# ESL 'teaching in Spain' question...



## LaraMascara (Oct 19, 2012)

In order to teach ESL in Spain, is it even worth doing the TEFL Cambridge Online Courses with 120 hours, but NO classroom experience included?

I know the CELTA is preferred. I know the CELTA is much better. It's also very expensive.

But if only the TEFL Cambridge Online Course is done, is it useless to try and work in Spain?

(This is a question for a friend.)

Many thanks!
L.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Having done either the TEFL or CELTA course doesn't make you a great teacher. I know people who teach here some with qualifications and some with none (well they usually have a degree in something) and for the most part having the qualification doesn't often distinguish teachers one from another. If your friend wants to work at a school then usually a qualification will be required but if they are looking to teach privately then it isn't necessary. What is necessary is a desire to teach and the ability. If your friend has those then they will be fine, if not they won't be teaching for very long.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

LaraMascara said:


> In order to teach ESL in Spain, is it even worth doing the TEFL Cambridge Online Courses with 120 hours, but NO classroom experience included?
> 
> I know the CELTA is preferred. I know the CELTA is much better. It's also very expensive.
> 
> ...


The biggest hurdle for an American looking for work in Spain is the visa which would enable him/ her to work here legally, paying taxes and having health care coverage, so I would advise your friend to look into that.
As a qualified teacher myself I agree with Thrax that the qualification doesn't necessarily make the teacher, but it sure helps. If nothing else it will help you in your first year of teaching with lesson planning whilst you try to get a bit of experience under your belt.
As to an online qualification with no teaching practice, I suppose it's better than nothing, but many of the more "serious" schools state "online qualifications not accepted" when advertising.
Finally, this is all referring to teaching in private academies. If you are thinking of a state school then the only way in is as a teaching assistant and I think it depends on the area of Spain. You can probably find out from the ministry of education. There are some American private schools here Madrid, Bilbao...) and presumably you have to be a qualified teacher in the US to be able to apply for a position there.
There are quite a few other teachers on the forum Clemmie, xabiachica, goingtobcn. See what they think


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## Clemmie00 (Jun 10, 2012)

The short TEFL course is a complete waste of time. You might as well not bother. CELTA might not make you a good teacher, but it teaches you a hell of a lot about both grammar and teaching methods in 4 weeks and you get quite a bit of assessed teaching practice. I've never regretted doing it.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

I can't speak for all language schools, but the one where I work will only accept CELTA.


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## LaraMascara (Oct 19, 2012)

Thank you all for responding! 

I personally think the CELTA is actually really good, and a minimum qualification to teach ESL. Along with a desire to teach and a good personality. Just because you speak English does not mean you can teach it. I mean, it IS a skill, and the CELTA at least gives someone the basics. 

She is British, so the visa is not an issue. She has a BA in history. She has done some tutoring. She liked it. She wants to teach ESL in Spain but cannot afford the CELTA. 

I sort of think that people will not actually be hired to teach ESL in a classroom, even as casual work, with the online telf, in Spain. 

In China, maybe... But, in Spain? 

But, I don't really know how it works in Spain. 

It seems like the schools that would hire someone with a degree would hire her with or without that tefl, and schools that want a certificate want the CELTA, not the online tefl, so the online tefl is useless. 

Are there actually any schools in Spain that hire people with only a history BA to teach ESL in a classroom?


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## Emmis (Mar 21, 2010)

I would definitely recommend the Certificate. I've been teaching now for over 10 years. I started off doing the 4 week course after I graduated, through the University. People on the course were already trained, and working, as Secondary school teachers. Maybe it was just the course I did, but one of them failed, as it wasn't a walk in the park (to be fair though, he was appalling, and no idea how he was still teaching in a Secondary...). 

If it's a good course, with enough teaching practice hours, it will definitely teach you how to teach. Teaching, like most jobs, is a continually evolving profession, and you learn constantly as the years progress, and as you take on different students with different needs. 

