Teach English in Spain

Overview

Our Teach English in Spain program is ideal for anyone wanting to have an amazing cultural experience, improve their Spanish language, contribute to the local people, and earn a sustainable income that helps them subsidize their lifestyle in the amazing city of Barcelona.

Four top reasons to Teach in Barcelona

Destination

Barcelona is known for its rich culture, history, and vibrant nightlife, which attracts many people who want to experience Spanish culture while also teaching English.

Guaranteed Job Placements

TravelBud offers guaranteed placement. This means we find you a teaching job or jobs to ensure you have the maximum work hours allowed under your visa.

Travel Opportunities

Barcelona is well-connected to other European cities, making it easy for teachers to explore other destinations on their days off or during holidays.

Professional development

When you do head back home, you’re not just another resume in a pile of resumes – you are someone different who’s done something interesting and rewarding.

Program Highlights

Full Program Highlights

• Comprehensive pre-departure support and guidance

  • Getting the necessary documentation prepared prior to departure.
  • Assisting you with all planning, packing, visas, costs, budgets and booking flights
  • Answering your questions to help ease any anxieties you may have regarding your trip.

• Logistics and safety when arriving

  • Airport pickup and assistance to accommodation
  • Sim card setup assistance

• A toolkit for navigating Spanish culture

  • Cultural Orientation
  • Social events and meet and greets.

• Practical Teacher Training

  • To hone your craft and ensure confidence before we begin teaching professionally

• Guaranteed Job Placement

  • At carefully vetted schools

• An Internationally Accredited TEFL/TESOL certification

  • The knowledge required to teach english successfully.

• A support network of fellow teachers

  • Lifelong friendships and travel opportunities

• 24/7 In-country support

  • Ex-foreign teachers and local, on-the-ground support staff provide you with personal assistance throughout the duration of your teaching experience.
  • You can rest assured knowing that any queries will be answered such as translation help, legalities, emergencies, travel options or school queries. Someone is on hand.
  • Teacher meet-ups
  • We check in with you regularly and keep up to date with your teach abroad experience.

• Lifetime Teaching Placement Guarantee

  • Teach somewhere else after your contract and explore new cultures.

• Self-development and advantageous future employability

  • Add teaching abroad to your CV to stand out from the crowd.

Do I Qualify To Teach English in Spain?

You don’t need to have any teaching experience to teach English in Spain.

You do need:

Can I teach English in Spain without a degree?

• While you don’t need to have any teaching experience to teach English in Spain, you do require a bachelors degree to qualify for the program. If you are a non-degree holder please see our Teach English in Cambodia program.

Can I teach English in Spain with a diploma or associate degree?

While these often require you to do just as much work as a bachelor’s degree unfortunately they’re just not held in as high regard internationally.

There are a number of reasons for this, particularly that colleges offering these aren’t required to be kept to the same internationally recognized standards as those offering bachelor’s degrees.

Courses can vary wildly in terms of standard and requirements for both enrollment and passing and it makes judging the quality of the certificate really difficult. This means that schools in general, the world over, have a blanket rule of not accepting diplomas and associate degrees as a qualifying certificate.

Cultural Preparation

Part of the success of your experience comes from understanding the culture that you’re going to be living and working in.

Our Teach English in Spain Program covers:

Logistics and Safety when arriving

• We’ll pick you up from the airport so you won’t have to stress when you arrive off the plane.
• We’ll introduce you to your 24/7 support team on the ground.
• We’ll take you to your pre-arranged accommodation. Read more about our course accommodation.
• We’ll provide you with a SIM card and assist you with the setup so that you can contact your loved ones back home and your new friends you’re about to make on your epic cultural orientation!

A toolkit for navigating your new country

Our 1 week cultural orientation on Spanish culture and language gives you the perfect foundation for adjusting to life in Barcelona as well as an opportunity to bond with your fellow teachers-in-training and in-country staff members.

Learn foundational Spanish language

We help you with foundational language to help you navigate:

• The bustling markets
• Grabbing a taxi
• Ordering a delicious meal and
• Garnering respect from locals

(plus it’s pretty cool to impress your mates at home or add it to your resume!)

Cultural and History lessons

• Learn from local Spanish staff and ex-foreign teachers who have made their home in Barcelona.
• You’ll understand the dynamics of Spain so that you don’t feel like a fish out of water.
• You won’t be making any faux pas or disrespecting the locals.
• How to address locals and your fellow teachers.
• You will know what you can and can’t do in Spanish academies.

