Learning English Through Immersion

At the English Play Corner, we follow the immersion principle, allowing children to acquire English naturally through everyday experiences, just as they learn their native language—by listening, understanding, interacting, and participating.

Our educators primarily speak English, creating an authentic language environment throughout the day. At the same time, children communicate with one another in both German and English, supporting the natural development of both languages. Through play, daily routines, and meaningful interactions, children are gently encouraged to use English with confidence and enjoyment.

Learning Through Play and Experience

Children learn best when they are actively engaged. Songs, stories, movement, creative activities, gestures, facial expressions, and everyday experiences help make language meaningful and easy to understand. English is woven naturally into the daily routine, allowing children to develop language skills in a relaxed and joyful way.

Individual Support

With our exceptionally high staff-to-child ratio, we are able to give each child the attention and support they need. Every child is encouraged to learn at their own pace and according to their individual interests and developmental stage.

Language Development

Children’s German language development is regularly observed and documented in accordance with Austrian educational guidelines. When needed, additional support is provided through age-appropriate, integrated language activities.

By experiencing both English and German every day, children grow up in a rich bilingual environment where language learning happens naturally, playfully, and with confidence. 

Educational Foundations

At the English Play Corner, we work according to our own educational concept, which is regularly reviewed, updated, and refined to reflect current research and best practices. Our approach is guided by the following Austrian educational framework documents:

• the Cross-State Educational Framework Plan for Elementary Educational Institutions in Austria

• the Guideline for Language Support in the Transition from Kindergarten to Primary School

• the Module for Five-Year-Old Children

• the Values Guide “Living Values, Teaching Values”

These foundations provide the framework for our daily work and support us in nurturing each child’s development in a holistic, respectful, and individual way. We place particular emphasis on fostering independence, social skills, language development, and a lifelong love of learning.

Continuous Professional Development

Providing high-quality early childhood education means continuously learning and growing ourselves. Therefore, all members of our team regularly participate in professional development opportunities, both through team training sessions and individual courses and workshops.

Early childhood education is constantly evolving, and we believe it is essential to stay up to date with new research, ideas, and educational approaches. This commitment enables us to continually enhance the quality of our work and provide the best possible learning environment for the children in our care.

We also invest considerable time, care, and attention in mentoring students and interns who complete their practical training with us. Supporting future educators is something we value deeply. By sharing our knowledge, experience, and passion for the profession, we contribute to the development of the next generation of early childhood educators while also benefiting from fresh perspectives and new ideas.

The children discover themselves and the world around them through movement. Through Physical Education, the child's cognitive, social, emotional and creative abilities are developed and are an important educational goal for us.

Movement is…
… included in our daily routine.
… offered through special, fun activities.
… developed during freeplay ouside, visits to the woods and excursions.

Our Outdoor Day:
Every Wednesday our 3-6 year olds spend the morning out in the open. We explore the nearby woods at the foot of the Gaisberg. The forest offers the children many opportunities to get to know their body and their senses.

We also offer regular excursions to extend the children’s learning and adventure experiences.

In springtime even our little ones start exploring the woods.

Wood project:
Once a year, for two weeks, the mornings take place for everyone in the woods. At our camp at the foot of the Gaisberg, the children have the opportunity to move, explore, experiment and play using all their senses. This takes place no matter what the weather is like. The children have the whole morning to enjoy nature, a morning snack and songs together.

We provide magnifying glasses, microscopes, shovels, ropes and more to support our children´s interest and motivation. During our wood project lunch is served in the back garden, in a quiet and calm area protected from weather conditions as of rain. 

On our last day we invite the parents to join us in the woods, to create a special and exciting end to our yearly project.

The English Play Corner enjoys a freshly cooked meal prepared here in our own kitchen every day.  Our cook Susi prepares “snack” in the morning and our two-course lunch.

For the morning snack, the children are offered daily fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables from our region. In order to offer the children a varied diet, there is a snack with milk products once a week, full grain cereals, dried fruits and a colorful fruit dish or fruit salad. 4 days a week there is a variety of bread, pastries, homemade croissants,
cold cuts, fruits and vegetables. We place great importance on using regional products.

For lunch, the children are offered traditional home cooking; a mix of sweet and savoury, always healthy and always extraordinary. Our two course menu is made with fresh ingredients and lots of love!

We offer support in every aspect. We set impulses that offer every child to find their own pace, create their own mind set, follow their interest and strengths. At the same time we give our children the boundries they need that are necessary to help develop becoming a healthy independent individual.

We are equipped with enough staff in order for us to offer individual care in small groups if necessary.

Characteristic for our kindergarten is the homey atmosphere. We are situated in a detached house which used to be a family home. For that reason it feels like you are stepping into some ones home rather than into a child care facility. We have little cozy and big bright corners and rooms to offer which make it again very special when it comes to our activities. The children are the centre of our educational focuses.