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Irakasle Formakuntza Taldea

Program Overview

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Program Expectations

Application Requirements

FAQs

Program Overview

NABO Euskara recognizes the growing interest to learn Euskara across the US and Canada, but we lack enough qualified teachers. The Irakasle Formakuntza Taldea (Euskara Teacher Training Program) fills this gap by training instructors so each Basque Club or organization has at least one teacher to help reach .

The program is 3-years, online, and asynchronous, starting September 2026. Each year has two six-month terms and includes a 1-week in-person summer immersion experience in the US. These summer sessions follow a Barnetegi-inspired intensive learning model, bringing all participants together for focused, in-person instruction prior to starting the next six-month term.

At the conclusion of Year 3, participants who have maintained good standing throughout the entirety of the program are invited to a two-month intensive immersion experience at Maizpide Barnetegia in Lazkao, Gipuzkoa, Euskal Herria both to deepen language proficiency and to celebrate program completion.

< Program Outcomes

By the conclusion of the program, participants will:

  • Achieve a B1 level of proficiency in Euskara

  • Participate in two week-long Euskara “Barnetegi”-inspired immersion sessions in the U.S.

  • Complete up to a two-month immersive learning experience at Maizpide Barnetegia in Lazkao, Gipuzkoa

  • Be prepared to teach beginner-level Euskara in their local communities or online, with the opportunity for paid instruction

> Community Commitment

The goal of the Irakasle Formakuntza Program is to support Basque Clubs by training designated instructors who will provide in-person or virtual Euskara classes tailored to their community’s needs.

To ensure accountability and sustained engagement, a formal agreement will be signed prior to program commencement and renewed on a yearly basis.

After successful completion of this 3-Year program and achievement of a B1 level Euskara proficiency, the participant agrees to teach four (4) 12-week semesters of Beginner level Euskara classes in a two-year period. They will teach for a NABO member organization or NABO Euskara Online.

  • Specific teaching expectations (e.g., duration or number of classes) may be subject to change in coordination with the needs of NABO Euskara and/or the Euskal Etxea that is signing the agreement with the participant.

  • They will be paid according to NABO Euskara or NABO member organization contract determinations.

< Expert Instruction

All asynchronous coursework and Summer Barnetegi-inspired immersion sessions are facillitated by a seasoned educator from Maizpide Barnetegia in Lazkao, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country.

  • Curriculum is Euskara Munduan and additional materials based on Euskara Munduan principles are used to support a robust learning experience

  • NABO Euskara teaches from the same curriculum. If you have taken Euskara with NABO some of the materials may be familiar

< Cost

Thanks to generous funding from the Basque Government, each participant is granted a full scholarship. This scholarship covers tuition, U.S.-based Barnetegi sessions, and the Maizpide Barnetegi immersion experience fully. Each participant must maintain good standing in the program to maintain their scholarship.

Program Expectations

After the selection process, each selected participant will sign a yearly contract to receive and maintain this scholarship. The participant will agree to maintain “Good Standing” in the program in order to complete the 3-year program in its entirety.

To maintain “Good Standing” each participant must:

  • Sign a yearly contract

  • Complete 80% of the “Azken Lana” unit assignments by the due date assigned

    • The program follows an accelerated yet structured pace. One unit of the Euskara Munduan curriculum is introduced each week. There are several exercises to support the learning of the topics introduced in the unit. To demonstrate mastery of the unit, participants are required to submit the final assignment or “Azken Lana” of each unit within two weeks of the release date. Each six-month term covers approximately 15 units, totaling 30 units per year.

  • Attend 80% Mintza Saioak organized and scheduled by the instructor

  • Maintain 80% attendance during Summer Barnetegis hosted in the US

  • Achieve minimum competency in the language level completed in the year in order to continue to the next level. (A1 → A2 → B1) This will be determined by end of semester student assessments done by the instructor and reported to NABO Euskara.

If the participant is unable to maintain good standing, they may be determined ineligible to continue with the Cohort

New participants may join the Cohort at the start of Year 2 or 3 if they are at an equivalent competency level as the main Cohort

Participants must complete the Online academic portion of this program in order to be eligible for the 2-month Maizpide experience offered at the end of Year 3.

Application Requirements

Year 1

  • 200 Hours

  • Complete A1.1-A1.2 in it’s entirety

  • Weekly “Mintza Saioa”

  • 7-10 day in-person Summer Barnetegi (USA) at end of 1st year

Year 2

  • 300 Hours

  • Complete A2.1-A2.2 in it’s entirety

  • Weekly “Mintza Saioa”

  • 7-10 day in-person Summer Barnetegi (USA) at end of 2nd year

Year 3

  • 200 Hours

  • Complete B1.1-B2.2 in it’s entirety

  • Weekly “Mintza Saioa”

  • upto 2-months at Maizpide Barnetegi (USA) at end of 3nd year with successful academic completion and maintinaing “Good Standing”

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We offer a range of solutions designed to meet your needs—whether you're just getting started or scaling something bigger. Everything is tailored to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

  • Getting started is simple. Reach out through our contact form or schedule a call—we’ll walk you through the next steps and answer any questions along the way.

  • We combine a thoughtful, human-centered approach with clear communication and reliable results. It’s not just what we do—it’s how we do it that sets us apart.

  • You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day.