What it’s like being an English teacher assistant in Spain?
Teaching English in Spain is not for everyone. It depends on what you want to get from the experience. There are various different programs which can sway the way your experience will go. I’ll write about about two of these programs, what my personal experience was, and what to look out for and take into consideration when deciding on which one to pursue. And remember, you’ll be a teacher assistant so typically no lesson preps or outside work. You’re there to help out but there is an actual teacher with you.
That being said, I’ll talk about two programs which are free besides a small commitment fee of 100-200 USD to reserve your spot once accepted. There are many other programs some of which have high fees which are ridiculous and unnecessary so I’ll stick to these two.
Requirements:
Before you start working at the school you need to have a bachelors degree (can be any subject) but you can apply before graduating as long as you have the degree by your start date. Along with that, you need to be a native English speaker so being from an English speaking country is ideal. That’s pretty much all that’s required and you don’t need to know Spanish. With these requirements checked, you’ll have to apply for the program which is quite easy and as long as you’re a good person you’re likely to get it if spots are open.
For the programs I’ll talk about you can put your city preferences for where you want to go, but most of the assignments are in Madrid, then Barcelona so there is no guarantee you’ll get your top pick. The monthly wage can also vary from 800-1200 euros depending on your hours which can be from 16-24 hours a week. The school can also be over an hour from the city center with public transportation and you don’t have any say in picking the area, so remember you might be on the trains a lot. Good opportunity for podcasts.
Why do you want to go?
Establish why you want to teach English in Spain. Is it just to have fun in Spain to party and travel, or is it to gain teaching experience? Another thing to consider is the time period you’re going to go for. For example, I was going to go for the spring semester only and some programs only accept for a full academic year so I had to filter them out.
Now how to choose a program:
Spanish government sponsored program
So if your main goal is to enjoy the Spanish sunshine and have as much free time as possible I’d recommend going through the government program here: https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/eeuu/convocatorias-programas/convocatorias-eeuu/nalcap.html
The only thing to consider is that you have to go for a full year which is September to June. That is why I couldn’t do this program, however if I could have I would’ve chosen this one since you only work 4 days a week and normally less than 20 hours. You would have Mondays or Fridays off so nice three day weekends for travels. The government program is ideal for those looking for a good time and not necessarily aspiring to be a teacher. You get 1,000 euros a month which is not bad at all considering how little you’re working. I have heard that if you need help or have concerns during your stint the communication is very bad with them but I think it’s worth the trade offs.
BEDA:
This is the one I did. It allowed me to join in January, so the middle of the year. That is the advantage of this program. It is also very good for people who want a serious teaching experience. You work five days a week and hours can vary. I worked 24 hours a week for 1.200 euros a month. However, my school was an hour away from Madrid center and my schedule was pretty much 9-5 with lots of breaks in-between so I had to stay around the school during those hours and in the end felt like a full time job. They also require you to take a university course for teaching as well which I never went to but I was not planning to extend my stay so maybe if you want to stay for more than one year you should attend them. This would make your schedule very busy. For me personally, there was no way I was going to go to these evening classes, not with my schedule. If you stay for only one year or less I wouldn’t worry about the classes unless you want to take them. I’ll give BEDA one thing- their communication with me was excellent with visa questions and other help.
https://www.ecmadrid.org/es/auxiliares-de-conversacion/81-formacion/1425-language-assistant
Teaching experience
You’ll typically be assigned classes which can be with infantile, primary, or secondary school. I had a mix of primary and secondary. Most days I’d be given a book and did exercises with the kids or did speak ins where are conversations in small groups. Often while grading the kids performance on a rubric.
Before beginning this process you need to have a bachelors degree (can be any subject) and ideally be a native English speaker. That’s pretty much all that’s required. Don’t need to speak Spanish. With these requirements checked, you’ll have to apply for the program which is quite easy and as long as you’re a good person you’re likely to get it if spots are open.
For the programs I’ll talk about you can put your city preferences for where you want to go, but most of the assignments are in Madrid, then Barcelona so there is no guarantee you’ll get your top pick. The monthly wage can also vary from 800-1200 euros depending on your hours which can be from 16-24 hours a week. The school can also be over an hour from the city center with public transportation and you don’t have any say in picking the area, so remember you might be on the trains a lot. Good opportunity for podcasts I guess.
Private classes
Most teaching assistants pick up private classes for students at their schools. Parents will normally reach out to you asking if you can help their child with English after school for an hour. Typically making 20-30 euros for the hour, so it’s a great opportunity to increase your earnings. I did this twice a week after school and I recommend it, however it could be tiring depending on your schedule.
Here the lesson is all on you. You can play games with them, go over their English lesson book, do spelling tests. Consider their age and level of English when deciding the activities. I had a lesson for two sisters of different ages and their level was clearly levels apart which made it more difficult but there is always something you can think of.