The largest street protest in Valencia since 2003's march against the War in Iraq occurred yesterday in response to the regional government's plan have the school system's new Civics classes taught only in English. A crowd that organizers estimated at 100,000 converged on regional government headquarters. Many carried signs with slogans in English, such as, "No, we can't," and "[Education Minister Alejandro] Font de Mora go home!"
However, Valencians are not up in arms about English, but rather about what many see as an effort by the regional Valencian government, which is controlled by the conservative Popular Party, to undermine the Civics curriculum. The national government, which is led by the Socialist Party, developed the Civics course for students who want to opt out of the Roman Catholic Religion course that is taught in schools across Spain.
Valencia is the only autonomous region that has mandated that the new course be taught in a foreign language, which is what led to the call for protests by the organization Plataforma por la Enseñanza Pública. (Platform for Public Education.) For the past three months parents, teachers and students have been taking to the streets throughout the region. Until yesterday's march the largest had been a gathering of 30,000 people on November 10th. In addition to this local reaction, many school officials and education experts across the country have criticised the Valencian government's action.
It is interesting that at the same time that this is happening there have been increasing demands for religious icons to be removed from schools and other public places. Two national police officers (guardias civiles) recently sued to have images of the Virgin of Pilar removed from their headquarters, while a city of Seville police officer has requested that two religious images be removed from the local police station.
Meanwhile, this month for the first time ever in Spain, a court ruled that crucifixes in a public space must be removed, when a judge in the town of Valladolid ordered a school to remove its religious symbols. The judge found that the presence of religious symbols in the school seemed to convey the idea that the state is closer to Roman Catholicism than to other religions. The school board had rejected the request from a parent in 2005 to remove the icons.
These things are happening 30 years after the end of the Franco dictatorship, which had previously made Roman Catholicism the state religion. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 guarantees a secular state.
Showing posts with label EFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EFL. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
English in Spain
According to a recent survey by researchers at IPSOS, 81% of Spaniards do not know English well, while only 4% have an advanced level of knowledge. Looking closer at the results, 20% have a basic knowledge, 19% very basic and 15% intermediate.
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Perhaps even more revealing were the findings that only 2% of the population are currently studying English and that 73% have never studied it outside of the basic classes provided in the country's school system.
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The highest percentage, 51%, of people lacking the ability to communicate in English occurred in towns with populations under 10,000. At the other end of the scale, 36% of those in metropolitan areas over 750,000 inhabitants could not communicate in English.
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Among respondents from 25 to 45 years of age, 46% of the women did not know English, compared with 38% of the men.
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As for educational background, 48% of those that had not attended university said they did not know English, followed by 39% with a basic level, 11% intermediate and 2% advanced. Of the 40% of those with university studies, 40% possessed an intermediate knowledge of English, 37% basic, 14% advanced and only 8% said they did had no knowledge of the language.
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By geographical areas, the largest percentage of those who did not know English were in the center of Spain (57%), followed by the south (50%), and the northwest (31%). The areas with the highest concentration of advanced levels were in the metropolitan area of Madrid (8%) and the East Coast (7%).
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Among people between 25 and 45 years, only 2% were currently studying English. The majority of these were doing so in an academy (54%) or via the Internet (22%). Other options were self study courses (13%), classes at work (11%), distance learning (9%) with a private teacher (8%) and at a city's publicly funded Official School of Languages.
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Among those not currently studying English but who had taken a course in the last five years, the most popular choice was a language academy (58%), followed by a distance course (11%), a private teacher (10%), studying abroad (10%), and Internet (3%).
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Although a majority of those surveyed thought it was very important to know English, 43% of those not currently studying the language cited a lack of interest as their reason for not doing so.
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Well, it looks like there is real need for the promises the two major political parties have made in the current electoral campaign about implementing programs are supposed to result in all high school graduates 10 years from now being fluent in English. Interestingly, neither of the candidates for Prime Minister (Zapatero and Rajoy) speak English. And for those of you who may have heard former Prime Minister Aznar speaking English on the news, he only learned it after he left office.
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz
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Perhaps even more revealing were the findings that only 2% of the population are currently studying English and that 73% have never studied it outside of the basic classes provided in the country's school system.
.
The highest percentage, 51%, of people lacking the ability to communicate in English occurred in towns with populations under 10,000. At the other end of the scale, 36% of those in metropolitan areas over 750,000 inhabitants could not communicate in English.
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Among respondents from 25 to 45 years of age, 46% of the women did not know English, compared with 38% of the men.
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As for educational background, 48% of those that had not attended university said they did not know English, followed by 39% with a basic level, 11% intermediate and 2% advanced. Of the 40% of those with university studies, 40% possessed an intermediate knowledge of English, 37% basic, 14% advanced and only 8% said they did had no knowledge of the language.
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By geographical areas, the largest percentage of those who did not know English were in the center of Spain (57%), followed by the south (50%), and the northwest (31%). The areas with the highest concentration of advanced levels were in the metropolitan area of Madrid (8%) and the East Coast (7%).
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Among people between 25 and 45 years, only 2% were currently studying English. The majority of these were doing so in an academy (54%) or via the Internet (22%). Other options were self study courses (13%), classes at work (11%), distance learning (9%) with a private teacher (8%) and at a city's publicly funded Official School of Languages.
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Among those not currently studying English but who had taken a course in the last five years, the most popular choice was a language academy (58%), followed by a distance course (11%), a private teacher (10%), studying abroad (10%), and Internet (3%).
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Although a majority of those surveyed thought it was very important to know English, 43% of those not currently studying the language cited a lack of interest as their reason for not doing so.
