Comments on: Teaching in Madrid- A Summary

By: Alex Case

Alex Case — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:59:17 +0000

Couldn’t find anything bad about TTMadrid on the web, which must be a good thing… We were the only non-Cambridge training course in Madrid back when I was a trainer on the Via Lingua CTEFLA, I would like to think we inspired all the others…

You will find a lot of debate on eslcafe.com etc. on whether Trinity and RSA/Cambridge CELTA courses are worth the extra money and hassle to find a place on. I would say yes, if you think you might spend more than a year or two teaching. The training might be no better, but it will be accepted in more places.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 02:34:53 +0000

Hey Alex,

I wasn’t sure how to get in touch with you, but I’m a recent college grad and have worked a “normal” job for a year but have found cubicles are simply not meant for human beings.
I’ve been wanting to teach English abroad for some time but am feeling overwhelmed by the infinite amount of programs. I’m looking into TTMadrid right now to get my TEFL and then have them place me somewhere in Madrid. I would like to get your thoughts on the TEFL programs and if you had any recommendations about Madrid or other programs in Spain.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
-Nancy

By: Alex Case

Alex Case — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 13:55:09 +0000

You surprise me, merve. Lived in Turkey for a year, and although there were plenty of times I was near shouting myself (at hard-selling carpet salesmen and bus counter people who always said the bus is leaving ‘now’) I was never close to getting into an argument outside a bar. In fact, the only people I have ever had a row with in a bar is Englishmen…

Of course, there is always hospitality towards strangers etc. to take into account and all my experiences are given as typical of an outsider rather than typical of a local.

By: merve

merve — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:16:49 +0000

as a ELT student ın Turkey, I am really ımpressed by the sentences you said about their havıng good tıme. I belıeve you bu when comparıng them wıth Turkey am really shocked. Here usually you cant return to your home from a bar wıthout havıng argument wıth somebody you dont know. however ı dont want to make any generalısatıon.:)

By: Alex Case

Alex Case — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:58:58 +0000

Business English teaching is definitely growing and as a lot of the teachers who go out there are young and inexperienced, once you know your way around there are some good jobs. Knowing Spanish really helps though.

Otherwise, there is a certain amount of studentishness going on (often need to share a house etc.), but as the real Spanish students stand round in freezing cold parks drinking 2 litre plastic bottles of cheap red wine mixed with coke (calimocho?) you will at least still be several steps above the local teens.

By: chris

chris — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:29:50 +0000

hey alex,
is there much demand for teaching business english in spain? eg a la shane gig i was doing last year. Does liveable wage mean you have to live like a scummy student, can on elive a semi-dignified life?