultures. With this in mind, the course Learning Basic English Language for Education Staff was designed to make language learning both practical and approachable, showing participants how English can be integrated into their daily routines at school and beyond. 
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The training took place in Bologna from 31 August to 6 September 2025. The group included five participants from Poland: Laura, Danuta, Magdalena, Sylwia, and Marzena. Although they came from different educational contexts, they shared the same goal — to strengthen their English skills in a way that feels useful in real situations, rather than only on paper. 
Building the foundations 
The course began with activities that helped the group get comfortable with introducing themselves and talking about everyday life. Using the present simple tense, participants described their routines, habits, and general truths — skills that are essential for basic communication. They also mapped out their personal expectations and learning goals, which created a sense of shared purpose and highlighted areas where they felt more or less confident. 

Moving through past and present 
Once the group was confident speaking about daily life, they moved on to the past tense. Travel became the central theme: participants learned how to form past tense sentences with both regular and irregular verbs, then practised by sharing stories of previous holidays and short trips. Writing short texts and presenting them to peers allowed everyone to build fluency step by step. 
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Looking ahead 
Midway through the course, the focus shifted to the future. Here, participants practised using the present continuous for arrangements, as well as “will” and “going to” for predictions and intentions. Talking about hobbies, plans, and dreams made the language feel personal, while also giving the group the chance to connect on a more human level. 
Practical language for real life 
The final sessions emphasised language that could be directly applied at work. A cooking activity introduced imperative verbs and vocabulary for instructions, while exercises on writing and reading simple emails addressed a common professional need. These tasks encouraged participants to see English not as an abstract subject, but as a tool they can actively use in their roles.

Wrapping up 
​By the end of the course, the participants had moved from tentative first introductions to confidently using English across different tenses and contexts. More importantly, they experienced how learning together — through sharing routines, stories, and future plans — can build both language skills and a sense of community. For education staff, this kind of progress goes beyond grammar: it opens doors to collaboration, intercultural exchange, and new opportunities in their professional lives. 

Discover more about this course here.