.
Well, it looks like there is real need for the promises the two major political parties have made in the current electoral campaign about implementing programs are supposed to result in all high school graduates 10 years from now being fluent in English. Interestingly, neither of the candidates for Prime Minister (Zapatero and Rajoy) speak English. And for those of you who may have heard former Prime Minister Aznar speaking English on the news, he only learned it after he left office.
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Teaching English in Spain Part 2
This article has been updated and is now on my Newsvine column.
Here is a link to it: Teaching English In Spain: Practicalities From Someone Who Is Doing It, Part 2
Here is a link to it: Teaching English In Spain: Practicalities From Someone Who Is Doing It, Part 2
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Teaching English in Spain
This article has been updated and can be found on my Newsvine column. Here's a link to the article:
Teaching English In Spain: Practicalities From Someone Who Is Doing It
Sunday, September 30, 2007
What is a Head Teacher?
I'm still asking myself this one month after officially becoming one!Wikipedia describes a Head Teacher as, "the most senior teacher in a school in the United Kingdom...While some head teachers still retain some teaching responsibility, other than in very small schools, most of their duties are managerial and pastoral."
.Pastoral?! Well, here we come to a difference between US and British usage. In British English pastoral refers to the the part of the work of clergy and teachers that involves giving help and advice about personal matters, whereas in US English this word is associated only with work done by clergy.
.Well, my head teacher work doesn't involve pastoral duties, but it may lead me to personally seek the assistance of someone whose work does! To say it has been challenging is putting it mildly.
.I am sure the work of a head teacher can vary greatly from school to school. At the school I work for it involves being an administrator, coordinator, supervisor, supporter, mentor, advocate, negotiator, organizer and trainer as well as an EFL teacher.
.Yes, I have "retained" my teaching responsibilities -- AND HOW! I was originally told that the job would be mostly teaching and a couple of hours administrative work a week. So far it has been mostly teaching and mostly administrative work. I have put in around 10 to 20 administrative hours each week -- and this does not include the time spent on "language audits" that I have continued to do for the school on the side!
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In all fairness, this is a new position for a growing language school, which makes predicting the work load a challenge; September / October is the beginning of the school year, a time which typically involves a lot of extra work; the Director of Studies, who is responsible for all of Spain, is located in Madrid, not in Barcelona, which requires a lot of telephone and emailing time (for both of us); and the Director of Studies has been on a well deserved vacation for the past couple of weeks. In addition, as with any new job there is a learning curve that can seem overwhelming at times. Therefore, I am hopeful that things will settle down as the school and I learn to develop and adapt to this new position.
.¡Ojalá!
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Carloz
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P.S. Any advice would be appreciated! Prayers, too!!
Friday, August 3, 2007
English teacher needed urgently for August children's summer camp
Today (August 3rd) Padre Javier asked me to post an urgent notice about his need for a summer camp English teacher. He’s only interested in teachers who are already in Spain. Below is what he wrote, with my translation below it. He does not speak much English.
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"Necesito un profesor de ingles para la primera quincena de agosto y seguramente para la 2ª. Es un curso de verano para niños de 8 a 16 años. Serían 4 horas diarias declase, las clases son por la mañana y el resto del tiempo le tendrias libre. El lugar es Cervera de Pisuerga (Palencia) está al norte de españa. Es un lugar de veraneo. El sueldo por quince dias sería de 375 Euros más el alojamiento y la manutención que es gratis. Si estas interesado mandame un correo a fjpuebla@inicia.es o llamame al 606 145 045. Padre Francisco Javier Puebla"
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"I need an English teacher for the first half of August and surely for the second. It is a summer course for children from 8 to 16 years old. The teacher would have 4 hours of class daily, the classes are in the morning, and the remainder of the time would be free. The location is Cervera de Pisuerga (Palencia) in the north of Spain. It is a summer resort location. The pay for 15 days would be 375 euros, plus free room and board. If you are interested, send me an email at fjpuebla@inicia.es or call me on 606 145 045. Father Francisco Javier Puebla."
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Although he did not mention it, I believe he can also help with transportation there from within Spain. The photo above is of the cathedral in Palencia, which is the town near the camp. Here is a link to Mapquest showing the location of Palencia.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Adios julio. Hola agosto.
July's been an interesting month. Starting at the end of June, I began saying goodbye in stages to the students I've been teaching this past year. The last ones were this week. Of course for many of them it was really, "hasta luego" ("see you later") rather than goodbye. But it's still a parting.
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It feels really good to look back and see the progress most have made, although a few have really only maintained. In some cases these are the folks who miss lessons and don't do work outside of class. However, for some others maintenance was the goal and it is good that they met that. In the former cases, there includes the occasional student who seems to think a teacher can implant the language into their head. In the latter, these are usually students at pretty advanced levels who take advantage of the lessons to practice and build confidence. Other than the few implant seeking individuals, I am blessed with students who are bright, stimulating and interested in learning.
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This month I have been fortunate to start with a couple of new students. Although pleasurable and interesting, it can also be a little stressful to start teaching someone new. In some ways, it is comparable to a blind date -- for all parties involved. Well, now that I've met and spent a little time with them, I can say they both seem like they will be excellent learners and a pleasure to teach. The fact that, rather than waiting until September or October, they want to start in August, which is practically a synonym for VACATION in Spain, speaks volumes about these two.
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In addition, I have been doing the language audits that I wrote about previously. This is really interesting work, because it's something different and involves speaking with individuals from around the country who have varying levels of English proficiency.
