Aino Kuntsel

I graduated from the University of Tartu as an English philologist and a teacher of the English language.

I worked as a teacher at a general education school for a total of 11 years. Independent Estonia offered a wide range of interesting opportunities for an English philologist, and I spent 18 years in the field of tourism. From travel consultant all the way to the executive director. This time gave me the opportunity to see the world, but more importantly, I have the opportunity to learn and practice the art of convincing. How to achieve smooth and successful cooperation in the international business environment, knowing the national cultural differences between colleagues working in different countries, and ensuring that the difference would be more enriching than hindering.

I needed tools to work as a manager, and therefore I acquired a certificate of communication trainer at the Self II Private School, and I have been conducting communication courses in business collectives in both Estonian and English. Next, I went to Tallinn University for 3 years of continuing education on supervision, coaching, and organizational change management, I received a supervisor-coach certificate, and I have been conducted training, individual and group supervisions in various organizations in both Estonian and English.

The skills of an English philologist, a trainer, supervisor-coach skills perfectly complement each other in my current adult education work.
I took part in a project that supported the preparation of officials for the Estonian presidency of the EU, whose topics were chairing meetings, presentations, and negotiations in English.
I have trained both public officials and business people to use a foreign language taking into account international cultural diversity. The internationalization of companies brings Estonia the branches of multicultural businesses. There is a growing need for training staff who knows foreign languages in a grammatically correct way and can communicate in an international context. It means using the same language as a sensitive tool for the success of business communication.

As an adult educator, I: 

• identify the needs and expectations of the learning group, prepare training content, and select teaching methods based on the intended learning outcomes and previous feedback; 

• create a physical, mental, and social environment conducive to language learning, base my approach to the learners’ needs and adapt learning stages or working methods as required;  

• continuously gather feedback from learners about the learning process, analyse the learning process, and assess learners’ learning outcomes;  

• analyse and evaluate my own performance in the learning process, recognise my strengths and areas for development, engage in continuous professional development, and update the learning content and teaching methods by revising and modernising them when necessary;  

• use relevant information and communication technology (ICT) tools (e.g., interactive smartboards, online platforms such as Zoom and/or Teams, ML information system, cloud services such as Google Drive and/or OneDrive, e-learning platforms, etc.) in the preparation, delivery, and evaluation of the teaching and learning process, as well as for supporting my own professional development; am familiar with the possibilities of digital learning and can use appropriate methods for delivering digital learning in adult education. 

I am a member of the Neurolanguage Coach® Network  

(https://neurolanguagecoachnetwork.com) and am listed as a certified coach on the ELC Certification website: https://elccertification.com/coaches/aino-kuntsel/. I regularly participate in the network’s international online activities, including professional development workshops on methodology and workshops presenting discoveries from neuroscience related to brain functions, learning preferences, and their application in the learning process. I also take part in international peer exchange and troubleshooting workshops with other network members. 

I am a member of the Estonian Association for Supervision and Coaching and participate in its reading club.  

I am also a member of the EPALE community. 

In April 2021, I participated in Erasmus+ mobility project “Developing and Sharing Adults ´Language Teachers´ (e)Skills”. 

I have created study materials for vocabulary and grammar practice, tailored to group needs and specific topics.