Teach English in Spain

Details

Summary

The economic boom of the 1990s has caused an explosion in demand for English teachers. But the country’s enduring popularity means that there’s a lot of competition for jobs.

Main TEFL regions

Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and an abundance of other towns and cities.

Types of teaching

Private Language schools/academies: General English, Business English, Cambridge PET/FCE/CAE/CPE, English for Younger Learners
In-company (through private language academies): General English, Business English, Cambridge PET/FCE/CAE/CPE, English for Younger Learners
Private tuition: General English, English for Specific Purposes
Summer camps: General English, English for Younger Learners

Accommodation

In the big cities accommodation is unlikely to be provided, but your employer can usually point you in the right direction. However, in the smaller towns, you will often be provided with a shared apartment.

In Madrid, a room in a shared apartment will cost about €300 per month; outside of the big cities, you will pay about half this. Your own 1-bedroom place will be about €650 per month.

It’s also possible to live with families that need tutors for their children.

Flight reimbursement

Very unlikely

Salary

Newly-qualified teachers earn around €1,100 per month, and with a bit more experience this will increase to €1,500.

Taxes

On a normal teacher’s salary, you will pay about 15% of your total earnings as tax.

Cost of living

The cost of living has rocketed since the introduction of the Euro, but unfortunately wages haven’t risen accordingly. Clothes and electrical goods are particularly expensive.

While food drink and going out are still quite cheap, the problem is how often you’re tempted to indulge - in the big cities like Barcelona, going out and enjoying yourself is all part of the culture!

Potential to save money

Realistically, you’re unlikely to save any money. You might be able to cover your costs during the summer lull, but not much more.

How much TEFL training is recommended?

With so much competition, you’ll need a TEFL qualification at the very least, and preferably a comprehensive one such as i-to-i’s 100-hour combined course.

Common teaching conditions

With so many thousands of schools across the country, conditions vary immensely. The best employers offer high quality, flexible teaching conditions and good contracts; while the worst are more like sweatshops than schools. The typical teaching schedule is 25 classroom hours a week, but many schools expect more. Thankfully, there’s always some sort of entertainment to help you wind down each night.

The younger pupils have a reputation for being a bit spoilt and noisy, but you can’t blame them for preferring the Spanish sunshine to an air-conditioned classroom! Injecting some fun into your classes is the best way to go. The adult students are usually much easier to inspire.

In July, it’s possible to get work at summer schools (usually near the coast) and you’ll usually get free room and board

Be aware…

If someone offers you a job that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Unfortunately, scammers have targeted the flourishing TEFL market and have set up fake websites and email addresses to lure hopeful teachers. If you have any suspicions, move on.