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What about my vacation, you may be asking. Well, we are blessed in Spain to have a good amount of time off. For example, Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the nearly month long Christmas / New Years / Epiphany break, in addition to a host of local, regional and national holidays. So, for August I will only work part time, will see some local sights (there are always things to discover and re-discover here), spend more time at the beach and will more or less take a week off in the middle of the month. (I say more or less, because although I won't be teaching, I will probably still do language audits that week.)
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It feels really good to look back and see the progress most have made, although a few have really only maintained. In some cases these are the folks who miss lessons and don't do work outside of class. However, for some others maintenance was the goal and it is good that they met that. In the former cases, there includes the occasional student who seems to think a teacher can implant the language into their head. In the latter, these are usually students at pretty advanced levels who take advantage of the lessons to practice and build confidence. Other than the few implant seeking individuals, I am blessed with students who are bright, stimulating and interested in learning.
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This month I have been fortunate to start with a couple of new students. Although pleasurable and interesting, it can also be a little stressful to start teaching someone new. In some ways, it is comparable to a blind date -- for all parties involved. Well, now that I've met and spent a little time with them, I can say they both seem like they will be excellent learners and a pleasure to teach. The fact that, rather than waiting until September or October, they want to start in August, which is practically a synonym for VACATION in Spain, speaks volumes about these two.
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In addition, I have been doing the language audits that I wrote about previously. This is really interesting work, because it's something different and involves speaking with individuals from around the country who have varying levels of English proficiency.
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What about my vacation, you may be asking. Well, we are blessed in Spain to have a good amount of time off. For example, Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the nearly month long Christmas / New Years / Epiphany break, in addition to a host of local, regional and national holidays. So, for August I will only work part time, will see some local sights (there are always things to discover and re-discover here), spend more time at the beach and will more or less take a week off in the middle of the month. (I say more or less, because although I won't be teaching, I will probably still do language audits that week.)
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Some of the Spaniards I know probably think I am just another workaholic American. Well, how about this? To acknowledge that I do live in a country where August is practically a synonym for VACATION, I will also post a little less on the blog.
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I mean, one has to adapt, right?
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz
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I mean, one has to adapt, right?
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz
Friday, July 13, 2007
Language audits, summer work, summer vacation (not)
I haven't had much time to keep up with the news lately, much less to post something here, because I've been a little busy doing "language audits" for one of the schools I work for. The audits are on incoming students, mostly for the next school year, but occasionally there are students who want to start right away and do some studying this summer.
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The language audit is essentially an interview to verify the level students have been tentatively assigned according to a written examination they have taken. Usually their final level is right at or very near the level they tested out at. However, some people do much better in an interview situation than on a test and vice versa. Therefore, at times a bit of an adjustment may be required.
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It's interesting work, as I get to talk to different people all over Spain (the interviews are done over the telephone) and find out about their careers, their perceptions of English language learning and a variety of other subjects. One of the things that actually touches me is how important this is for most of them. It reminds me that there is real significance and value to teaching English.
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On the practical side, finding administrative work like this is one of the ways an EFL teacher can earn money during the summer months, when the school year is technically out. This is important because while some English teachers in Spain get paid vacation, many do not.
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So, this summer work has been taking up a bit of time, along with the few students of mine who are continuing with lessons through July. Of course in August EFL opportunities will lessen again.
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One thing I don't like about teaching English in a situation like this, is that I don't get much of a summer vacation, if any. After all, when there's no work, there's no pay coming in.
The language audit is essentially an interview to verify the level students have been tentatively assigned according to a written examination they have taken. Usually their final level is right at or very near the level they tested out at. However, some people do much better in an interview situation than on a test and vice versa. Therefore, at times a bit of an adjustment may be required.
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It's interesting work, as I get to talk to different people all over Spain (the interviews are done over the telephone) and find out about their careers, their perceptions of English language learning and a variety of other subjects. One of the things that actually touches me is how important this is for most of them. It reminds me that there is real significance and value to teaching English.
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On the practical side, finding administrative work like this is one of the ways an EFL teacher can earn money during the summer months, when the school year is technically out. This is important because while some English teachers in Spain get paid vacation, many do not.
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So, this summer work has been taking up a bit of time, along with the few students of mine who are continuing with lessons through July. Of course in August EFL opportunities will lessen again.
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One thing I don't like about teaching English in a situation like this, is that I don't get much of a summer vacation, if any. After all, when there's no work, there's no pay coming in.
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On the bright side, it's a such a wonderful place to live that the lack of a lengthy vacation away is not so bad. Plus, there are a lot of public holidays in Spain. And with that, I'll count my blessings and go out for my evening "paseo."
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
English teacher needed for class the last two weeks of July
To teach an intermediate level businessman in central Barcelona Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 3pm until 5pm. Pay is 15 euros an hour. Contact Carmen of Impact Languages at impact_languages@wanadoo.es or 606 105 351.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Scam Warning for teachers who advertise classes on the internet
Do you ever advertise for private students on the Internet? If so, then from time to time you may receive a response like the following:
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"This is to inform you of a visit my family is taking place in texas and your service will be needed.My family are coming over to the united state for a summer without me.I will want you to let me know your price to teach English in hotel.I will email you the address as soon as i get a response from you.Just email me your price and also your full name,address and cellphone nbr so i can have a Certified check from a usa bank send to you.I will be waiting to read from you asap."
