Aux Interviews

January 4, 2021April 11, 2021Melissa

Before I moved to Spain in 2015, I read as many articles and interviews as I could find about the different Autonomous Communities. Not only did it help me decide which regions to preference on my Auxiliares application, but it it also gave me great ideas for traveling once I arrived.

If you’ve read any of my other posts, you’ve probably seen me talking about my own experiences in Andalucia and the Basque Country, or even how to file your American taxes, but I think it’s beneficial to offer a variety of perspectives from auxiliares all over Spain, especially recent accounts that include how Covid has affected everyday life.

Teaching English Abroad Post-Covid

August 13, 2020August 13, 2020Melissa

You may be wondering if teaching English abroad post-Covid is a good idea. Will there be travel restrictions? Is my job guaranteed? Is it safe? All of these are great questions, and the answer depends not only on what country you choose, but also on the specific job. Teaching English abroad post-Covid is going to require a lot more research than prior years, but it can be done.

First you should ask yourself why you are going. Is it to earn money? To travel? To escape an unpleasant home situation?

Introducing ESL Audio

February 25, 2020August 9, 2020Melissa

I am creating a collection of audio narrations and questions for ESL students that can be used by teachers in their classrooms, for one-to-one instruction, and even for student self-study. The first one, How the Whale Got His Throat by Rudyard Kipling is now available, and the questions can be downloaded below. Let me know what you think!

How to Budget for a Year Abroad

January 15, 2020January 16, 2020Melissa

“Budgeting isn’t about limiting yourself — it’s about making the things that excite you possible.” The Financial Diet

Why Budget for a Year?

Moving abroad to teach English is a huge step, whether you plan to go for one year or to put down roots. How much money to take with you will depend on where you’re going, but a good rule of thumb is to save up at least 3 times your expected monthly income. Equally important is planning the whole budget for a year abroad. Download my free budget template and follow along.

5 Ways to Use News Articles in the ESL Classroom

October 15, 2019October 15, 2019Melissa

If you’re looking for an easy, low prep ESL class, look no further than news articles. They are ideal for one-to-one classes, small groups, and larger group settings. You can also find something for nearly every level. Read on to find out the best ways that you can include news articles in your ESL classroom.

A Low-Tech First Class

September 26, 2019September 26, 2019Melissa

Many language teachers already know how important it is to have interactive lessons that get students involved from the first class, such as this example. But what can you do in a Low-Tech Classroom? Today we have the honor of a guest post from Raven, a former Language Assistant in Caceres, Spain, who will address the important topic of the low-tech first class.

Self-Advancement in EFL Teaching

June 24, 2019June 24, 2019Melissa

According to my WordPress statistics, in about a week it will have been a year since my last post. What have I been doing from summer 2018 until now? As the title suggests, I’ve been working on my own self-advancement in EFL teaching. But what exactly does that look like?

5 Resources for Learning Spanish

July 3, 2018Melissa

This post contains affiliate links, which support this blog at no additional cost to the reader.

Learning Spanish is a popular goal for many people who move to Spain to teach English. Living in Spanish will absolutely make learning Spanish a lot easier. But what if you want to start learning before you go? Here are 5 great resources for getting a head start on learning Spanish before you move abroad. Keep reading to the end to learn my easy method for remembering lots of vocabulary. This method is not only useful for you while you’re learning Spanish, but you can also teach it to your students for better results in English.

Learning Spanish from Home

There is a lot of material for learning Spanish available online for free. You just need to know how to find it. A good place to start is by assessing your current level. If you’ve never studied Spanish before, you will be a beginner, or an A1 on the common European Framework. It’s a good idea to become familiar with this framework, not only for learning Spanish, but also for helping assess your students’ English level. You can get an assessment grid for yourself in English and for your students in Spanish.