Relevant Cultural Excursions

Excursions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Historical and Architectural Bike Tour of Barcelona
• Local market tour and Spanish cooking class
• Guided Tour of La Sagrada Família Basilica

Historical and Architectural Bike Tour of Barcelona

There is no better way to familiarize yourself with Barcelona than to take a guided bike tour of the many historical sites, architectural marvels, and cities scene.

Historical and Architectural Bike Tour of Barcelona

Bike tour of Barcelona

Local market tour and Spanish cooking class

Participants will travel to the local market for a tour of different items to buy and then we will learn how to cook delicious local Spanish dishes.

Travel to the local markets for a tour of different items to buy

Local guided tours to markets to sample and purchase fresh food.

Guided Tour of La Sagrada Família Basilica

One of the most famous cathedrals in the world, and lifelong project of Antoni Gaudí, the La Sagranda Familia Basilica is a must-see for anyone visiting or living in Barcelona. Created of more than 100 years in unique stages, the basilica is still in the construction process. We’ll take you on a guided tour of the exterior of the Basilica.

Guided Tour of La Sagrada Família Basilica

A support network of fellow teacher travelers

In addition the personal assistance and 24/7 support we provide, you’ll also have a support network of fellow teachers.

Have some fun and embrace your new adventure!

Internationally Accredited TEFL/TESOL Certification

There are so many options when it comes to TEFL/TESOL courses that it can be quite overwhelming to understand what’s legitimate and what high quality schools require from teaching staff.

A quality TEFL/TESOL course helps teachers avoid the frustration and pitfalls of being unprepared in the classroom and provides all the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively teach English.

Educational Philosophy

Course Location

We offer our course under the partnership Lingua Schools.

The address of our training center is:

Plaça Gal.la Placidia 22, entlo, Barcelona 08006, Spain.

Course Components

• Information and discussion about Spanish culture, history, politics, and society to provide exposure and help students navigate their new environment.
• Significant instruction in Spanish language. Spanish language classes begin following the TESOL course as part of the language school education program.
• Strong grounding in the history and theory of teaching English as a foreign/second language. This is taught in a way that emphasizes application of theory to enhance success in the classroom.
• Significant practical training in teaching listening, reading, speaking and writing in the classroom, including extensive lesson planning, presentation, and feedback from peers and instructors.
• Tons of tips, tricks and examples of how to teach English to every age group.
• Advice and guidance for effective classroom management.
• Six hours of teaching practicum/
• Significant focus of teaching adults as most placements involve teaching adults English.

Detailed Course Overview

The first part of the TESOL course is a deeper exploration of theory in the discipline of English as a second language and how to teach grammar.

Students learn about the structure and key elements of a lesson plan. Every lesson requires a detailed lesson plan that lays out the procedures of the class, and encourages teachers to consider the challenges, technology resources, and other factors that can impact a successful lesson in the classroom.

During week two, students will also learn how to teach speaking and grammar. Grammar can be challenging to teach. One of the reasons for this is that it has been a long time since native English speakers have reviewed grammar rules, so we provide students with a refresher.

The major assignments for week two are to create a lesson plan for teaching grammar and to present a full lesson just as a teacher would in a classroom.

The second part of the TESOL course focuses on how to teach reading and listening. The major assignments for this week are to create lesson plans for teaching reading and present full lessons just as a teacher would in the classroom. Additionally, our participants will learn about curriculum development for long term learning goals for their students.

The third part of the TESOL course is dedicated to classroom management and preparing for and conducting practical teaching. While classroom management may be the final topic covered, it is in fact extremely important, especially in cross-cultural contexts.

Classroom management is about setting ground rules, applying them consistently, getting to know your students, and earning and maintaining their respect and commitment. Students spend several days preparing their lessons for the English practicum.

The practicum typically takes place both online and in person, to give students a taste for teaching in both settings. It takes place over several evenings.

International Accreditation

Our internationally accredited TESOL course is accepted by employers around the world and is accredited by Accreditat. Accreditat is registered under the UKRLP (UK Register of Learning Providers), Number 10065351. Registration on the UKRLP means they have been verified against a recognised legal source.

Graduates of our internationally accredited 120-hour TESOL course have used their TESOL certificate to successfully find employment in ESL teaching and education fields in nearly every Western, native-English speaking country, as well as across Europe, Asia, South America, and beyond.

Guaranteed Job Placement

We find you a teaching job or jobs to ensure you have the maximum work hours allowed under your visa.

You could spend your own time trying to find your own teaching position.