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or this
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"Greetings, How are you doing today, i can read your description and i am very impress and interested in your lesson you advert on web site, my son is coming for an holiday pension in your area,he is 16 years old and he know a little about the lesson for private lesson, so i don't want him to be less busy in the time of the day and i have decide to let him atending your lesson, so he will becoming 2hours in a day(9 am to 11 am) or time that you will have chance,so i want you to calculate the cost for 1 week and send me the total cost and i will be paying you with UK Cashier Cheque that will be easy for you to cash in your country,so get back to me with your cost of 2 hours per day.I will like to hear from you soon via my email address. Best Regard Looking forward to read for you"
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or perhaps in another language
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"mi nombre es Maria Rolston, de Suecia deseo a profesor particular mi hijo que sea 17 años de la edad y quisiera que lo enseñaras para una hora por día 2 veces en una semana por 2 meses y calcular amablemente tu dinero para los 2 meses de profesor particular y tú me envíen tu nombre completo, la dirección y tu número de teléfono porque te estoy pagando por el cheque y arreglaré el hotel que mi hijo permanecerá en hotel que cerca de tu .kindly casero me envía tu nombre completo, la dirección y tu número de teléfono .thanks"
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The first one was sent to someone in the USA while the last two were sent to teachers in Spain. So it seems teachers everywhere are targeted. I've also heard of a saxophone teacher who received a similar offer.
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The way the scam works is like this: the writer offers to pay you for classes in the first email. If you respond, a contrived reason will be given for why he/she needs to send a payment of a bit more than you are asking. Of course, he/she will say that they will trust you to send them the difference. However, the scam will be a cashiers check which is actually forged and will bounce. The aim is to have you send them the difference before the check bounces.
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Apparently this works well in countries where banks clear certified checks relatively quickly and sometimes even let you withdraw money on it. Of course, when the bank later discovers that the check was a forgery, they take the money back.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Why teach English in Barcelona or elsewhere in Catalonia?
People often ask me why so many English teachers choose Catalonia, especially its capital city, Barcelona, as their teaching destination. Of course any answer would need to include the attractions of Spain in general – the relaxed attitude towards life, the rather large number of holidays, the gastronomy, the culture, the language and the history. Then there are personal life-style reasons that are more-or-less unique to Catalonia: the moderate year round climate, the Mediterranean light, the miles of beaches, the Pyrenees mountains, the proximity to the rest of Europe and the cosmopolitan charms of Barcelona: exciting night-life, justly famous architecture, excellent public transportation, numerous festivals, various museums, abundant monuments and sights, etc., etc., etc.
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However, there are reasons that people actually enjoy teaching here. One is the wide array of settings to work in, due to the number and variety of language academies and other schools. For example, the online Yellow Pages lists over 500 “academias de idiomas” for the Barcelona metropolitan area and nearly 300 more for the rest of Catalonia. Schools range from branches of all the major international language school chains to small one-owner language academies; from in company communication specialists to networks of teachers who have banded together to offer classes.
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However, there are reasons that people actually enjoy teaching here. One is the wide array of settings to work in, due to the number and variety of language academies and other schools. For example, the online Yellow Pages lists over 500 “academias de idiomas” for the Barcelona metropolitan area and nearly 300 more for the rest of Catalonia. Schools range from branches of all the major international language school chains to small one-owner language academies; from in company communication specialists to networks of teachers who have banded together to offer classes.
Most language academies hire teachers with a TESOL / TEFL / TESL certificate. An individual with public school teacher certification in his/her home country may be able to find opportunities to teach English at one of Barcelona’s “international schools” – private schools for children with curricula based on one or more of the following: the International Baccalaureate, the American curriculum and the IGCSE from the UK. Those with Masters or Doctorates in TESOL may find opportunities at one of Catalonia’s several universities. Teachers with a great deal of experience and advanced training, such as a DELTA or a Masters, who are interested in working as teacher trainers will find a dozen or so TESOL / TEFL / TESL Certificate programs in Barcelona.
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Another reason people enjoy teaching here is the relatively high level of interest in learning English. I believe there are two major factors that contribute to this. First of all, people in Catalonia seem to know how important a good knowledge of English is to getting ahead in today’s world. Second, about 70 percent of the local population is completely bi-lingual, already equally adept at two languages -- Spanish and Catalan. (The remaining 30 percent of the locals are Spanish-only speakers.) Among natives, studying a third or fourth language is viewed positively and, perhaps, not so dauntingly since they have already mastered two. English is definitely the most popular language to study, however, it is not uncommon to meet Catalans who are not only studying English, but also French or German or Chinese or Arabic or one of any number of languages. Indeed, many language academies thrive on the Catalan thirst for languages by offering a menu of languages to choose from.
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Something that many teachers find pleasant about the city of Barcelona is its high concentration of bookstores. Whether the desire is for books in Spanish, Catalan, English or other languages, it is relatively easy to find them here. Most local bookstores have an English language book and periodical section, but there are also at least five English language bookstores in the city. There are also at least two monthly English language magazines, BARCELONA CONNECT and BARCELONA METROPOLITAN, as well as one daily newspaper in English, CATALONIA TODAY.
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English language libraries are available at the BRITISH COUNCIL and the NORTH AMERICAN INSTITUTE. Both are great resources for English teachers and other English speaking expatriates. Located within a few blocks of each other, each library offers annual memberships to the public for a small fee. Non-members may use the facilities for study. Both have excellent selections of teaching materials as well as fiction and non-fiction books available for check-out. Additionally, the extensive Barcelona City library system is modern and most, if not all, branches have English language fiction as well as English language learning sections. All of these libraries are great places for lesson planning as well as personal relaxation and study.
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Currently in Catalonia the demand for English instruction is strong among business persons, university students and young learners. While most of the teaching work is available in the greater Barcelona area, the largest metropolitan zone in the region, work is also available in smaller Catalan towns like Tarragona, Girona and Lleida. Timing would play an especially important role when it came to seeking work outside Barcelona.
