1. We’d love to hear your story – what’s your background, and what inspired you to take the leap into teaching abroad?

After graduating from the University of Auckland with a degree in history, I began tutoring students during afterschool hours in New Zealand. I quickly realized how much I enjoyed teaching and decided that working or volunteering abroad using a TEFL qualification would be a great opportunity to experience teaching in a classroom while also learning about another culture. Since I already loved tutoring English, history, and mathematics, teaching English as a second language felt like an exciting new challenge. My TEFL internship in Spain offered the perfect setting to put this into practice. In the future, I want to complete a diploma in teaching, and so this program felt like a useful stepping stone and a chance to extend my skills.

2. What did you enjoy most about your TEFL course, and how well do you think it prepared you for your teaching experience in Spain?

I enjoyed the structure of the course and the topics included – it definitely helped to prepare me for the TEFL classroom in Catalonia. There was a nice balance between theoretical knowledge and practical guidance in the course. There were useful modules about learning methodologies but also others about classroom management. As a native English speaker, having quizzes concerning the principles of grammar and vocabulary was also useful because I needed to refresh concepts such as present simple, continuous and perfect. 

3. What age group are you teaching, and what does a typical day look like?

Each day typically starts around 7am with breakfast, a quick call to my family in New Zealand (due to the time difference) and then walk to school with my host sister Lia around 8:45am. I teach almost every year level at my school in Tárrega, including the infant, primary and secondary classes, which has given me the opportunity to meet and interact with all the students. I usually have 5 classes spread throughout the day, beginning with 1-2 hours of ESO from 9-11am where the students and I discuss relevant news or cultural traditions from Catalonia and New Zealand, respectively.

After these classes I often have a short break to eat breakfast or have a coffee and then I will have 2 hours of the primary or infant classes. I sit with the students in small groups, guiding them through speaking activities in English. I typically eat lunch between 1-3pm and then finish my day with 2 more hours of teaching at 5pm, except on Tuesdays and Fridays when I finish early. In between my classes, I sometimes have 30 minutes to an hour to either relax or plan further activities for the students. My host family’s apartment is only a short walk from the school so sometimes I also go home to have a little break. In the evenings, I often go for short walks with my host sisters or spend time together at their apartment. We usually eat dinner at 8:30pm and go to bed before 10pm. 

4. What are three things that surprised you about your experience in Spain? 

Here in Catalonia, I was expecting everyone to only be speaking Catalan. I of course knew that Spanish is similar and was taught in schools alongside English, but if I had known it was socially acceptable to speak Spanish informally as a newcomer and that I would be easily understood, I would have continued practising before my arrival and thus found it easier to interact with the other teachers. After arriving here, I was also surprised by how long the school day is for students in semi-private schools. They are in class until 5pm, by which time they are often tired and less focused. Finally, I was expecting to be a formal intern, however, I wouldn’t say I have been coached or taught how to teach per se. My role in the school is more of a teacher’s assistant or voluntary aide – I work with small groups or present games and facts to the class. 

5. What do you love most about living in Spain, and how does it compare to home?

My favourite thing about Spain is the way they prioritize quality time with family and friends in the evening. The atmosphere around dinner time is so nice around the neighbourhoods and bigger cities, it’s very lively and great to experience. Everyone is together, laughing, talking and sharing food and drink. Back in my town in New Zealand, everyone in usually getting ready for bed by 9pm during the workweek, not starting dinner! The local festivities and celebrations are also more frequent and exciting. The community organises lots of activities, concerts, games and performances that people of all ages can take part in. Back in New Zealand, you only tend to find events like Festa Major in the big cities, not smaller towns. The cuisine is also more developed here. Back in New Zealand popular foods are inspired by international cultures (except for the indigenous Māori cuisine). However, the Mediterranean and Catalonia in particular have more specific dishes, courses and traditional meals. 

