Job Discussion Forums

[michelle ashley]

I was searching the internet for TEFL schools in Madrid and found EBC. They seem really good, I called Madrid, they were very informative, basically I did my research but because I just got my degree, I don�t have too much money to spend so I guess I am just being careful!

Any comments out there? Thanks.

[grahamb]

I can't comment on EBC; in fact I'd never heard of them until I read your posting.
If it helps, I've paid €1,200 for a CELTA course with International House. I dare say there are cheaper alternatives.
Something that is expensive is accommodation. If you haven't yet done so, I strongly recommend you find some people to share an apartment with.
If/when you come over, bring plenty of warm clothes because Madrid's damn cold in winter!

[michelle ashley]

Thanks for your advice.

International House was one of the schools I was looking into but I wasn�t really impressed. I�m sure they�re a big outfit but I always preferred the nice homey feeling from smaller schools.

Being the "little detective" that I am, I even went as far as emailing ex-students and I called the school and asked to speak to one of the students doing the course.

The school manager was very nice about it, a real English sounding guy! I hope they don�t remember me as the one who made too many inquiries.

EBC charges 1,100 euros (1,200 US, I think!). The job help the other grads got from EBC seemed great and I think I need a company like them because I really don�t know anyone in Madrid.

My idea really is to start working as soon as possible and I know that I need to have some TEFL training. I want to try Spain for 1 year and maybe head back home, I don�t know!

I have some American friends who went to Spain, did a TEFL course and found work immediately. No one asked them about CELTA or anything like that. They all went to different schools.

The language companies just wanted to know that they were already TEFL trained before they were hired.

I am sticking with EBC, I�ll let you know my experience, thanks for the winter advice.


Michelle

[grahamb]

Good luck with the course, Michelle.
It appears that the forum software didn't recognise the Euro symbol in my earlier posting, hence the characters € In future I'll just use the word "Euros"!

[Olympian]

Hi, I am also interersted in doing a TEFL course through EBC. Could you please tell me more about the course and company and how it does in getting you work?????

I am from Australia and I would like to know about how the course goes.

Cheers

[Vanessa]

Another interested party here. I'd be interested in hearing about how you liked/like this school and what you did for accomodations while you were there.

Thanks, Vanessa

[michelle ashley]

Sorry to everyone but I haven�t checked my emails for many, many, many reasons!

Did go with EBC, was very happy with them and am planning on staying one more year in Madrid.

Michelle

[barmadu]

I did my CELTA at the British Language Centre in Madrid and thought the teachers were excellent. They are just the homey place you might be looking for. In fact they have a great web site that is really helpful for alumni and ESL teachers in general, it .developingteachers.c
Try it...

[michelle ashley]

Thanks for your advice but I already did my TEFL course with EBC and I am currently teaching in Madrid. I�m back into checking my emails more regularly now so I hope I don�t confuse any more readers!

And yes, it turned out to be a homey school, if you�re into the big corporation type of scene, EBC�s not it!



Thanks again .

Michelle

[Vanessa]

Can you give any more details about the school, please? I'm very interested in going there this coming fall and I'd really like to hear the ins and outs of it: what did you like/dislike about the school/program, how well has it prepared you for your job, what did you do for housing, were there any unexpected costs, what was your experience going into this, what was your teaching situation like (the people you were working with during training), etc.?

Sorry for all the questions, I just haven't heard much- although from their website it looks great. However, I've learned to take things with a grain of salt- especially if it's from someone who's trying to sell me on something.

Thanks, Vanessa

[michelle ashley]

Hi! Vanessa,

I have just become "active" again with the Dave ESL and am I getting a lot of questions regarding EBC! Been too busy between work, travelling and a Spanish guy maybe

I can understand in a way your anxiety but all I can say is I was very happy with them. It�s namely for many reasons:

1) I got what I paid for in terms of what they promised. I was in a 4 week intensive course, and on the Thursday and Friday of the first week we were already doing our teaching practice courses. This meant we had lesson plans prepared and delivered to Spanish students in group or individual classes.

I liked this, although at first we were all scared because we didn�t know how we would be on our first time at teaching! It wasn�t too bad, the Spanish and other nationalities like Italians, South Americans, Eastern European students were very supportive because they knew we were teachers in training and that these classes were free of charge to them!

The tutors helped us a lot in being confident, the tutors were all very experienced, very international company really. The head tutor is British/Norwegian he�s name is John and he is excellent. The administrator Jim is British, one tutor is American, another one is Argentinian, one is Australian and one was from South Africa.

Of course they all rotate but John is always there. The teaching staff has a lot of experience not only training future teachers but also international work and life experience.

I guess this was very important because you weren�t being taught by a 22 year old American, a recent college graduate with very little international experience. I may be young but I wanted to be taught by experienced and older tutors.

They shared with us a lot of real life TEFL experience, like teaching not only Spaniards but also other nationalities like Chinese, Eastern Europeans, Africans, South Americans, etc. This gave the course a real international feeling.

I don�t know about you but I want to teach in another country after Spain and I know my TEFL certificate will help me get there.

2) Job placement - again, I was very lucky, I got a job right away, I am still working a lot of hours. I work for companies in Madrid who are clients of the langauge centers I work for. I work for 3 language centers, the pay is pretty much the same across the board, 12-16 euros an hour depending on who you work for.

EBC has a lot of working tie ups with companies in Madrid so the graduates are never short on interviews. They offer job workshops where they tell you what to avoid, what to say, what to ask for, etc.

I cannot tell you that all will be like my experience, some of us took 1 week, others 2 to find a job but from my class we are all working. The thing is your resume is sent to the language centers they know and have sent other EBC graduates to so you will not do any knocking on doors like the other TEFL schools. The people you will be interviewing with have been hiring EBC graduiates since Jan 2003, so they�re not surprised when you follow up on the resume sent previously by EBC.

Don�t bother mailing your resume to language schools from the yellow pages or coming in without an appointment. This is one advantage with EBC, you don�t go knocking on doors, with no appointments, the employer not having an idea what you�re there for!

Some other TEFL schools do it this way and I know some English teachers who told me they had to do cold calls ! I never did this with my interviews because EBC already sent the companies our resumes beforehand.

EBC is also affiliated with a lanaguge school also called EBC (EBC Idiomas) and they get all their teachers from the EBC TEFL school.

3) Housing - Ask them for their recommended housing agents or try the local papers. How�s your Spanish? Looking for an apartment can be difficult if your Spanish isn�t too good. The administrators at EBC might be able to help if you need someone to haggle for you!

Whew! I hope I�ve answered your questions.

I�m sure you�ll be happy in Spain like I am. Not all the time but yes, most of the time (say 99%!)


Good luck,

Michelle

[MO39]

Could someone send me the EBC e-mail address?

Thanks,

MO

[naturegirl321]

It's on the website. I think it's [email protected]
Just do an internet search and you will come up with the website.

[michelle ashley]

I use this email address as well:

[email protected]

Michelle

[gsbcn08080]

Are these jobs with contracts? I mean does the school provide the teachers with legal work papers or you just do the hours and get paid cash?