But this can be time-confusing and stressful because you’ll have to wade through a myriad of risk factors when evaluating teaching positions. These can include but are not limited to: 

• Teaching philosophy and environment
• Teaching materials
• School code of conduct
• Local staff support and English proficiency
• After school activities and requirements
• Disciplinary processes
• And many more considerations!

We take the pressure away from you by guaranteeing your job placement following your training.

• You’ll have more time to make friends and adjust to the culture.
• You can focus on enjoying your new lifestyle knowing your income is secured.
• All the details will be communicated and explained clearly.

Read more about the Placement process

Lifetime Placement Guarantee

• Pay one fee and you’re able to teach in any partner school in any destination as long as you like.
• It’s a once-off fee for a lifetime of opportunities to make a difference in the lives of your students and travel the world in a sustainable way.
• For example, once you’re finished in Spain you can travel over to Thailand or Vietnam and experience a whole new cultural adventure.

Accommodation

Accommodation during the TEFL/TESOL Course

Accommodation in Barcelona during the Cultural Orientation and TESOL course will be a single room with shared bathroom.

You may have the option to continue your stay in the accommodation, if available, or switch to another accommodation.

We recommend switching to another accommodation after the TESOL course which can be cheaper and longer term.

We will help assist you in finding new accommodation following the course if you are unable to extend or wish to move out of the course accommodation.

Accommodation after the TEFL/TESOL course

We will assist you in getting you own accommodation after the course if you so choose with advice, information, contacts and support.

There are many different accommodation types and locations where teachers could be based.

The decisions teachers make on where to live next will be down to personal choice.

We will guide you each step of the way and assist you in navigating accommodation arrangements once you know what you are looking for.

• Step 1: You will look for accommodations based on your budget, preferred/necessary location, and any other factors.
• Step 2: You can ask us for advice / support in negotiation, language barriers or considering options.

Below is an example of shared and single room layout and prices. Note that these options include a shared bathroom. This is just an example and could change.

Spain accommodation

Where To Live

There are two options for those living in Barcelona.

Option 1: Pay higher rent and live in the city center

You would then commute to your teaching jobs, which, as mentioned, are typically more than one school. Those jobs may be both in the city center or in the suburbs. Participants may commute on public transport out to the suburbs to teach.

Option 2: Live in the suburbs and teach in the suburbs

The second option is typically the cheaper option. This can reduce travel time, and conserve budget. For those who are offered or elect to teach online, they often live anywhere in Barcelona. The cost of accommodation varies from €300 Euros for a shared room and bathroom to €700 or €800 Euros for a small studio flat near the city center.

Teaching Placements

Placement locations

Teachers on the education visa will have a visa connected to a language school in Barcelona so will need to remain in the Barcelona area throughout their time in Spain. Read more about Visas and Visa Programs.

Therefore, they are only eligible for in-class positions in the Barcelona area. Teachers may also work in online positions. Online placements may be anywhere in the world. Teachers may be fully in-person, fully online, or work a combination of both.

Placements Types

There are two main types of placements in Spain:

• Local academies: private language schools where students sign up to take English language courses.
• Online Placements: Teaching remotely for an online school, which may involve teaching students in Spain online, in Asia or in Central America.

Demographics

In Spain, there is demand for English language learning from both adults and young learners.

Young learners: All students in Spain learn English as school, however the level of English amongst most Spanish students is low and students often struggle to advance when relying on learning English at their regular school. Many parents choose to invest in additional English language lessons for their children and send their children to local language academies.

Professionals: There are many professionals in their 20s, 30s and 40s that are looking to learn English to benefit them in their jobs. These may be people in corporate positions, or in technical fields such as engineers or medical professionals. They are often learning English to gain an extra skill to help them progress in their careers.

Young adults: Some learners have left high school, but haven’t gone on to university. They are people that are looking for a skill that will help them gain employment in key sectors such as tourism.

Local Academies

Local academies in Spain are private language schools where students sign up to take English language courses.

For young learners this will typically be late afternoons after they have finished school.

Adult classes tend to be in the evenings after they have finished work, occasionally there may be some morning classes.

Class Size

Teachers will work with small groups of students, typically between 4 to 10 students.

Working hours

Evening teaching is most common, shortly followed by morning classes.

Teachers will typically work 15 – 30 hours per week.

A typical working week would be from 4pm to 10pm Monday to Thursday and 4pm to 8pm on Fridays. Saturdays and Sundays off.

Most teachers working at academies will start off with part time hours before moving up to full time hours.

Online Positions

Online positions include working for schools teaching both adults and children.