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The absolute best times of year to look for teaching work in Catalonia are at the beginning of the school year, just before and after the new calendar year and just before and after the Easter break. During the summer months, the situation is similar to elsewhere in Spain, with some people teaching English in summer camps, some providing intensive summer classes at their schools, some taking a vacation and some returning to their home countries for summer jobs and/or visits.
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Barcelona is large enough to make it possible to find English teaching work other times of year, especially if the search involves help from someone who knows the local job market well and has connections, such as a friend who has been teaching in Barcelona for some time or a job guidance counselor from your TESOL / TEFL / TESL certificate course who can refer you to local schools. Teachers who do not have this sort of support may find it rougher going, even at the best times of year, primarily because of competition from the monthly graduates from the many TESOL / TEFL / TESL certificate courses located in Barcelona. Therefore, a person who goes it alone would need to be well prepared in order to be successful at finding teaching work in Catalonia. Whatever the situation, a local job search is advisable, as it is not common for schools to hire teachers from abroad.
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A question I am often asked is if employers and/or students have a preference of accent for their teachers. In my experience, this is not usually the case. Schools often seem to prefer a mix of accents among their teaching staff because although most students do not ask for a teacher from a particular country, they want to be prepared in case a student does. For example, students working for a U.S. based company may want North American teachers, whereas students planning to study in the UK may request teachers with British accents. From what I have seen overall, schools that hire teachers of only one nationality are few and far between.
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Another frequent question is whether or not a person needs to know Spanish or Catalan in order to teach English in Catalonia. The answer is most definitely, no, it is not necessary to know either language. However, knowing one of the two languages would be of benefit in one’s personal life. And the next question usually is, “Should I study Spanish or Catalan while living in Catalonia?” The answer I give is, “The choice is yours.” The region is officially bilingual, so one can learn either language here. Most expatriates in Barcelona choose to learn Spanish. This is evidenced by the large number of places offering Spanish courses, as compared to the smaller number that offer Catalan.
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The business of teaching Spanish to foreigners is another booming sector of language education in Barcelona. People interested in learning Spanish often find that two of the best options in terms of cost and quality are the free classes offered through the Barcelona school system’s adult education program and the low cost classes offered through the Escuela Oficial de idiomas. Both of these programs require students to sign up at the beginning of the school year. The University of Barcelona offers Spanish classes on a semester system. There are also hundreds of private academies that offer Spanish classes with enrollment open throughout the year. Of course, there are also many private Spanish teachers available. In addition, there are organizations and bars that sponsor “intercambios,” where one can find persons willing to teach Spanish (or Catalan or French or Japanese or whatever) in exchange for English lessons.
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Regarding some of the practicalities of teaching English, language academies in Barcelona generally pay entry level teachers between 10 and 16 euros an hour. Experienced teachers can earn 18 euros, 20 euros or perhaps more an hour. The pay may be less in some of the smaller towns of Catalonia, but the cost of living should be, too. A full teaching load is generally considered between 18 and 25 teaching hours a week. I have rarely heard of new teachers wanting to have a weekly schedule of more than 30 hours. The record-holders I have come across are a former public school teacher from the U.S.A. who had 38 class hours a week and another North American with no previous teaching experience at all who built up 40 class hours. This last person also lived rent free in the home of a single mother in exchange for teaching English to the woman’s primary-school aged child. Some people might say these two individuals were extremely diligent and dedicated teachers -- others might say they were workaholics.
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Regarding the ability to live on earnings from teaching English, some people seem to do fine with 18 hours a week while others require 25 hours or more. How many hours a teacher needs in order to live really depends on an individual’s lifestyle and factors such as how much his or her rent is. Rents in Catalonia vary depending on things like location, space and amenities. Generally speaking, in Barcelona rent for rooms in shared apartments may range from about 250 to 450 euros. One bedroom apartment rent may range from 450 to 800 euros.
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Teaching private classes can be lucrative, especially in Barcelona. A private teacher can charge more per hour than he or she might earn from a school. Most private teachers in BCN charge in the range of 12 to 24 euros a lesson, although I've known very experienced teachers to charge more.
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One newly certified teacher I knew set herself up in Barcelona as a private teacher exclusively right after obtaining her certificate. She initially charged 14 euros an hour but within a few months had gained enough confidence to raise her rates to 18 euros an hour for conversation lessons and 21 euros an hour for grammar lessons. This person did well during her year and a half in Barcelona.
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Two other individuals I know, one American and the other British, are also good examples of what can be accomplished by teaching private students. These two people, now a married couple, chose to settle in a town near Barcelona in October 2003 where they formed a partnership to teach private students. In October 2004 they opened their own language academy and, so, are now employing other teachers.
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During my time here, I have come to know Catalonia as a fascinating place and I feel fortunate to live in an exciting, progressive city like Barcelona. I have enjoyed getting to know the place, making friends with locals and expatriates, as well as developing relationships with others in the English teaching arena, from newly certified teachers to professionals with many years of experience.
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Another reason people enjoy teaching here is the relatively high level of interest in learning English. I believe there are two major factors that contribute to this. First of all, people in Catalonia seem to know how important a good knowledge of English is to getting ahead in today’s world. Second, about 70 percent of the local population is completely bi-lingual, already equally adept at two languages -- Spanish and Catalan. (The remaining 30 percent of the locals are Spanish-only speakers.) Among natives, studying a third or fourth language is viewed positively and, perhaps, not so dauntingly since they have already mastered two. English is definitely the most popular language to study, however, it is not uncommon to meet Catalans who are not only studying English, but also French or German or Chinese or Arabic or one of any number of languages. Indeed, many language academies thrive on the Catalan thirst for languages by offering a menu of languages to choose from.
