Spain is ramping up efforts to improve the nations´ English skills by inviting native English speakers into the classroom, and thousands of young people move to Spain every year to teach English, learn Spanish, explore the beautifully diverse country and of course, drink lots of Spanish wine 🍷.
Tag: teaching english abroad
Score Big with 4 Super Bowl Activities for the Classroom
Touchdown! Score Big with These 4 Super Bowl Activities for the ESL Classroom The 2019 Super Bowl will take place on Sunday, February 3, 2019. To be honest there are very few things in this life I care less about than American football… (Sorry not sorry?? 😏) I suppose that’s why I was banished to…
Carnaval in the Classroom: ESL Lesson Plans
One thing I’ve learnt Teaching English abroad is that there are many great opportunities to share your language, culture, traditions and celebrations, but if you want to keep your students completely engaged, try bringing their culture into the classroom! As an added bonus, you’ll learn a ton about local history, culture and traditions from your students! Read on for 10 Carnival activities and lesson plans for the ESL classroom!
8 Fun, No Prep Activities to Rock the New Year in the ESL Classroom
Coming back to school after the holidays is tough.
Realizing the day before that you haven’t planned anything is worse.
Lucky for you, I’ve stock piled a few simple no & low prep activities to get you through the first few days.
Teach English in Spain: BEDA Language Assistants
These days, learning English is all the rage in sunny Spain, and between the many English teaching programs out there, almost anyone can find a way in.
I’ve spent 4 years working as an English Language Assistant with BEDA (Bilingual English Development & Assessment).
Thanksgiving Activities for the ESL Classroom
There are few holidays that leave this expat soul feeling as sentimental as Thanksgiving, which is kinda peculiar since it never used to be a holiday I cared much about. Of course I’d get down on some sweet potatoes and stuffing, but even as a child I didn’t buy into the whole pilgrims and “Indians” holding hands and singing kumbaya.
ESL Activities: Native American History Month
Native American Heritage Month ESL Activities & Lesson Plans It all began when the English teacher I team-taught with insisted that I plan a “fun” activity for Columbus Day. After all, what’s more fun than genocide 🙄? Nope. This guy was already not on my list of favorite humans, so I wasn’t completely surprised with…
Day of the Dead Lesson Plans & Activities
As much as the littles (and even not-so-littles) love Halloween, it can get pretty tedious making the same old skele-pumpki-spiders every year.
Coming from Los Angeles, I’ve always been mesmerized by the colorful Día de los Muertos celebrations that are held all around the city and throughout SoCal. Especially when teaching in countries with less diversity, I think it’s imperative that we make an effort to showcase our rich cultural diversity.
11 Ways to Overcome Homesickness Abroad
After the anticipation and farewells back home and the buzz and stress of getting started in your new ‘home’, it finally hits you. You’re here alone. Maybe you won the roommate jackpot or were blessed with a coworker that’s taken you under their wing, but if you’re like many brand new expats, this is probably the time that loneliness and homesickness are starting to set in.
Halloween Fun in the ESL Classroom
Kid’s love Halloween, and I love to get them excited about learning. There are literally thousands of ways to bring spooky Halloween fun into the ESL classroom, combining culture, relevant vocabulary and even grammar into haunted activities that naturally spark interest and curiosity.
Language Assistants in Spain: Getting Ready for the Big Move
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably received your regional placement as a Language Assistant in Spain… congrats! If you’re like most first-time auxiliares, this will be your first time living overseas for more than a just study abroad stint, and let’s just say… it’s different. Different in lots of good ways, and a few stressful ways, but absolutely different.
The truth is, there’s quite a bit that you won’t be able to do until you arrive – finding a piso (apartment) you love, setting up a bank account, securing a Spanish SIM card, etc. There are, however, a few things you can do now to make the transition a whole helluvalot easier when you arrive, and here are my top 3: consulates, cash & communication.
Get Up. Get Out. Get Lost. 