Participants will generally be assigned the age groups they will teach after the interview. If they have experience teaching children, they’re more likely to be placed with children. The hours teachers work will be irregular.

Class times will vary depending on the area of the world that the students come from. The table below explains further:

Work is largely hourly for online teaching and the range is from 9 to 15 Euros per hour depending on the region of students.

International or Bilingual Schools

These positions are much less common but are sometimes obtained by qualified teachers.

Placements Throughout the Year

We have scheduled courses throughout the year. Academies generally hire throughout the year based on how many new students they have signing up.

The highest demand for teachers and peak hiring time is in September and January.

How The Placement Process Works

• Prior to arrival, we will collect a teacher profile from each participant and begin marketing to potential academies.
• Once in country, a presentation is given in orientation week with a full overview of what to expect with different school types.
• After that, participants will each have weekly one-on-one meetings with their placement coordinator.
• If online teaching is an option at that time, it will also be offered as an additional or even alternative to in-person teaching.
• Placements will be largely part time teaching across more than one school.
• Interviews may be arranged before, before, during and following the TESOL course.
• We can’t guarantee specific placement types and age groups so candidates must remain flexible.
• After the placements are offered by schools, we help answer any questions and clarify any concerns.
• We then guide on travel and housing plans.

Definition of Placement Guarantee.

Placement guarantee means, A placement in a school within 30 days following the TESOL course.

Salaries and Wages

• Teachers are paid hourly at anywhere from €10 – €18 Euros per hour.
• There is no guarantee on exactly how many hours that initial placement will include, as most placements start with a smaller number of weekly hours and then grow from there based on school’s assessment of teaching quality.
• A typical rule of thumb is about 8-10 hours per week to start at a single school and then grow from there within the same school.
• The placement team will then regularly and continually inform teachers about further part-time placement opportunities.
• Those teachers who want more teaching hours can respond to the placement team, and they will facilitate interviews and contact.
• On average academy teachers will earn around €700 Euros – €1,100 Euros per month. This is enough to cover living expenses.

The table below provides an example of ramping-up hours from month 1-3.

Holidays

There are 14 public holidays each year in Spain. These are typically days off for teachers. Schools may provide additional paid leave days but this is not 100% guaranteed, particularly for contracts less than one year.

As most placements are part-time, there will likely be no paid public holidays.

You normally get two weeks off at Christmas and a week at Easter.

Note that the language school typically closes for classes for several weeks around major holidays such as Christmas and New Year, as well as during the month of August for summer break.

Leave for Local Language Academy Positions

Paid Annual leave
Paid leave is generally provided on public holidays if the teacher usually has scheduled classes on that date.

Unpaid leave
Generally schools will close over the Christmas and Easter breaks for one week. Teachers typically take unpaid leave during this time.

Sick Leave
Some schools will pay sick leave for the times they were due to work but others will not. Teachers are paid hourly without guaranteed hours so sometimes schools won’t pay for hours not worked.

Leave for Online Teaching Positions

Paid Annual leave
Each school has their own policy. Teachers can generally request time off in advance and as long as they can still work a minimum number of hours in the month (sometimes around 16hrs/month).

Unpaid leave
If teachers make an effort to get their shifts up for pickup, they are usually pretty understanding and most of the time the shifts get picked up.

Sick Leave
There is no sick leave. If they have a class, they can put it on a pickup board, however if nobody takes it, they are liable for it. Whenever they miss a class/shift, they have to submit a form explaining what happened.

Visa and Visa Programs

This visa will initially be for 7 months in country. The visa allows participants to work for a maximum of 30 hours per week and be registered as a part-time worker for the duration of their visa. However, they must sign up for a Spanish language education program with a language school is a specific area and only qualify for employment in that specific location.

The education program requires participants to study for at least 10 hours per week (through our program). This provides a truly unique opportunity to build a strong Spanish language foundation while working and living in Barcelona.

Teachers typically work for 15 to 30 hours per week so they will have time to study alongside this. Spanish classes will be held in the mornings or early afternoons depending on schedule so teachers will be available to teach in the late afternoons and evenings when classes are in highest demand.

School attendance is recorded. If the teacher wishes to extend their education visa beyond 1 year, they must have attended the majority of their classes.

If teachers don’t regularly attend Spanish language classes, it will NOT affect them during the initial 1 year visa period. However, it may be difficult to extend for an additional year once their original visa period has expired.

Please note that Irish citizens are not limited in terms of the number of hours they can work as they are members of the EU so no limitations on work. Moreover, they do not need to pay for the visa application, education visa, and are not required to take Spanish classes.