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Something that many teachers find pleasant about the city of Barcelona is its high concentration of bookstores. Whether the desire is for books in Spanish, Catalan, English or other languages, it is relatively easy to find them here. Most local bookstores have an English language book and periodical section, but there are also at least five English language bookstores in the city. There are also at least two monthly English language magazines, BARCELONA CONNECT and BARCELONA METROPOLITAN, as well as one daily newspaper in English, CATALONIA TODAY.
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English language libraries are available at the BRITISH COUNCIL and the NORTH AMERICAN INSTITUTE. Both are great resources for English teachers and other English speaking expatriates. Located within a few blocks of each other, each library offers annual memberships to the public for a small fee. Non-members may use the facilities for study. Both have excellent selections of teaching materials as well as fiction and non-fiction books available for check-out. Additionally, the extensive Barcelona City library system is modern and most, if not all, branches have English language fiction as well as English language learning sections. All of these libraries are great places for lesson planning as well as personal relaxation and study.
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Currently in Catalonia the demand for English instruction is strong among business persons, university students and young learners. While most of the teaching work is available in the greater Barcelona area, the largest metropolitan zone in the region, work is also available in smaller Catalan towns like Tarragona, Girona and Lleida. Timing would play an especially important role when it came to seeking work outside Barcelona.
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The absolute best times of year to look for teaching work in Catalonia are at the beginning of the school year, just before and after the new calendar year and just before and after the Easter break. During the summer months, the situation is similar to elsewhere in Spain, with some people teaching English in summer camps, some providing intensive summer classes at their schools, some taking a vacation and some returning to their home countries for summer jobs and/or visits.
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Barcelona is large enough to make it possible to find English teaching work other times of year, especially if the search involves help from someone who knows the local job market well and has connections, such as a friend who has been teaching in Barcelona for some time or a job guidance counselor from your TESOL / TEFL / TESL certificate course who can refer you to local schools. Teachers who do not have this sort of support may find it rougher going, even at the best times of year, primarily because of competition from the monthly graduates from the many TESOL / TEFL / TESL certificate courses located in Barcelona. Therefore, a person who goes it alone would need to be well prepared in order to be successful at finding teaching work in Catalonia. Whatever the situation, a local job search is advisable, as it is not common for schools to hire teachers from abroad.
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A question I am often asked is if employers and/or students have a preference of accent for their teachers. In my experience, this is not usually the case. Schools often seem to prefer a mix of accents among their teaching staff because although most students do not ask for a teacher from a particular country, they want to be prepared in case a student does. For example, students working for a U.S. based company may want North American teachers, whereas students planning to study in the UK may request teachers with British accents. From what I have seen overall, schools that hire teachers of only one nationality are few and far between.
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Another frequent question is whether or not a person needs to know Spanish or Catalan in order to teach English in Catalonia. The answer is most definitely, no, it is not necessary to know either language. However, knowing one of the two languages would be of benefit in one’s personal life. And the next question usually is, “Should I study Spanish or Catalan while living in Catalonia?” The answer I give is, “The choice is yours.” The region is officially bilingual, so one can learn either language here. Most expatriates in Barcelona choose to learn Spanish. This is evidenced by the large number of places offering Spanish courses, as compared to the smaller number that offer Catalan.
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The business of teaching Spanish to foreigners is another booming sector of language education in Barcelona. People interested in learning Spanish often find that two of the best options in terms of cost and quality are the free classes offered through the Barcelona school system’s adult education program and the low cost classes offered through the Escuela Oficial de idiomas. Both of these programs require students to sign up at the beginning of the school year. The University of Barcelona offers Spanish classes on a semester system. There are also hundreds of private academies that offer Spanish classes with enrollment open throughout the year. Of course, there are also many private Spanish teachers available. In addition, there are organizations and bars that sponsor “intercambios,” where one can find persons willing to teach Spanish (or Catalan or French or Japanese or whatever) in exchange for English lessons.
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Regarding some of the practicalities of teaching English, language academies in Barcelona generally pay entry level teachers between 10 and 16 euros an hour. Experienced teachers can earn 18 euros, 20 euros or perhaps more an hour. The pay may be less in some of the smaller towns of Catalonia, but the cost of living should be, too. A full teaching load is generally considered between 18 and 25 teaching hours a week. I have rarely heard of new teachers wanting to have a weekly schedule of more than 30 hours. The record-holders I have come across are a former public school teacher from the U.S.A. who had 38 class hours a week and another North American with no previous teaching experience at all who built up 40 class hours. This last person also lived rent free in the home of a single mother in exchange for teaching English to the woman’s primary-school aged child. Some people might say these two individuals were extremely diligent and dedicated teachers -- others might say they were workaholics.
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Regarding the ability to live on earnings from teaching English, some people seem to do fine with 18 hours a week while others require 25 hours or more. How many hours a teacher needs in order to live really depends on an individual’s lifestyle and factors such as how much his or her rent is. Rents in Catalonia vary depending on things like location, space and amenities. Generally speaking, in Barcelona rent for rooms in shared apartments may range from about 250 to 450 euros. One bedroom apartment rent may range from 450 to 800 euros.
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Teaching private classes can be lucrative, especially in Barcelona. A private teacher can charge more per hour than he or she might earn from a school. Most private teachers in BCN charge in the range of 12 to 24 euros a lesson, although I've known very experienced teachers to charge more.
