ENGLISH SUMMER CAMP: FAQ

Bell Summer Camps focus on Edutainment, teaching English through fun, games and storytelling to Italian students aged 4 to 14. Through Bell’s Summer Camp Programme, carefully created by our expert Teachers, students have a positive environment where they can learn English in a natural way, while having fun. Camps can be 1,2 or 3 weeks long and usually run 9:00am to 4:30pm. For a Tutor taking part in our TEFL Gamers Programme, Summer Camps are the final step towards completing the programme: at camp, Tutors will be responsible for the day-to-day activities of the camps, leading activities and games with a class of students. A typical camp day starts with Circle Song Time,  when Tutors will get the children energised and ready for the day through action songs and games. You will then have your own class to teach, using the skills that you have gained through your training and following our Summer Camp programme as you lead you class through their English language experience.

Bell Summer Camps are running from June to September each summer.

• We have a limited number of spots available for each of our TEFL programmes, which can vary from 50 to 200 depending on the dates. If you’re a highly motivated Teacher we encourage you to apply well in advance of the programme’s start date.

• Online Training is 20 hours, spread across 5 days. In Person Training is 2 days and takes place in one of our Training Centers ( Cesenatico or Florence ). Training  will provide you with all the training and material necessary to run camps as a successful tutor.

• Yes! Upon completion of the programme all Tutors will earn a TEFL Gamers Programme Certificate. This certificate attests to your completed training course followed by a minimum of 80 hours (two weeks) experience in the field at Summer Camp.

• Yes! We encourage tutors to take time off to rest in between camps ( not during a Summer Camp that’s already started ) travel or meet up with friends/family. We must be made aware of your travel plans at least two weeks in advance. Depending on our camp needs, we may or may not be able to approve your time off, but we will always do our best to accommodate you. 

While previous teaching experience is certainly an asset for the role, it is
not a requirement for applying. Our tutors come from a wide variety of
backgrounds and levels of experience.

• You do not need to speak Italian in order to apply for our camps. While we encourage our Tutors to make the most of the experience and practice their Italian on their own free time, speaking Italian at camp is not allowed. Our camps are full English immersion and speaking Italian to the students will make this teaching approach less effective. Every camp has local Italian staff (including the director and helpers) who may assist with any language barriers in case of an emergency.

• Unfortunately, due to the large amount of Tutors we need to allocate in a very large number of Summer Camps across Italy, we are unable to take requests for specific locations.

• You may apply with and attend the same Online and In Person Training as your friend. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate requests to be placed with friends/family/partners at Summer Camp. That said, you can always take time
  off in-between camps to meet up with friends.

• Italian children’s level of fluency varies across the country and is influenced by several factors including: age, parents’ level of fluency, quality of previous instruction in English, interactions with mother tongue English speakers.

Group sizes are generally between 10-15 students as an average. The amount of tutors you’ll be placed with depends on how many groups of students are formed within a camp (this can range anywhere from one tutor to fifteen+ tutors per camp).

Each family is different and you can expect their knowledge of English to vary accordingly. Some families can get by with basic phrases, others are slightly more fluent, and many may speak no English at all.

Rest assured though that communication is still possible irrespective of fluency. Gesturing goes a long way as does general courtesy and respect for the home of the family hosting you.

Although we accept and review applications from all ages, our Tutors are mainly students or recent graduates between the ages of 18 – 30. Keep in mind that the most common form of accommodation we offer is to stay with host families and older applicants may not find this ideal.

Bell provides every Summer Camp and Tutor  with the essential material needed to carry out the activities in the programme