Proof of Financial Means

You must provide an original and a copy of documents certifying that you (or the legal representative or relative that supports you) has sufficient financial means to cover the expenses of your stay and return, as well as that of the family members accompanying you.

If you’re traveling to Spain alone, the minimum required amount is 700 USD per month. If you’re staying for 7 months, you’d need to show proof of USD $4900.

We will guide you throughout the entire application process including the exact documents and wording required for your Visa application.

It is not guaranteed that someone with a criminal record will have their education visa granted. It is preferred that candidates should not have any criminal record.

Dates

The course is 5 weeks long. The first week is your cultural orientation followed by a 4-week TESOL course.

Budgets

Below please find the complete budget breakdown. This budget is based on the following timeline:

• 5 weeks on the course
• 2 weeks of waiting for work permit processing prior to starting work
• 5 weeks of teaching before receiving you first paycheck
• Total = 12 weeks before first paycheck.

Please Note: this is an estimate and the timeframe could be quicker or longer depending on interviewing success and processing time for required work approvals with the Spanish government.

What do I need to budget for?

Bear in mind that you will be spending at least 10 – 12 weeks in Spain before you receive your first paycheck. You will therefore need to budget enough money to see you through TESOL course and your first month of teaching.

Of course, the amount of money you need depends on your spending habits.

Take a look through our budget guidelines to see what budget suits your spending habits.

Budget for your 5-week TESOl Course

Budget for first month of teaching

Budget Totals

For Irish Citizens Only

For Irish citizens, the startup costs are significantly lower as they are part of the EU.

Chat to us if you have questions about budget and spending. We realise that moving abroad to teach English in Spain is expensive at first, but remember that with TravelBud your teaching job is guaranteed.

Once you start earning a salary, your living costs will be comfortably covered and you will be able to enjoy your time in Teaching and Traveling in Spain.

Fees

Fees Include:

• Dedicated pre-departure support

• 1 week Cultural Orientation

• 4 week TEFL Course with Internationally Accredited Certification

• Guaranteed Job Placement

• 24/7 In-country on the ground support

Fee Breakdown:

Enrollment Fee and Pre-departure Support

• Secures your spot

  • You’re in and have secured your spot in a program that has limited availability.

• Comprehensive pre-departure support and guidance

  • You’ll be introduced to the support team and your dedicated Support manager will reach out with your next steps.
  • You’ll be provided comprehensive information relating to each step in the pre-departure process and you’ll have the opportunity to ask as many questions as you like!
  • Our support team help you get the necessary documentation prepared prior to departure.
  • We’ll assist you with all planning, packing, visas, costs, budgets and booking flights.
  • We’ll ease any anxieties you may have regarding your trip and share the positive and life-changing adventures of the teach abroad experience.

In-class TESOL, Guaranteed Job Placement, Cultural Orientation and 24/7 Support

• Logistics and safety when arriving

  • Airport pickup and assistance to accommodation
  • Sim card setup assistance

• A toolkit for navigating Spanish culture

  • Cultural Orientation
  • Social events and meet and greets.

• Practical Teacher Training

  • To hone your craft and ensure confidence before we begin teaching professionally

• Guaranteed Job Placement

  • At carefully vetted schools

• An Internationally Accredited TEFL/TESOL certification

  • The knowledge required to teach english successfully.

• A support network of fellow teachers

  • Lifelong friendships and travel opportunities

• 24/7 In-country support

  •Ex-foreign teachers and local, on-the-ground support staff provide you with personal assistance throughout the duration of your teaching experience.
  •You can rest assured knowing that any queries will be answered such as translation help, legalities, emergencies, travel options or school queries. Someone is on hand.
  • Teacher meet-ups
  • We check in with you regularly and keep up to date with your teach abroad experience.

• Lifetime Teaching Placement Guarantee

  • Teach somewhere else after your contract and explore new cultures.

• Self-development and advantageous future employability

  • Add teaching abroad to your CV to stand out from the crowd.

Boost your employability

You might think you’re taking a step back by taking a year off but nothing could be further from the truth!

Although you may think it’s a halt in your education journey, you’re actually fast tracking yourself through:

• Learning independence.
• Learning how you react to different situations
• Learning how to master and grow your confidence in public speaking
• Learning how to overcome obstacles
• Learning about yourself through your own personal self discovery
• Learning how to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself

These would normally take much longer in a normal, sheltered environment and wouldn’t be nearly as much fun!

When you do head back home, you’re not just another resume in a pile of resumes – you are someone different who’s done something interesting and rewarding.