I'm now a Business English teacher, and have had to learn on the job, as such. If you like teaching, and want to take it further you can go into Teaching for Academic Purposes, Business English teaching, become a DOS... or take it in all sorts of directions. 

Like many jobs there are good and bad schools, and equally good and bad qualifications. TEFL/TESOL has got a bad rap over the last few years, thanks to the rubbish courses and awful schools out there. There are some great organisations, though, that you can work with, as well as some lovely smaller private schools. I've met some incredible people through it, taught some impressive people, including some politicians (which was a bit intimidating at first, but then quite amazing!). 

If you really do want to become a semi-decent teacher, do the 4 week course, and via a reputable school or University - RSA or Cambridge accredited. It's like doing any teaching course - you need the teaching practice experience for your own confidence as well as to make the grade. I'd really recommend it.

Hope that helps! x


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

I agree that no course can make you a good teacher, but the CELTA (or Trinity Cert TESOL which I have and is as widely-accepted in my experience) provide an invaluable introduction.
Personally, I'd only apply to schools that ask for CELTA or Trinity Cert TESOL as there are a lot of English schools out there and I'd want to work for a good one with opportunities to develop (this is what I did while in London, I'm now offering private lessons here in BCN.)
I'm not sure about the CELTA but you can certainly do the Trinity one part time (although I didn't) - could this be an option for your friend so she could still work & earn money to finance the course?

Having said all that, I do know people who've done online courses and found jobs, including someone who did it in Spain, but I got so much more from my course!

Let us know what she decides to do


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

goingtobcn said:


> I agree that no course can make you a good teacher, but the CELTA (or Trinity Cert TESOL which I have and is as widely-accepted in my experience) provide an invaluable introduction.
> Personally, I'd only apply to schools that ask for CELTA or Trinity Cert TESOL as there are a lot of English schools out there and I'd want to work for a good one with opportunities to develop (this is what I did while in London, I'm now offering private lessons here in BCN.)
> I'm not sure about the CELTA but you can certainly do the Trinity one part time (although I didn't) - could this be an option for your friend so she could still work & earn money to finance the course?
> 
> ...


Goingtobcn has said most of what I wanted to say. The CELTA is worth doing and was a valuable experience for me when I did it oh so many years ago. It may not be the difference beween what makes you a good or bad teacher, but the course teaches you valuable skills, and I had done a BEd previously, so I was no stranger to teaching.
Also, if you're going to offer a service I think out of respect for the client you really should be adequately trained and as someone else said, being a native speaker doesn't mean you know why we say I am always hungry at 11:00 (verb + adverb of frequency) but I never go to church on Sundays (Adverb of frequency + verb).
I don't anything about online courses other than they've rightly or wrongly got a bad name, they don't include observed teaching practice which is a key element of the CELTA and they are not accepted, as I said before by "serious schools"
You might well get a job not having a CELTA nor experience, but you've got to ask yourself if you'd really want to work in such a school.
There are schools that say you don't need CELTA nor experience because they train you in their own method. That method will not be a recognised method (it's most likely a rip off from somewhere else anyway) and won't stand you in good stead for your next move.


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## LaraMascara (Oct 19, 2012)

Thanks everyone for responding!!!

I'm not questioning the usefulness of a CELTA. I know the CELTA is the best place to start. I have a CELTA!!! 
(But I am in London and not teaching ESL.) 

I told her the best thing to do is to get the CELTA. 

I told her having the TEFL Cambridge Online Course may be the same as having nothing. But, I am not sure. 

I was just asking about the TEFL Cambridge Online Course because my friend wants to teach in Spain and she *cannot afford* the CELTA, and she is therefore considering the TEFL Cambridge Online Course. 

I told her I that I though that she may not be able to get work without the CELTA in Spain, and that I would ask about it on here for her. 

The CELTA is about a grand, and done in a classroom over a months time, and the TEFL Cambridge Online Course is super cheap (like 200?), and she can do it online, whenever she wants. She simply cannot afford the CELTA. She does not have the additional 800 quid. 

