Elevate Your ESL Career: Accredited TEFL Courses in Madrid!

When it comes to choosing a qualification, there are quite a few options out there. Nearly every TEFL training provider has a different course that teaches you a certain way to handle a classroom or offers you a specific type of qualification. However, the rules for recognised qualifications can vary so massively from one country to the next that a more universal system is required. That’s why we have created and helped to pioneer a 120 hour accredited course.

The reasoning for this is pretty simple. Most experts agree that 120 hours is the minimum amount of time that you can take to study to become a TFL teacher. Anything less than that, and you will not have all of the required concepts or experience. Therefore, this has been made the basic TEFL certification. That is a more advanced course that takes 180 hours available, but this is the default option. You can actually complete it in four weeks of study, but we do offer six months so you can master the principles at your own speed.

The course has been built with lots of different learning materials. You’ve got written resources, videos and audio so you can pick how you want to learn. By experiencing all of these different resources, we also hope that you get a better understanding of how you can tailor your lesson plan to suit the needs of your classroom. We want to make sure that the course is accessible to everybody, so the only things we ask for are a reliable online connection and a C1 level of proficiency in English.

The course has 10 modules for you to complete. Like we said, each of the modules is delivered using different types of learning resources. You can pick whatever works for you. Throughout your course, you will learn the basics of how to teach others, as well as gain classroom experience. We will teach you how to design a lesson plan, how to adapt to changing circumstances, and what to do if you’re working with one student or 30 students. We want to make sure that you have all the skills necessary to go and teach English as a foreign language anywhere in the world, not just Spain, so we aim for universal skills that will help you in the long run.

You will have six months to complete the course. You can finish the diploma in four weeks, but six months means you can balance your study with other commitments. We know a lot of people have a job or a full-time career, which is why we want to be flexible.

Once you have been able to secure your level 5 TEFL diploma, you are in a prime position to start looking for a job teaching either in Madrid or anywhere else in Spain. Naturally, it is up to you how you pursue your career, but a good place to start is looking for volunteering positions as a way to build up experience and a solid reputation within the local area. However, we recognise that many people will want to start looking for paid work immediately, so we thought it would be sensible to cover some of the available options that you have. Broadly speaking, there are four main areas for a TEFL teacher.

Public Schools

Like many other places in Spain and Europe, Madrid has a selection of public schools that most of the population will attend. These schools will teach English as a second language often from primary level, so you have your choice of placement.

As this is official government-funded education, the rules and entry criteria for new teachers will be pretty strict. You will probably need to have a degree as well as your certification, but it’s definitely an option worth pursuing.

International Schools

Your typical international school is for the children of expats. People who moved to Spain for work purposes often bring children with them, and these young people will go to slightly different schools to gain a well-rounded education for use in any other part of Europe, as expats frequently move around. These types of schools are more prestigious, so it’s harder to get a job there. However, the salary and benefits are often very desirable.

Language Schools

If you are a new teacher who is looking to get paid work immediately, a language school is often a good place to start. Language schools are normally for older people, usually adults who want to learn English for a job or simply to broaden their skill set. They are happy to learn and make for an easy classroom.

With that being said, language schools are often part-time only, with contracts often at 25 to 30 hours a week. This does give you a lot of free time to explore the area and integrate yourself into the local culture, but long-term you may need to look at bringing in extra money.

Tutoring

Tutoring in the local area is a good way to make extra money, and it is something lots of new TEFL teachers do when they first get to Spain or other countries. You will be starting your own tutoring business, using your qualifications to get students and build up a reputation. However, you will be responsible for recording and declaring income, so it’s important to know how to run a business effectively.

If you can’t find any paid opportunities in the Madrid area when you arrive, you can always teach English online. Lots of schools and institutions across Spain are happy for remote teachers as long as they are qualified. You would be providing lessons through a webcam and delivering lectures.

If you want to get started with this type of teaching, you will need a desktop computer with a reliable connection and all the tools required to teach from the comfort of your home. You will also need to find a school that is willing to facilitate your remote learning, and you may still be expected to show your qualifications.

If you want to teach English as a foreign language in Spain, you need to apply for a work permit. Non-EU citizens are required to go through the same process for obtaining a visa, and the same basic rules apply as if you were trying to go to any other country.

It would help if you had a degree in English as this shows your knowledge on the subject. Your TEFL diploma will help you to stand out from other applications. We recommend a few things to successfully get a permit. First of all, rewrite your CV to emphasise your new TEFL skills. Second of all, try and get a job offer before you apply as this helps to speed the process along. You will be expected to fill out all the paperwork correctly, so take your time. If you build up some teaching experience in your home country, this can help to improve your chances.

Madrid

As the cultural capital of Spain, Madrid offers quite a bit. Obviously, there is all the local cuisine and culture you could want, as well as a vibrant nightlife to enjoy. Madrid may seem like a tourist destination, but it has a growing TEFL presence. There are many qualified English teachers who come from abroad to seek out new career prospects, as well as enjoying what Spain has to offer at the same time.

Barcelona

Barcelona is a lot like Madrid when it comes to what is on offer. Spain has a few things going for it, and they are pretty consistent across the country. Barcelona is often equally popular as both a tourist and TEFL destination.

The amount of money that you can earn teaching English as a foreign language in Spain depends on your experience, your skills, and where you choose to work.

The currency for Spain is the euro, and a qualified teacher can expect to make between €1200 and €1500 each month. This translates to roughly £1300, and is plenty of money for you to be able to enjoy a comfortable standard of living. Obviously, you can also provide tutoring services as a side gig, and you will be able to set the prices at whatever you think is suitable. This can be between €15 and €50 for an hour lesson, depending on how good you are and how much people are willing to pay.

If you want to live in Madrid, then you will face the same problem as if you wanted to live in any major city in Europe. If you live in a city, the cost of living will be more. Cities attract higher prices, which means the wages are higher to compensate, but the standard of living is consistent with other areas.

It is possible to enjoy a good standard of living as a teacher if you live like a local and eat local food. One of the biggest mistakes that English teachers coming from abroad will make is they will try to eat imported food from their home country, and it’s very expensive. Eating locally will help not only to save money but also to help you get used to the culture.

One thing we recommend is that you try and find a place just outside of the city limits and commute. If you do this, you can take advantage of the lower prices but still make a good salary.

• Monthly salary: €1500
• Accomodation Cost: €1000
• Utilities: €200
• Public transport pass for a week: €30
• A meal out for two people: €50
• A pint of milk: €1

The figures listed are rough estimates made using recorded data and are subject to change.