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One newly certified teacher I knew set herself up in Barcelona as a private teacher exclusively right after obtaining her certificate. She initially charged 14 euros an hour but within a few months had gained enough confidence to raise her rates to 18 euros an hour for conversation lessons and 21 euros an hour for grammar lessons. This person did well during her year and a half in Barcelona.
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Two other individuals I know, one American and the other British, are also good examples of what can be accomplished by teaching private students. These two people, now a married couple, chose to settle in a town near Barcelona in October 2003 where they formed a partnership to teach private students. In October 2004 they opened their own language academy and, so, are now employing other teachers.
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During my time here, I have come to know Catalonia as a fascinating place and I feel fortunate to live in an exciting, progressive city like Barcelona. I have enjoyed getting to know the place, making friends with locals and expatriates, as well as developing relationships with others in the English teaching arena, from newly certified teachers to professionals with many years of experience.
The English teachers in Catalonia that I have seen achieve the most success and satisfaction in this field, were those who possessed qualities that Catalans themselves are known for – dedication and a strong work ethic. While these attributes will contribute to accomplishment anywhere in the world, I would say that, along with having credentials and the support of someone who knows the local market, they are key in this very special part of Spain.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Monday’s News in Spain: Spain's eternal summer challenge; more than one million did it in Catalonia yesterday; Catalonian condom machines
Spaniards Take Up Their Annual Summer Challenge - English! Yes, many Spaniards take time during the summer to study English -- children and adults -- at home, in camps and abroad. Intensive courses abound in Spain's cities; children's summer camps (colegios) are held in the countryside where studying English is a major focus; and trips are made to the UK, Ireland, Canada, the USA and as far away as Australasia to participate in immersion courses. According to to the newspaper-ita, Que! , more than 100,000 Spaniards will travel abroad this summer to study languages. And this year Spain's Ministry of Education has made grants available for 18 to 30 year olds who want to study English abroad.
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One million and counting: According to freebie paper ADN, the first day of "rebajas de verano" (summer sales) saw more than one million shoppers turn out in Catalonia yesterday. The most popular items: clothing and shoes.
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Condom Machines Spreading: It's not uncommon to see condom machines in bars, restaurants, schools and on walls outside pharmacies in Barcelona. Now Catalonia's government, the Generalitat, plans to install them in public libraries throughout the region and in metro stations in the greater Barcelona area.
Two English Teachers & One French Teacher needed for Summer Camp in Palenica
An acquaintance of mine who organizes a summer camp near Palencia every year asked me to post this on my blog. Of course, he’s only interested in teachers who are already in Spain. I’ve known people who taught there in the past and enjoyed it.
I’ve copied and pasted what he wrote, which is in Spanish, and written my translation below that. He does not speak much English. (I don't know about his French.)
"Necesito profesores de ingles [y un de frances] para el curso de verano. Los niños tienen de 8 a 16 años. Están en grupos reducidos según nivel de conocimiento del idioma, como máximo 15 niños por aula. Los cursos son en Julio y agosto. Los niños vienen por mes completo o por quincena. Los profesore tendrían 4 horas diarias de clase por la mañana, el resto del tiempo lo tienen libre. Además del sueldo, yo les doy el alojamiento y la manutención gratis, además pueden ir a las excursiones que hagan los niños. Los interesados pueden enviarme su curriculum si es posible en español al correo fjpuebla@inicia.es o llamarme al 606 145 045. Cervera de Pisuerga está enclavada en la montaña palentina dentro del parque natural de Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre, un lugar de veraneo. Padre Francisco Javier Puebla"
I need English teachers [and one French teacher] for the summer course. The children are from 8 to 16 years. They are grouped according to level of knowledge of the language, at most 15 children in a classroom. The courses are in July and August. The children come for a whole month complete or for a two-week period. The teacher would have 4 hours of class daily in the morning, the remainder of the time would be free. Besides the salary, I give free board and lodging. In addition they they can go on the excursions that the children take. Those that are interested can send me a résumé, in Spainish if possible, to fjpuebla@inicia.es or call me on 606 145 045. Cervera de Pisuerga is located on the mountain of Palencia, inside the nature reserve of Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre, a summer resort. Father Francisco Javier Puebla
P.S. He just called me and told me the pay is 750 gross and that he could probably help with bus or train fare to Palencia.
P.P.S Here's a link to a Mapquest showing the location of Palencia.
I’ve copied and pasted what he wrote, which is in Spanish, and written my translation below that. He does not speak much English. (I don't know about his French.)
"Necesito profesores de ingles [y un de frances] para el curso de verano. Los niños tienen de 8 a 16 años. Están en grupos reducidos según nivel de conocimiento del idioma, como máximo 15 niños por aula. Los cursos son en Julio y agosto. Los niños vienen por mes completo o por quincena. Los profesore tendrían 4 horas diarias de clase por la mañana, el resto del tiempo lo tienen libre. Además del sueldo, yo les doy el alojamiento y la manutención gratis, además pueden ir a las excursiones que hagan los niños. Los interesados pueden enviarme su curriculum si es posible en español al correo fjpuebla@inicia.es o llamarme al 606 145 045. Cervera de Pisuerga está enclavada en la montaña palentina dentro del parque natural de Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre, un lugar de veraneo. Padre Francisco Javier Puebla"
I need English teachers [and one French teacher] for the summer course. The children are from 8 to 16 years. They are grouped according to level of knowledge of the language, at most 15 children in a classroom. The courses are in July and August. The children come for a whole month complete or for a two-week period. The teacher would have 4 hours of class daily in the morning, the remainder of the time would be free. Besides the salary, I give free board and lodging. In addition they they can go on the excursions that the children take. Those that are interested can send me a résumé, in Spainish if possible, to fjpuebla@inicia.es or call me on 606 145 045. Cervera de Pisuerga is located on the mountain of Palencia, inside the nature reserve of Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre, a summer resort. Father Francisco Javier Puebla
P.S. He just called me and told me the pay is 750 gross and that he could probably help with bus or train fare to Palencia.
