Language Assistant in Spain

  Spain

• Barcelona: 
Barcelona
• Madrid: 
Madrid

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: Throughout the year

Description: Teach English in Spain as a Language Assistant to your host family.

How about spending time living as a local with a welcoming host family in beautiful Spain? This programme is a brilliant way of enjoying the Spanish lifestyle, while improving your language and/or teaching skills. You will get the chance to live in some of Spain's most amazing destinations and immerse yourself in the Spanish way of life as the language assistant programmes allows you the free time that you need to learn the Spanish language and culture.

Highlights: Language Assistant Spain is a cultural exchange programme, where you live with a host family and in exchange for your own room and three meals a day, you help the family, usually the kids, with their English studies for around 15 hours during the week. In general, the families are quite affluent; you're looked after very well in lovely family homes (pictured), many with swimming pools.

When you send us your application form and supporting documents our partners in Spain will match you with suitable host families and encourage them to invite you as their language assistant. When we find a successful match, a family invitation will be emailed for your approval. After you've accepted, we then arrange for you to speak with the family over the telephone - this allows everybody to get to know each other in advance and organise your start date and airport pickup.

* Your teaching responsibilities *
When a host family offers you an invitation, and you've accepted, it's then time to discuss what form they anticipate the lessons taking. It is also important to agree a schedule so everybody is clear about when you will be teaching and when its your "time off".

As the teaching is likely to be tutoring the kids for school, the chances are that you will follow their course books. We'll supply you with a starter pack with some great ideas of activities, but we also recommend you buy a good learner's dictionary and grammar book to refer to. DVDs, books, magazines and newspapers in English help you plan fun and interesting lessons. There are many free web resources available with useful teaching tips and printable worksheets etc.

Please note that your responsibilities are as a Language Assistant and you will not be requested to perform duties akin to a domestic help or an au pair - namely cooking / cleaning or child-minding. However, you will be expected to take a reasonable role with day to day household chores, such as helping to prepare meals, washing up, general tidying etc.

* Developing your Spanish language skills *
This is a great opportunity to develop your Spanish. Although you will be providing 15 hours of English lessons to the family, there is still plenty of opportunity to speak Spanish. Discuss your aspirations with your host family and agree when English / Spanish is spoken.

Depending on the situation, it may also be possible to find a part-time paid job to enhance your Spanish experience. Furthermore you could also enroll on a Spanish course along side your teaching to improve your language skills. If this is something that interests you then please visit our world languages website

Qualifications:
* Minimum age 18 yrs
* Your first language must be English
* Formal teaching qualifications are not necessary, but any experience will strengthen your application
* We also welcome applications from non European Union citizens

Cost in US$: From 350 GBP

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Spain Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Other
• Phone Interview

Post-Program Services Include:

• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Alumni Network
• Job and Internship Network

WAVA's Mission Statement: "WAVA" means Work & Volunteer Abroad. Our origins lie in a department created in 2006 at Twin Group, a prestigious provider of educational, training and employment opportunities for individuals from around the world. Established in January 2010, we are a fresh, independent company, using the trading name WAVA and a brand new logo, inspired by the values of travel: opportunity, adventure, emotion, sharing, learning and seeing. But we're not just about seeing. We're also about doing. We specialise in offering life-changing opportunities to travellers for whom seeing is not enough. We offer three broad types of travelling experiences: Volunteering on projects in developing countries Internships in professional environments around the world Seasonal paid working holidays in developed economies We make these experiences possible through solid partnerships with highly reputable local providers.

Year Founded: 2010