She wants to know if the 'super cheap TEFL Cambridge Online Course' is worth doing, or not, in order to work in Spain...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

LaraMascara said:


> Thanks everyone for responding!!!
> 
> I'm not questioning the usefulness of a CELTA. I know the CELTA is the best place to start. I have a CELTA!!!
> (But I am in London and not teaching ESL.)
> ...


OK, I appreciate that you are not dissing the CELTA, but what everyone has said so far, bar one, is that we all have the CELTA and have found it extremely useful. So no one has done an online course.
I've had a quick look at this
Cambridge CELTA Online Course ? A flexible way to take CELTA | Cambridge ESOL
if this is what you mean.
It's fully endorsed by Cambridge as it is a Cambridge exam. It looks great! It also says that teaching practice is included and there are some hours that are face to face so it's not completely on line. Also, I looked it up for Bristol and it was over 1,000 pounds! That's if I looked it up right. Sounds right to me. Cambridge is never cheap

ETA Look here
http://www.cityofbristol.ac.uk/courses/Pages/CourseDetails.aspx?courseid=6721EE02-089B-4D82-A717-A45ADF3BC5F5&srcUrl=http%3A//www.cityofbristol.ac.uk/courses/Pages/Courses.aspx%3FkW%3Dcelta%20online%26srtProp%3D%26isASC%3DASC%26recDisp%3D0%26dtType%3D0%26subj%3D0%26subSubj%3D0%26loc%3D89a08888-5fe0-4661-a306-a1242d018301%2C5739b8ff-b267-48f1-ae02-b54787ec2612%2C867a1848-755e-4e3d-b89d-d9945e736a2c%2C944ff866-944c-4e71-8c19-f287b267b272%2Cb4296a46-d9ab-4bfa-89b8-baca27921fc0%2C03af698a-814f-40b8-8440-6c63fec75c4a%2C0d39693f-b8c1-447d-80ef-6371642b2e98%2C41f9c2b9-6b3d-4072-a4af-0ffc25fd45dd%2C%26aud%3Dece74569-7beb-4ff8-94bf-db1c2591695e%2C01a0c1a7-3939-43de-b57a-333bdf2d8674%2C3cba806c-2666-40a5-a91f-47eb9e083d1b%2C95ccba76-77eb-4997-8c84-d0095ce18576%2C2db91764-d7be-4760-bf23-1a24e5c765e9%2C870495d9-cd12-4745-8966-93b03dbfc247%2C%26hrs%3D%3C%3D4%2C%3C%3D16%2C%3E16%2C%26ntLoc%3D%26ntAud%3D%26ntHrs%3D
1,377 pounds


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## LaraMascara (Oct 19, 2012)

This is what she is considering - Teach English as a Foreign Language for £49 | Time Out Offers UK


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

LaraMascara said:


> This is what she is considering - Teach English as a Foreign Language for £49 | Time Out Offers UK


Well, it leads to a Cambridge issued qualification which is a Teaching Knowledge Test, but I don't know anything about this and have certainly never, never in 25 yrs of teaching seen it referred to as a teaching qualification. The other thing I would look at is how much does it cost to do the exam - is that included?
That's all I can say about it!


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

If it's that or nothing, then I suppose it'd be better than nothing. As I said before though, I think the better schools will be looking for teachers with one of the two recognised qualifications.

That's also why I mentioned part time Trinity Cert TESOL, so she could work at the same time.

I guess it also depends what she wants - if it's just to teach abroad for a short time then go on to another career, she can probably find some kind of teaching work with the cheaper qualification. If she wants to go into ELT as a career, it would be very much worth investing in the expensive courses. To get any further, as someone mentioned earlier, you can do further qualifications from these.

I should also say that the friend I mentioned who did a cheap TEFL course in Spain and taught here found it hard to get work in other countries (UK and China) without the recognised qualifications, even though she had plenty of experience.

Hope that all makes sense - it's been a long day!


