Pädagogische Hochschule Kärnten
Viktor Frankl Hochschule
REFLECTION ON BILINGUAL VOLKSSCHULE IN
VILLACH
Author: Karolina Acsova
Course: Educational Systems – PBIPFW08WS
Date: Klagenfurt, 2025
On October 15, we went on a field trip to a bilingual elementary school in Villach. For
me personally, it was my first encounter with bilingual education, and I was very curious to
see how it functions in practice. For this reason, I decided to observe only bilingual classes
during my excursion.
The first class I visited was the second grade. The overall atmosphere in the classroom was
calm, and the students worked diligently. The lesson focused on the topic of waste
decomposition in nature and was conducted mainly in German. Some pupils received
additional explanations to help them understand the content more effectively. It was a rather
static lesson, with the pupils sitting in their seats and completing exercises in their workbooks,
followed by a joint review. My attention was drawn to one student who appeared slightly
restless and was looking for ways to distract himself. The teacher responded very thoughtfully
by giving him a piece of paper on which he could express his emotions and release some
energy.
The second class I observed was the fourth grade, which included a diverse group of students
from various countries such as the United States, China, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands,
Ukraine, Spain, India, and Korea. The lesson focused on German grammar, specifically on
grammatical cases. Once again, it was a relatively static lesson, with the pupils working
individually or in pairs in their workbooks.
Finally, I had the opportunity to visit the first grade, which I absolutely loved. The pupils were
learning a new letter of the alphabet. However, instead of a traditional approach, the lesson
began with the introduction of the new letter through an English song. To increase motivation,
the pupils sang the letters they already knew together with the teacher and then practiced the
newly introduced one. Together, they translated the rhyme from the song and learned a short
dance to accompany it. The lesson concluded with practice and repetition activities.
Overall, I would evaluate the visit to the elementary school in Villach very positively.
Although not all teachers used highly dynamic or interactive methods, I found the bilingual
approach to education very inspiring and beneficial for the students’ future development.
Personally, I can imagine myself learning in such an environment, and this excursion truly
broadened my perspective on different pedagogical approaches.
2
3
On October 22, we had the opportunity to visit the Waldorf School in Klagenfurt. I was
personally very happy about this, as I am actively interested in alternative approaches to
education and have always wanted to visit a Waldorf school. I really like its principles, which
emphasize openness and transparency, resulting in very close cooperation with all
stakeholders. The Waldorf School also respects the cultural and social backgrounds of its
students, educating them to be open to different worldviews and religions, but also to act
responsibly and respectfully towards nature and society. Students learn to think critically and
confidently face current and future challenges.
I really liked the environment during my tour of the school. I was very impressed by
the wooden furniture, which made the school feel very pleasant and relaxed. This was also
helped by the yellow lighting and natural decorations, which emphasized the connection with
nature.
I had the opportunity to visit a fourth-grade class, where I felt very comfortable. From
the moment I entered the classroom, I was enveloped by a positive atmosphere, which was
enhanced by a burning candle and the beautifully decorated classroom. The teacher also
contributed to the pleasant atmosphere. She seemed very calm and composed and treated the
students with respect. The pupils were working on maths, but each pupil worked at their own
pace on tasks they felt confident about. I was given the opportunity to try traditional
symmetrical drawing. The emphasis here is on understanding and feeling colours and then
connecting them. This activity was very calming and helped me to gain a better insight into
the children's creativity. During the lesson, we went outside with the students for a break.
Here, the students took jump ropes and practiced their multiplication tables while jumping
rope and following the teacher's rhythm. The students seemed very relaxed, and the overall
atmosphere was pleasant. At the end of the lesson, the teacher told the students a selected
epic. The students were having their snack during the story, but despite this, they actively
responded to the teacher and helped with the storytelling.
Based on my reflection, I really enjoyed the Waldorf school and I am very glad that I
had the opportunity to visit it. Thanks to the positive attitude of all the teachers, I became
familiar with all the principles of this alternative approach and understood its great popularity
around the world.
4
5