TEFL Madrid BLOG

For the past month, English Teachers in Spain, along with everyone else in the world, have adapted to doing things from the comfort of their homes. Teleworking, Skype calls, Freelance writing, and in some cases, people have had to experience the risk of going to work. We cheer and thank these people every single day. Every day life in Spain is not what we would normally experience. The novelty of tapas, flamenco, the travel possibilities, and learning a new language, is now on hold.

We’ve all had the proverbial night out where we go to our favorite restaurant (or perhaps some place you’ve never been to before), and went to see a movie. It’s certainly pleasant. It’s a night out. People don’t typically venture too deep into the unknown. Guess what? If you’re studying to get your TEFL Certification in Madrid, you’re already there. You’re in a new country. You’re surrounded by something new (which is ironically something old). Of course, you still want the creature comforts of food and entertainment. I say, give yourself the same…only different.

As every TEFL Teacher might know, there are six levels of comprehension in the English language. They range from A1 – C2. A1 is an extremely limited understanding, and C2 is Operational Proficiency, and the student will have no problem producing language. There isn’t a week that passes when I don’t visualize the conundrum that TEFL Teachers face when they actively pursue and practice their Native Language as a career. It’s at the forefront of my mind as an educator.

I’ve been living as an English Teacher in Spain for the better part of five years, and if I’m capable of finding something different around the corner after this long, then I found myself in a country that’s tantamount to a classic film. There’s always something different around the corner, and Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the time of the year when those differences come out in a week of solemn processions, and local traditions.

For anyone who’s known me long enough, you know that I’ve been working as an English Teacher in Spain for the past four years (and going on five!). It’s been an unbelievable experience, and I’m looking forward to another four years of helping TEFL students achieve their goals in my classroom. When I started learning, and further understanding the mechanics of the English language, I didn’t think that I would be able to handle its complexities. I know that this next sentence is going to sound a little cliché, but it was like being back at University.