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

Another solution may be the bilingual recent graduate scheme? Spanish Provinces have funds to bring in a recently graduate speaker to teach english and for them to learn Spanish on the job... I agree about the CELTA - I'm desperate to do it but no funds. some areas do provide part time CELTA courses, but this usually involves one afternoon a week, which would need a sympathetic boss! The online TEFL course is worthless for an employer, but may be useful for personal knowledge. It's catch 22 I'm afraid...


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## Clemmie00 (Jun 10, 2012)

Nonnamags said:


> Another solution may be the bilingual recent graduate scheme? Spanish Provinces have funds to bring in a recently graduate speaker to teach english and for them to learn Spanish on the job... I agree about the CELTA - I'm desperate to do it but no funds. some areas do provide part time CELTA courses, but this usually involves one afternoon a week, which would need a sympathetic boss! The online TEFL course is worthless for an employer, but may be useful for personal knowledge. It's catch 22 I'm afraid...


It's not really a catch 22. A CELTA is the qualification you need (in most cases) to be an English teacher. It's the same as needing a degree in a certain subject or a professional certificate for other professions and none of those qualifications are free. £1000 is a lot of money, no doubt, but it's money well spent if you're serious about becoming a teacher. I saved slowly for about a year to pay for mine, quit my job, did the month-long course and have been teaching ever since. Having this qualification has enabled me to keep working throughout this financial crisis and live pretty much wherever I want. It really was one of the best decisions I ever made.


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

Totally agree about the need for CELTA. The catch 22 I refer to is the fact that to do it part time, requires a sympathetic employer. I too was saving slowly to pay for my 4 week CELTA, although redundancy out of the blue put paid to that. That's why I'm here in Spain, I've been lucky enough to have been taken on as an english conversation teacher part time, so need to start afresh. I'm also studying through OU for a degree to assist in teaching english. Its the finance that's the catch 22, as this totally depends on personal circumstances. There's no funding available either as such a short course. ....


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## LaraMascara (Oct 19, 2012)

I wish I could pay for the CELTA for this girl. But I can't. 
She is in such a bad way, and she really wants to teach. 
And she really wants to get out of the UK. 
There is no funding, and there are no scholarships. 
She has read all of my ESL books, and she has begun volunteer teaching at a refugee centre. 
The students love her. 
She has a BA in history, and she works at a fast food counter, part time, because they cannot give her more hours. 
She is also teaching the cleaners English on her breaks.
She is very patient, and very bubbly. She is only 25. She taught herself quite a bit of Spanish in her spare time, because she loves Spanish art and Spanish history.
She told me that teaching English is the only thing that she has found that she really loves, because it makes her feel useful, and she loves to see people make progress. 
I think she would be a great English teacher. 


Thank you all for responding!


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

She has a remarkable friend! Recommend she tries Elizabeth Finn for financial assistance. If you don't ask you don't get! I've got a contract as self employed in Spain (minus CELTA) as new employer knows I'm desperate to qualify. It's not insurmountable, but depends where you are. I wish her all the best, her luck will turn just as mine did after 3.5 years!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

LaraMascara said:


> I wish I could pay for the CELTA for this girl. But I can't.
> She is in such a bad way, and she really wants to teach.
> And she really wants to get out of the UK.
> There is no funding, and there are no scholarships.
> ...


Well in that case tell her to try this outfit.
Vaughan Systems Agency in Madrid and Spain
I personally don't rate them as what they are selling is good old fashioned methods like drilling (listen, repeat, modify, repeat) done up with a new ribbon called technology, but it would get her over here, earning, teaching of a sort and getting experience. I wouldn't believe everything they tell you about hours and salary, but I don't think they would really rip you off either.
I think on the whole it would be a positive experience and she could take her first steps to becoming a teacher and getting some money together perhaps to be able to do the CELTA


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

Vaughan are advertising currently, although the cost of accommodation may be cost prohibitive.

How soon could she get to Spain realistically? Given the financial situation, and accommodation issue, it may be difficult. I've just emailed a contact to see if she has anything but it is very rural and nowhere near the costas. Accommodation may be an issue.....


