# Teaching assistant work



## ezmerelda (Feb 17, 2014)

Currently working as a Teaching Assistant (SEN) in England, what qualifications/ experience is needed for similar work in Spain it doesnt have to be SEN, am looking to move over there when i can secure work over there.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

ezmerelda said:


> Currently working as a Teaching Assistant (SEN) in England, what qualifications/ experience is needed for similar work in Spain it doesnt have to be SEN, am looking to move over there when i can secure work over there.


I'm not sure such a thing exists as such in Spanish state schools, they do have student teachers training from time to time (well they did in my daughters school) and international schools generally have enough teachers

Jo xxx


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## ezmerelda (Feb 17, 2014)

Mmm i was thinking that maybe my line of work is non existant over there, i will have to reconsider my options.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

The school where our son goes does have a teaching assistant although I believe it is quite rare. But her duties are far broader than just a teaching assistant. She is also the first aider, main point of contact for parents and general all round nice person who all the children adore.


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## ezmerelda (Feb 17, 2014)

thrax said:


> The school where our son goes does have a teaching assistant although I believe it is quite rare. But her duties are far broader than just a teaching assistant. She is also the first aider, main point of contact for parents and general all round nice person who all the children adore.


Ok thankyou i will carry on looking into what is job desciptions for different schools and what is needed for training for those jobs. From what i gather, state schools and private schools differ in the way they are run.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Here in the Canary islands we have been approached on two occasions to become English speaking teaching assistants, we have no teaching qualifications whatsoever, what they wanted was native English speakers.

However having worked for over 50 years, I declined the offer, so did the Boss. google Teaching assistants Canary Isles, there are, quite a few what look to be sites of interest.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

ezmerelda said:


> From what i gather, state schools and private schools differ in the way they are run.


Completely!
Currently there are teaching assistant jobs in state run bi lingual schools, but I don't think it's what you're talking about. They are usually aimed at students in the UK and USA and are for one school year. More info here
Spain - Where can I go - English language assistants abroad - British Council - Language Assistants
And here's a similar thing for private schools
Vacancy: NEW TEACHING ASSI..., diferent location..., Spain - TEFL.com
I don't know anything about this set up, I've just seen the ads


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

The first question must be: do you speak Spanish?,
Secondly, what qualifications do you have? Will they be recognised in Spain? 
Thirdly, are you aware that in some parts of Spain, unemployment is running at almost 40%? 
Any TA jobs going in intenational,schools are likely to be snapped up by people already living here. It's who you know that counts in most cases. 

Did you know also that to be able to live in Spain, you have to prove you have a steady income plus savings?

Moving to Spain isn't as easy as it was ten years ago. Far too many people are looking for too few jobs. If you have a secure job in the UK as a TA, I'd hang onto it.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

It has to be said and I dont mean any disrespect, but I have a very good friend who is a TA in the UK and no way does she earn enough money to keep her husband and two teenage sons. If this sort of work is available in Spain, I doubt it would pay as much as the UK.

I dont know what the answer is for you to be able to move to Spain - If I knew, I'd be back there. We returned to the UK two years ago, cos my husband got fed up with commuting, the kids didnt like living in Spain and there really isnt much future there for them right now.

That said, on a day to day level, its really not much different that the UK - washing, shopping, cooking, cleaning, school run....... The weather in the summer is better (too hot for my kids lol), the weather in the winter is grim and on the whole its a harsh country to live in compared to the UK

Jo xxxx


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

You look for too much in the winter weather Jo lol. This winter, for us, was mild, dry and mostly sunny and warm. Lowest temperature here was 9C. I know it isn't always like this but it is far far better than where we lived in UK in winter.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

thrax said:


> You look for too much in the winter weather Jo lol. This winter, for us, was mild, dry and mostly sunny and warm. Lowest temperature here was 9C. I know it isn't always like this but it is far far better than where we lived in UK in winter.


I think my problem was the winter of 2009/10 (I think that was the one). It rained from December, right thru til March, it was cold, it was windy, our drive flooded to the point where we couldnt get out of the house, we ran out of gas, the electricity kept failing, my dog died cos I couldnt get to the vets, husband couldnt get over cos of the snow in the UK and the rain in Spain, my friends stable flooded and her horses had to be airlifted to safety, houses and roads were washed away....... It was grim. The previous year, altho not quite as bad, I remember scraping ice off the car windscreen on more than 10 occasions.

But yes, this last winter was very mild

Jo xxx


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Well I agree that that was a pretty grim winter. OHs parents were on the phone to us kin UK regularly about the rain and they had a very large car sized boulder fall onto their house....


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