Group skiing with other English-speaking kids

[yamyamyam99]

Hi

I'd like to take my 11 yo daughter skiing in Austria this year, either at February half term or at Easter, and I'd like her to go to ski school. The problem is, last year when she was in ski school she got very lonely because all the other kids only spoke German.

Can anybody make any recommendations that would increase her chances of having other English-speaking children to talk to in her ski group?

Thanks!

Choose one of the resorts that is popular with British guests - look at the websites of Inghams and Crystal etc. to see which these are. Some suggestions: Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Zell am See, Ellmau, St.Anton.

UK half-term this year (11-18 Feb) falls at the same time as many other European countries, so a ski class of 12-year-olds in Austria is likely to have kids from Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and elsewhere. My experience of teaching this age group is that many of the European kids actually speak quite good English and are keen to practice - and of course the instruction will also be in a mixture of languages. Once at ski school, if your daughter really is the only English speaker in a group where everyone else speaks another language, you could ask if there is another group that she could move to.

An experienced instructor should make sure that everyone is having a good time socially in the class and that nobody is being left out. This includes activities where the kids buddy up, ride together on lifts, look out for each other etc.

I'd book lessons through whoever you've booked your holiday with as would hopefully group British speakers together.
Or I'd go to a resort which has an independent well reviewed English speaking ski school. I can highly recommend New Generation but I think they only operate in France.

All instructors in Austria are required to be able to teach in English. The issue is that British kids are usually outnumbered by the children from other countries.

The tour operators usually have no say on how groups are set up in the ski schools - but a smart TO rep would probably be able to organise this with a ski school if he/she knows in advance how many children are coming that week and how many will need ski school. In my experience this is rarely communicated to the resort reps until the day before the families arrive, leaving them no time to get things organised.

Just a note about half term 2023. The OP is a bit late if they have yet to book their holiday - not only will the holidays be almost sold out, but the ski schools are probably also likely to be booked up in advance. Just as with many other tourist industry and hospitality jobs, the number of ski instructors has fallen post-Covid as people left for other jobs.

If having other English kids in ski school is a priority I would book with An English tour operator such as Esprit and use their ski school.

Not an Austria expert but would be amazed if you can get any peak week ski school in popular resorts booking this late! I booked in June. Was looking for a private lesson for my older kids in April and unless happy to take afternoons there wasn't a thing!