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

Get your mate to draw up a EFL CV detailing experience - even if its teaching her workmates. Would she be prepared to live in a rural situation, can she lesson plan, does she like adults and kids, etc. can she drive? It can be done - I'm living proof, and I'm 57! 

Am happy to help if at all possible - perhaps ak her to join this forum. There is also a really useful site on "linked in" started by Martin Callaghan for worldwide EFL activities and support with technical english questions and kinship groups. Positive steps.


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## curlyclaire (Dec 31, 2011)

Nonnamags said:


> Totally agree about the need for CELTA. The catch 22 I refer to is the fact that to do it part time, requires a sympathetic employer. I too was saving slowly to pay for my 4 week CELTA, although redundancy out of the blue put paid to that. That's why I'm here in Spain, I've been lucky enough to have been taken on as an english conversation teacher part time, so need to start afresh. I'm also studying through OU for a degree to assist in teaching english. Its the finance that's the catch 22, as this totally depends on personal circumstances. There's no funding available either as such a short course. ....



Sorry to hijack the thread, but I am interested in your story Nonnamags. Don't feel obliged to reply, but I wondered if your work as a Conversation Teacher is in a private academy, or within a Spanish state school. I have seen English Language Assistant programmes, but they only seem to apply to recent graduates or those without teaching experience. I did my CELTA and my first degree years ago, but feel this kind of job would be better for building up my confidence then going into a private academy. Would you be able to advise how you got your job, what the requirements are eg. a good level of Spanish etc. I am in my early 40s, want to move out to Spain permanently, but somewhat reluctant to work in a private academy as I know it can be very insecure. Any thoughts by yourself and others would be much appreciated. Thank you.


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

curlyclaire said:


> Sorry to hijack the thread, but I am interested in your story Nonnamags. Don't feel obliged to reply, but I wondered if your work as a Conversation Teacher is in a private academy, or within a Spanish state school. I have seen English Language Assistant programmes, but they only seem to apply to recent graduates or those without teaching experience. I did my CELTA and my first degree years ago, but feel this kind of job would be better for building up my confidence then going into a private academy. Would you be able to advise how you got your job, what the requirements are eg. a good level of Spanish etc. I am in my early 40s, want to move out to Spain permanently, but somewhat reluctant to work in a private academy as I know it can be very insecure. Any thoughts by yourself and others would be much appreciated. Thank you.


Not a problem, am happy to share. None of the academies would take me as no CELTA/TESOL. So decided to go self employed, as I do hold an adult associate teaching certificate (CTLLS). This way I can do conversation classes for local private acadamies, and hopefully I can earn the cost of the CELTA. It may work, it may not, but nothing ventured nothing gained. With unemployment at 26% in Spain, theyre desperate to learn English to to get out of a mess? Guess me living in a non tourist area also helps. I can speak basic Spanish but that wasn't needed...personal message me if you need anything further...Good Luck!:clap2:


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## curlyclaire (Dec 31, 2011)

Thanks so much for replying so quickly. I did try to PM you before but think I need to post more publicly before I do so. Will definitely do so as am very interested in the road you have taken. Cheers, claire.


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## Angyles (Jan 27, 2013)

LaraMascara said:


> In order to teach ESL in Spain, is it even worth doing the TEFL Cambridge Online Courses with 120 hours, but NO classroom experience included?
> 
> I know the CELTA is preferred. I know the CELTA is much better. It's also very expensive.
> 
> ...


Hi, 
I've been an English teacher for 8 years and currently work in Valencia. If you want to be taken seriously as a teacher then you need the best qualification regardless of cost. It's CELTA all the way!


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## Angyles (Jan 27, 2013)

curlyclaire said:


> Sorry to hijack the thread, but I am interested in your story Nonnamags. Don't feel obliged to reply, but I wondered if your work as a Conversation Teacher is in a private academy, or within a Spanish state school. I have seen English Language Assistant programmes, but they only seem to apply to recent graduates or those without teaching experience. I did my CELTA and my first degree years ago, but feel this kind of job would be better for building up my confidence then going into a private academy. Would you be able to advise how you got your job, what the requirements are eg. a good level of Spanish etc. I am in my early 40s, want to move out to Spain permanently, but somewhat reluctant to work in a private academy as I know it can be very insecure. Any thoughts by yourself and others would be much appreciated. Thank you.


