| Common Problems | This may be a discouraging but realistic perspective on TEFL/TESOL English teaching in Spain.
Teaching English in Spain can be dangerous to your health. If you’re expecting open arms and a fabulous lifestyle on the Mediterranean or la mesita, then think again. Although Spain has one of the least foreign language speaking populations in the EU (only the UK, Ireland and Greece are further behind) and according to the EU, only 18% of Spaniards speak English with a “conversational ability”.
Yet, there remain plenty of barriers to cross; teachers from non-EU countries are often said to be among the most effective teachers but find it nearly impossible to find work in a language school, making teachers from the UK in high demand, despite qualifications (of course many of them are excellent teachers). The English teaching market won’t find itself saturated any time soon and Spain will likely remain behind due to this lack of opportunity.
This is a god and quite attractive opportunity for a TESOL/TEFL teacher to work in Spain. But you will have such good and discounting experience if you are from EU. If you are not it will be quite a different task to do. Through the cynicism and resentment (having been an English teacher in Spain), we will collect the teachers impressions and try to evaluate all what was positive and not about the non-EU English teachers stay in Spain and the peculiarities of the teaching process.
Then again, if you’re just out for the adventure of *wow* teaching English in Spain *how romantic*, move along, and get with the adventuring already!
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