P.P.S Here's a link to a Mapquest showing the location of Palencia.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Thanks to the students who…
…took me to lunch today and told me that “cava” is Catalan for ”cave” — and that the delicious sparkling wine we were drinking was fermented in an underground cavern or cellar – and that good cava is never more than a year old – and that the finer the bubbles, the better the quality — and that Barça’s president is elected by a vote of all club members (including one at lunch with us) — and that there are people living in Barcelona who support Real Madrid (including one at lunch with us) — and about the antecedents of the Spanish Civil War which ocurred in 1934 — and that politicians are pretty much the same whether they are in Barcelona, Madrid or elsewhere — and that dates wrapped in bacon make delicious appetizers — and that mandarin sorbet makes delicious desert!! But mostly I thank you for reconfirming what a pleasure it is to be an English teacher who has students like you to share learning with. ¡Muchisimas gracias, amigos! Hasta otoño…
Originally posted by Carloz on June, 2007 at http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/
Originally posted by Carloz on June, 2007 at http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/
Brownies for English class!
Today I am finishing up one of my intermediate classes, so I have baked brownies to bring along as well as prepared a lesson on the History of Brownies. Students are often interested in the culture and cuisine of their English teachers, so I periodically use something from those areas as a basis for a lesson. In the past I’ve brought peanut butter sandwiches to class, had a ”pot luck” luncheon with a group where I brought a special dish made according to one of my mother’s recipes, prepared lessons on the history of Thanksgiving and Halloween, and, of course, used American music to get students using English. Once I even brought in a bottle of aspirin to class because students here had commented on only having seen people taking aspirin from a bottle in Hollywood movies. (Here aspirin comes in little boxes of about 30 pills.) Whatever it takes to get them talking — even if it means having to endure eating brownies! ;-)
The Spanish School Year
This is the final week of the Spanish school year, which runs from October through June. Therefore, this week I will be teaching year-end lessons for many of my students and giving tests to others. (Which means I’ll be grading tests, too.) In a few of my classes we will have a special little party of sorts. For example, one of my mid-day groups that I taught the expression “pot luck” to for a Christmas luncheon we had, have decided to have a pot luck luncheon for the year’s end.
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It is not good-bye to all of my students, however. Some I will see next year and a few are continuing with classes through July - some with a more intensive schedule and others with the same schedule they’ve had all year.
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What do teacher’s of English as a foreign language (EFL) living in Spain do during the summer? Well, those who work for the public school system and some who work for private schools (e.g., high schools) get paid vacation. Those who work for language academies or work on their own as private teachers usually have to work at least part of the summer, as they do not get paid vacation.
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Probably the biggest area of summer employment available in the EFL sector is Summer Camp work. Camps (usually referred to as ”colonias” in Spanish) often hire teachers under 30 to teach English. Teachers may also be expected to supervise the children during breaks and to participate in sports and other activities with them.
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It’s supposed to be exhausting work, but the pay can be good at the better camps. Most camps are residential with room and board usually provided. Since they are often located in rural areas, there is little opportunity for teachers to spend money. For these reasons, many teachers who work in colonias can actually save money.
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Teachers who do not work in Spanish colonias may work in Summer Camps in nearby countries. Italy, Switzerland and the UK seem to be particularly popular for this kind of work. Those teachers who do not want to work in summer camps, or who can't find such work (perhaps because they are over 30), usually find non-teaching work here or in their home countries and/or look for private students who want intensive classes during the summer.
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August is a particularly difficult time to find private students, because so many Spaniards take a good part of August off. Even those who do not go out of town for August vacation may be reluctant to take lessons during the hottest month of the year.
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Then there is September. Although the school year starts officially in October, there are language academies that start classes the month before. Many students who want private lessons are also willing to start-up early. So, some income usually starts to trickle in during the month of September. Then comes October and the cycle begins again.
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Copied from my original 25 June 2007 post at http://myspainblog.wordpress.com
An English Teacher’s Saturday in Spain!
This article has been updated and can be found on my Newsvine column.
Here's a link to the article: An English Teacher's Sunny Spanish Saturday
An English Teacher’s TGI Friday in Spain!
This article has been updated and can be found on my Newsvine column.
Here's a link to the article: An English Teacher's TGI Friday in Spain!
Here's a link to the article: An English Teacher's TGI Friday in Spain!
Comment By: leoshere on June 22nd, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Comment By: Carloz on June 22nd, 2007 at 5:54 pm
I don’t know if the libraries in Spain are necessarily better than in the UK, but here in Barcelona the DVDs and videos are free to borrow, unlike my experience with London libraries.
I don’t know if the libraries in Spain are necessarily better than in the UK, but here in Barcelona the DVDs and videos are free to borrow, unlike my experience with London libraries.
Thursday for this English teacher in Spain - Music before class!
This article has been updated and can be found on my Newsvine column.
Here's a link to the article: A Thursday For This English Teacher in Spain
An English Teacher’s Wednesday
This article has been updated and can be found on my Newsvine column.
Here's a link to the article: A Wednesday in Spain for an English Teacher
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