Hi

Hi,

I left a secure job in the NHS last year to come to Spain to take a job in an academy and It's the best thing I've ever done! I'm the same age as you so just take the plunge. I was very very nervous about it but don't regret it at all.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Angyles said:


> Hi
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I left a secure job in the NHS last year to come to Spain to take a job in an academy and It's the best thing I've ever done! I'm the same age as you so just take the plunge. I was very very nervous about it but don't regret it at all.


Hi,
great to hear your story.
I wonder if I could ask a couple of things. Don't worry if you don't want to answer; it's just useful info for the people on here.
How did you get your job and did you get it before coming or from the UK?
Do you find you make enough to live on comfortably or does it just cover your expenses?
Do you get paid holidays? Do you work all year? (Many teaching contracts are for 9 months)
And I don't understand the bit about you've been teaching for 8 years, but you left your job in the the NHS in the UK last year


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hi,
> great to hear your story.
> I wonder if I could ask a couple of things. Don't worry if you don't want to answer; it's just useful info for the people on here.
> How did you get your job and did you get it before coming or from the UK?
> ...


hmmm, yes :confused2:


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## Angyles (Jan 27, 2013)

Hello,
No I don't mind answering at all. I saw the job advertised on Loquo while I was on holiday. I was what you call 'under employed' in the UK and taught in the NHS. Lots of the medical staff are recruited externally to the UK and English is not their first language. I applied for approximately 30 full time jobs in the UK in an 8 month period, attended several interviews but nothing came of it. I had to take a second job as a fitness instructor just to make ends meet! 
Anyway, I applied for the job in Spain, they interviewed me and hired me on the spot. My contract is for 22 hours per week and I'm more than managing on the salary. However, I decided to go for a complete lifestyle change. I've been a John Seymour fan since I was 10 and bought a shack of a house in the campo for the price of a dodgy car. My other half has installed solar and we are in the process of upgrading the water deposit. All in all we have very few bills. My contract is for 10 months with the option of a month's summer school. I personally do not want to do summer school and have begun making provisions financially speaking to cover me to the summer months. I get all other holidays paid and so far my boss has been fabulous...all salary paid in the bank, nothing under the table, it is paid on time and to the penny. I've heard a few stories from other teachers but got to say I'm loving the experience so far.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Angyles said:


> Hello,
> No I don't mind answering at all. I saw the job advertised on Loquo while I was on holiday. I was what you call 'under employed' in the UK and taught in the NHS. Lots of the medical staff are recruited externally to the UK and English is not their first language. I applied for approximately 30 full time jobs in the UK in an 8 month period, attended several interviews but nothing came of it. I had to take a second job as a fitness instructor just to make ends meet!
> Anyway, I applied for the job in Spain, they interviewed me and hired me on the spot. My contract is for 22 hours per week and I'm more than managing on the salary. However, I decided to go for a complete lifestyle change. I've been a John Seymour fan since I was 10 and bought a shack of a house in the campo for the price of a dodgy car. My other half has installed solar and we are in the process of upgrading the water deposit. All in all we have very few bills. My contract is for 10 months with the option of a month's summer school. I personally do not want to do summer school and have begun making provisions financially speaking to cover me to the summer months. I get all other holidays paid and so far my boss has been fabulous...all salary paid in the bank, nothing under the table, it is paid on time and to the penny. I've heard a few stories from other teachers but got to say I'm loving the experience so far.



Its nice to hear a good news story for a change!

