Teaching English as a lingua franca in Tyrol, Austria

More speakers of other languages are using English to communicate in today’s globalising world. It is important for foreign students to learn English to communicate effectively. This paper looks at an overview of the Austrian compulsory education system and then discusses the demand for native English-speaking high school teachers in Austria, and how native and nonnative speakers can work together to teach English as an international language. Effective ways for native speakers to teach within the Austrian academic secondary school context in Tyrol are examined, as these will develop intercultural understanding and respect for other cultures. The article concludes by highlighting the impact that teaching English as an international language may have on interculturalism and international communication throughout the world.