6. What’s been the most rewarding part of teaching English in Spain?

I have loved building connections with the students, getting to know them and witnessing their progress. Whenever I enter an infant or primary class, I’m always welcomed by lots of hugs from all the students. They are always so excited to see me and it’s very heart warming. It’s also been great seeing older primary school students benefit from the English speaking games I have devised. Watching them learn and improve in real time is fantastic. In the secondary school ESO classes, I’ve also enjoyed sparking their interest in New Zealand culture, and watching them light up when they explain the cultural traditions of Catalonia. Sharing facts about our respective traditions, favourite local foods and celebrations has been fun and informative for everyone. 

7. Would you recommend this experience – and why?

Yes, I would definitely recommend this experience because it puts you outside your comfort zone in so many ways. While you’re not being taught how to teach exactly or guided on how to control and manage a larger TEFL classroom, there’s lots of other things to gain from the program. Being an aide or assistant to the teacher gives you the opportunity to manage small groups on your own, present your ideas, and more specifically, test out TEFL-related activities you created and methods of teaching English as a foreign language.

Being in a different country for a longer period of time, also gives you a better glimpse of Catalonian culture and daily life. My host family also couldn’t have done more to make me feel welcome – they will treat you like one of their own children. They’ve included me on weekend trips all around Catalonia and gone out of their way to show me as many places nearby as possible. Overall, making these connections with my host family and with other teachers at the school has been the best part of this experience – I have built so many memories here and made life-long friends. 

8. What advice would you give someone considering a TEFL internship in Spain?

I would really encourage anyone considering a career in teaching to do this program in Spain! Whether the TEFL classroom specifically is fully relevant to your teaching career or not, it doesn’t matter – the chance to be in a school with students, meet new people, connect with locals and experience Catalonian culture and daily life is incredible!

My advice would be to practice Spanish before you arrive, as it will come in handy when you want to interact with other teachers or locals – they speak Catalan but will understand and normally be happy speaking Spanish with you if you’re a newcomer. With that being said, it’s always polite to learn a few Catalan phrases too! At the school, you also need to be proactive about helping and taking part. If I want advice on how to manage student behaviour or guidance on what activity is best suited on any given day, I have to ask.

My role in the school is more of a voluntary aide or teaching assistant because, unlike an intern, I am not being shown how to manage an entire class or conduct activities in a structured manner. Instead, I am here to share facts about my country, demonstrate my native accent, assess student’s pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary, discuss cultural traditions in Catalonia and New Zealand, or manage small groups of students using games I’ve devised or provided by the teacher. While it is not what I expected, this difference hasn’t been a bad thing in lots of ways. The teachers will not always have a solid plan for what they want you to do, they are ready to discuss the best approach with you, hear your opinions and suggestions and even let you take the lead, directing games. If a teacher doesn’t approach you with a plan before your class, it’s important to ask and also have some age-approach activities in your back pocket to use in case you need them.

9. How has teaching abroad influenced your personal and professional growth?

I feel more confident in public speaking, managing small groups of students and engaging younger learners. While I had worked as a tutor at an after-school franchise in New Zealand and also as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Auckland, teaching English as a second language was a new challenge because you have to speak very slowly, give instructions in simple terms and be extremely patient, especially with infant and primary classes. Most of the younger children are still learning to read, write, listen and speak in their native tongue, so learning English can be confusing and difficult for them. I feel like I have learned to be more patient and assertive as a teacher, recognizing how to approach bad behaviour or explain and reexplain a difficult concept.

On a personal level, I also feel like this program has helped me be a calmer and more relaxed person. Normally, I like to have everything in my life planned and organized and sometimes overthink minor interactions. However, culture shock and miscommunications are so common when you’re in a new country, you learn to take everything in your stride, laugh it off and worry less. While I have already experienced this a lot while travelling through other countries, this program is longer than a holiday visit – you have to make a more consistent effort to interact with people you see often, learning how to ask questions in their language and chatting to people – even if it means using lots of gestures!