TEFL Diary Entry

Using Videos in Class 
Lately I've been thinking about using videos (audio-visual material) in class. In fact I used to do this all the time, but lately the pendulum seems to have swung in the other direction. I tend to be that way, I really get into something for a while, then drift away from it, then back again. So let's get  back into videos!  
Read more: Using Videos in Class.

I Hate that Word
I was teaching a private class the other day with an intermediate student, a pretty good one I might add, fairly motivated, hardworking, normally positive. We were working on a pronunciation activity, the /h/ sound to be exact, and the authors of the coursebook had prepared a minimal pair activity, and we were looking at these two sentences: 'I'm heating up the beans' and 'I'm eating up the beans'. So my student reads the sentences, and first looking disconcerted and then exasperated, says “Why is the word 'up' there? I hate that word!” 
Read more: I Hate that Word

Google Plus: English Teachers in Madrid: Sign up for this "Google Plus MadridTeacher webpage". (See the G+ above?) In order to do so, you have to have a Gmail account and use its “Google Circles” section. (Google has lots of different services other than Gmail such as Google Docs and circles in Google Plus.) Basically, whenever I post something, you ought to receive an email. . . .
Read more: Google Plus

Blog:

The Public / Private system of education in Spain Apr. 28:
Years of overspending has left Spain's economy an absolute mess. . . so there's no telling just exactly what crazy, desperate measures schools will be taking. To begin with, the number of students per class in public schools is expected to go up to about 40 very soon. There are also rumors that upwards of 3,000 teachers will be laid off just in the Community of Madrid. Moreover, there have been and will be serious cutbacks in grants and scholarships for university students. There are probably far too many universities in Spain and there have been and are likely to be far more cutbacks in that area as well.

Crisis: May 3: Consumer confidence is way down (20Minutos). There's nothing but very bad news. Salaries are going down if they exist at all and expenses are going up. The latest: the Community of Madrid is going to turn all the local highways into toll roads and government of Spain is raising taxes.
Apr. 17: Spain continues melting down. Read this article in the Wall Street Journal: Pressure on Spain Builds. The brunt of it is that everyone who's anyone wants Spain to make major cutbacks to the economy and the Bond markets punish Spain when it starts to slow down its reforms. . . .

TEFL courses and training for teachers in Madrid:

International House Madrid CELTA and DELTA courses

Hyland Language Centre
CELTA courses

How to be a better teacher.

DevelopingTeachers.com - To keep up on the latest developments in English teaching.

Articles about and for Teachers teaching in Madrid.

Teaching English in Madrid on GoMadNomad - A teacher who taught in Madrid in 2008 wrote this article.
David Overton: The closing of Opening - There used to be a lot of multimedia academies in Spain including Opening, at least 200 of which closed a few years ago.
David Overton: Teachers Unite - "I know I’d be happier if I could ply my trade without the feeling that if I want more economic security, my main option is “getting out of teaching”."
CNN.com: Young Americans going abroad to teach - ". . . many recent college graduates are searching for alternatives to jumping into the job market in the face of the recession. An increasing number of young Americans are searching out paid positions teaching English in countries like South Korea, Japan, China and Spain as a means to expand their horizons and weather the economic doldrums."
About the TEFL Sector in Madrid - Janice Haywood answers questions about the TEFL sector in Madrid, Spain.
How to Write a Great Cover Letter, The Anatomy of a Résumé (Youtube)
Top 10 List - What academies want from an English teacher - Personality, social skills, experience, committment, good judgment, etc.

Profile pages of Language and English Academies and Agencies in Madrid:

ASTEX Language Agency - If not yet the largest agency, it's in the neighbourhood.

Hot English Language Services - A local publisher and English teaching agency based centrally in the Principe Pío area.

Vaughan Systems - Here's a top paying job for dynamic, sociable non-TEFLers (teachers without a TEFL certificate)

Cambridge House - Three schools in the centre of Madrid and 20 years in the business. by T. Brock.

American Language Academy - Here's an English academy where most of the teachers are from North America. - by T. Brock.




Windsor Idiomas - A medium-sized (60 teachers) academy which hires at a distance via Skype.

English Systems - A long-established medium to large-sized language consulting firm with an average of 80 teachers working for them yearly, mostly teaching both telephone classes and in-company English classes in around 50 corporations.



First Language Consulting - First Language Consulting is a relatively new academy which was founded in 2005

Kennedy Empowering Successful Communication - This school has a presence in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and Salamanca providing innovative solutions for their clients’ language needs and being teacher centred, emphasises a positive and supportive working environment.

International Institute in Spain - This school is a prominent historic entity offering a range of language courses both on-site and in-house for adults as well as a program for young learners.

Berlitz - With 128 years of experience, more than 450 centers in over 60 countries, Berlitz is one of the oldest and largest language service providers in the world.

Ashton Campion - This school consists of two neighbourhood academies on the north side of Madrid.

élogos - A company offering a 50/50 mix of telephone and in-company classes.



Chalmore Language Solutions was founded in 2004 and is a fast growing language training company based in Madrid.

International House Madrid - An affiliate of the International House World Organisation’s network of over 120 schools worldwide. See their CELTA and DELTA courses also.


Hyland Language Centre was established 22 years ago, in 1985, and is one of the best balanced academies in Madrid.


Club Ivy - is an academic organization developed by former alumni of prestigious universities around the world.

Baxter Business Services is a fast growing language school with impressive client list and more than 30 teachers who usually work with them because of the top rates and excellent conditions.
Pueblo Inglés
A school seeking experienced teachers to start immediately with in-company classes, Masters courses and intensive residential courses.


EuroLanguage Consultants - Offers first class language solutions to companies, groups and individuals in Madrid, Spain and abroad.

Go English - This agency employs only experienced (3 years minimum), TEFL qualified and effective in-company teachers.

British Council Madrid - The British Council operates 91 teaching centres in 57 countries. There are around 2000 teachers employed who deliver classes to about 495,000 learners each year.

Canterbury English TEFL Courses
Canterbury English offers a 120 hour, one month TEFL Madrid, CELTA Madrid, TESOL Madrid, TESL Madrid, Teach English Madrid, Certificate program. 

Interlang Executive Centre - Interlang has been around for over 24 years and so is one of the best established in-company language schools in Madrid offering business, general and ESP language courses.

IDIOMAS4U
IDIOMAS4U is a small language school based in Getafe, in south Madrid, near Carlos III University.

Oxbridge Offers Sponsored TEFL Training Course.
with Work Opportunities

Chester School of English offers intensive CELTA course.
four-week intensive during the months of August, September, November, February & May.