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Angyles said:


> Hello,
> No I don't mind answering at all. I saw the job advertised on Loquo while I was on holiday. I was what you call 'under employed' in the UK and taught in the NHS. Lots of the medical staff are recruited externally to the UK and English is not their first language. I applied for approximately 30 full time jobs in the UK in an 8 month period, attended several interviews but nothing came of it. I had to take a second job as a fitness instructor just to make ends meet!
> Anyway, I applied for the job in Spain, they interviewed me and hired me on the spot. My contract is for 22 hours per week and I'm more than managing on the salary. However, I decided to go for a complete lifestyle change. I've been a John Seymour fan since I was 10 and bought a shack of a house in the campo for the price of a dodgy car. My other half has installed solar and we are in the process of upgrading the water deposit. All in all we have very few bills. My contract is for 10 months with the option of a month's summer school. I personally do not want to do summer school and have begun making provisions financially speaking to cover me to the summer months. I get all other holidays paid and so far my boss has been fabulous...all salary paid in the bank, nothing under the table, it is paid on time and to the penny. I've heard a few stories from other teachers but got to say I'm loving the experience so far.


Ahhh, so you were teaching in the UK, in the NHS!
Sounds like you made a good move, and have managed to find a good academy.
PS. We have dog eared copies of John Seymour too, although we're not living in a "shack in the campo"


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## Angyles (Jan 27, 2013)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Ahhh, so you were teaching in the UK, in the NHS!
> Sounds like you made a good move, and have managed to find a good academy.
> PS. We have dog eared copies of John Seymour too, although we're not living in a "shack in the campo"


Mine is dog eared too! We are going to give the home made 'solar dryer' a go as we have a couple of old windows and some old timber knocking about and are hoping for bumper crop of tomatoes and apricots.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Angyles said:


> Mine is dog eared too! We are going to give the home made 'solar dryer' a go as we have a couple of old windows and some old timber knocking about and are hoping for bumper crop of tomatoes and apricots.


To dry fruit and veg?
Baldilocks does that. There are some posts about it I believe in the gardening thread in la Tasca


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## curlyclaire (Dec 31, 2011)

Angyles said:


> Hi
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I left a secure job in the NHS last year to come to Spain to take a job in an academy and It's the best thing I've ever done! I'm the same age as you so just take the plunge. I was very very nervous about it but don't regret it at all.


Thanks Angy. I did actually take the plunge last year, but it didn't work out as I'd hoped so feeling pretty deflated about it. I am very much on my own, no assets or financial back up should things not work out, so somewhat apprehensive about doing it all over again. Anyway, glad things worked out for you, thanks for the reply.


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## Cabanillas (Feb 2, 2013)

To be an auxiliar de conversación for La Comunidad de Madrid you only need a degree. If you can't afford the CELTA, it's a good place to start because you can observe qualified teachers and the pay's really good for the hours worked.


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## curlyclaire (Dec 31, 2011)

Hi Cabanillas,

Would you be required to have a good level of Spanish to apply for the auxiliar de conversacion, and is it something you can apply for as an individual, rather then through The British Council? Would be great to learn more about this.


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## Cabanillas (Feb 2, 2013)

You're required to be a native English speaker and not to speak any Spanish. I think it's best to go through the British Council for next year but they only have limited places. 

If you apply directly to La Comunidad de Madrid they'll put you on a waiting list in case any people drop out (there were lots of places this year) but there's a risk that no-one will!

There'll be more information on the website but I'm not allowed to post links.


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

If you want to work as an assistant in Spain with the British Council, you "should have AS-level, Higher Grade or equivalent in Spanish" - Spain - Where can I go - English language assistants abroad - British Council - Language Assistants


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## curlyclaire (Dec 31, 2011)

Cabanillas said:


> You're required to be a native English speaker and not to speak any Spanish. I think it's best to go through the British Council for next year but they only have limited places.
> 
> If you apply directly to La Comunidad de Madrid they'll put you on a waiting list in case any people drop out (there were lots of places this year) but there's a risk that no-one will!
> 
> There'll be more information on the website but I'm not allowed to post links.


Thanks Cabanillas, will bear this in mind.


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## curlyclaire (Dec 31, 2011)

Thanks GTBCN, will re-read British Council guidelines.


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