Hi, I'm Katerina — and like many professionals in the English Language Teaching (ELT) field, I wear many hats.

Currently

With a background in education and a strong foundation in teaching, I work at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, where I support new lecturers as they step into their teaching roles. I do this through coaching, running teacher training workshops, and helping to design blended learning materials.

Freelancing

Beyond the university, I’m passionate about materials writing. As part of a dedicated team in an Austrian publishing house, I develop e-learning content to accompany various English course books on a freelance basis — my main focus is creating engaging animated explainer videos. And I also teach from time to time, to stay connected with the classroom.

Beyond “day jobs”

Thanks to the flexibility of freelance work, I also get to pursue creative side projects such as my favourite Study Newsletter (welcome to its home on the web!). All you need to enjoy it is a cup of coffee, a few quiet minutes, and your favourite learning spot — whether that’s your sofa, the U-Bahn, or your garden.

How I got here - my first teaching job: Brno, Czech Republic, 2008

I started teaching English to adult learners while still studying at the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University. I remember that first job vividly — a class of pre-intermediate learners at a small language school in Brno. It was 2008, and I was trying to put all the theory I learned by day into practice in my evening class. I loved the interaction, got great feedback, and quickly realized this work truly suited me.

Oxford, The UK

Fast forward to 2010. I headed to Oxford for a month-long teacher training course (CELTA). I absolutely loved it — and it confirmed what I already knew: teaching English was the right path.

Big move to Berlin

Later that year, I moved to Berlin. Starting out wasn’t easy — being a “non-native English teacher” came with challenges, to put it mildly. After six months, I finally landed a position at a language school on a research campus in Brandenburg. The four-hour daily commute felt like a fair trade-off for getting started, and I was grateful for it.

Over the next seven years, I transitioned away from language schools, gradually building a freelance client base. I taught a wide range of professionals — from technology start-up teams to staff at the German Bundestag — and learned a great deal about running my own business, teaching, and myself. During that time, I also completed an advanced teacher training diploma (DELTA), which reshaped how I think about teaching and helped me refine my teaching style and philosophy.

London, The UK

I returned to the UK to lead a team of English teachers as a Director of Studies at a busy international summer school, two summers in a row. I supported my team in lesson planning, reflection on their teaching and development — and absolutely loved every minute of it.

Vienna: since 2017

In 2017, I made the move to Vienna — partly to be closer to family and partly for a new adventure. I knew the city well from childhood and figured that if all else failed, I could always return to Brno.

Contrary to my rocky start in Berlin, things went much smoother for me in Vienna. I quickly found work in language schools, picked up my own clients, and began writing materials for a publishing house — the full freelance experience. Each day brought new learning, thanks to inspiring students and colleagues.

… Fast forward to now (2025)

These days, I’m focused on teacher training at the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna and I’m involved in a wide range of projects at the Teaching & Learning Centre. What a journey it’s been — and I’m still learning every step of the way.

If you're curious about further details in my career, feel free to visit my LinkedIn profile.

Teaching Qualifications: DELTA, CELTA, and a B.A. in English Language Teaching.