Job Discussion Forums

[chris29]

Hi,

I am planning on doing the CELTA course at International House in Seville, Spain. I will be leaving in abount six months time to ensure I finish the course just before prime hiring time. However, I'm getting a bit nervous due to the recent economic conditions in Spain.
I am hoping after the course to be able to stay in Seville to teach.
I am an American with dual citizenship with Ireland. (I have an Irish passport.) I have a bachelors degree in communications.

Does anyone have any recent experience in the tefl job market in this area? I am wondering how difficult it is to find enough teaching hours to support myself in Seville.

When spanish language academies hire teachers do they prefer speakers of the "Queen's English" over "American English" because they are easier to hire or because they prefer their pupils to speak the "Queen's English"?
(Eventhough, I have an EU passport, I do have an American accent. Will this count against me when I go on interviews?)

Does anyone have any recent experience with the CELTA course at International House in Seville? How are thier accomodations? How about thier job guidance?

How about Seville itself, what is it like to live and work there?

[jamesart9]

Hello,
I did it in June last year. That time is bad as you have 3 months before hiring starts but there are Summer camps too. I am now working part time (exactly what I want as I have other online work) in the north of Spain. However, if you do the course in Seville, they will send you lots of vacancies that come up in that area and further away. I still get vacancies sent to me.

The accommodation I had was very nice. I found the course challenging,
I just got my report back. Although I only passed, it gave me very good feedback. I only want to teach English up until June 2012 and the report and training will help me a lot with my future career path.
I would advise get there a week or so before the course. Perhaps do a Spanish course at IH. That way you will know where you are and how to get to the college without having to stress if you get lost. Some of the stress I had was not being able to find the center in the first week.


Where I work there are different accents. There is a lot of demand where I am for English, perhaps this is a bubble and the demand will decline in a few years, perhaps not. The Spanish feel it is vital to learn English, many jobs in Spain have this as a requirement!
Hope this may help,
James.

[ElliotW]

Hi guys,

I am also looking into going back to Sevilla ( I did my erasmus there) and doing a CELTA course. However i would be doing the course in feb and starting in March, i know this is not prime time but can anyone shed some light on whether there are still possibilites for jobs with academies? Or the private tutor opportunities in Sevilla at the moment? Thanks!

[carolynne]

@Chris29 - I did have an interview this week and the teachers were: 3 Brits, a Slovak, an American and a Spaniard... If the DOS is any good he'll realise it's important for the students to hear a variety of English accents.

I'm South African/British and my accent is somewhere in the middle but it's never been a problem for me. Also I have found students often find American English easier to understand - not sure if it's the Hollywood effect, the fact that you guys pronounce your Rs or have just dumbed down the language? Sorry - couldn't resist....

I'd make sure you have enough cash for a few weeks job search. I think it pays to look around in Spain. Last time I was there I was earning �18 an hour but I waited a bit to get it. Good luck and see you there?

C