Teaching Business English in Spain

According to recent data only 20% of Spaniards consider themselves fluent in English and this only increases to 30% in a large city like Barcelona . Compared with English speaking levels in the rest of the European Community this percentage is quite low- ranking only above Italy. A recent study found that English is the most commonly used language in the EU- used by 47% of respondents . As Spanish companies must increasingly compete internationally and with the free movement of European Union members, English is becoming the norm for day-to-day interactions in many businesses.

This bodes well for English teachers seeking employment in Spain- especially in Barcelona and Madrid- its largest cities. Barcelona in particular, with its large tourism industry and its increasing foreign population has become a hot spot for English teachers. They are being sought out as companies have begun to provide their workers with in-house English language training as a part of workers benefits packages. This ranges from the tourist sector- restaurants and airlines to multi-national corporations with Barcelona office branches such as advertising agencies and financial services.

I have personally worked in-company for many different types of businesses, ranging from an exotic plant import company, a chemical and natural resources organization to a graphic design company. I also have friends working with flight attendants, art-gallery owners, furniture manufacturers as well as doctors and lawyers. Many times people go into English teaching expecting to work with children in a typical language classroom with textbooks and a lot of grammar. However professionals are increasingly seeking more specialized and custom-tailored courses designed by EFL professionals who can do more than just teach them grammar but can focus on business and their work in particular. Thus the EFL teachers can move from teaching the past and future verb tenses to discussing the newspaper, creating lesson plans based on industry trends and can themselves learn a lot in the process. English teaching is now becoming more individualized and intellectually stimulating for all participants. Such experiences in companies can be very rewarding and stimulating for the short-term gap year English teacher.


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(1) The national statistics office for Catalonia, IDESCAT
(2) Eurobarometer, European Commission, September 2005

My TEFL in Barcelona

After ages of looking through websites trying to find EFL jobs and schools, I finally decided that Barcelona had the perfect mix of things for my interests. It's a cosmopolitan city- with all the fashion and entertainment you could want PLUS beautiful beaches on the Mediterranean- after consulting with friends who had visited- I was sold. I decided to sign up for my TEFL certification in July, and it was the perfect month to be in the city. For lunch breaks I'd head to the beach to write my lesson plans, and then practice my Spanish at the outdoor markets. The TEFL program was great too- intensive but with a great group of people who made the learning experience fun and rewarding. So in the end myself and some friends decided to start up www.teachinginbarcelona.com, basically a way for us to share the city we love so much with other TEFL hopefuls and EFL professionals. Take a look and let me know what you think!

Don’t Be "That" Tourist

Yes, I am the dumb American blonde, eyes fixated up toward the sky, bag shoved carelessly under my chair swiftly lifted from under me as I enjoyed my bocadillo beneath the sweltering summer sun.

Don’t let this be you!!!

While I will always confess my undying love for this city that I call home, I, like many before me, learned my lesson the hard way. When people say to watch your bag as you wander the streets of Barca- they really mean it! While shootings, murders and knifings are hardly ever in the papers, having a purse or bag stolen is pretty much the de rigueur initiation of any newcomer to the city. It is however, very simple to avoid this potentially disastrous situation.

First of all, I would recommend NEVER carrying your passport with you (another thing I learned the hard way!). It takes ages to replace and is quite expensive not to mention time consuming. If you use a credit card, carry your license. Keep your passport under lock and key and make sure you have a copy of it!

Furthermore, carry your bag across your chest, or better yet, carry none at all (especially if you’re new to the city- even if you’re a bonafide ‘don’t mess with me’ New Yorker- you will be spotted and targeted!). I know this may not go with your hot outfit as you peruse the shops on Paseo de Gracia, but its advice well worth taking.


If you do decide to carry a bag (some shoes just can’t be worn without a cute one!) carry the bare minimums- credit cards, forty euros and breath mints (maybe even a disposable camera). Credit cards are easily canceled, forty euros doesn’t go far, and the only thing you have to lose is your bag, which, the Coach lover in me understands can be an incredible loss, but at least its an excuse for shopping! Police reports, replacement passports and insurance for cameras take ages to sort out.

You have been warned!!!

Welcome to Barcelona

So why am I in Barcelona??? Good Question! I never had ANY intention of staying here- I just though that I would do my TEFL, have a fabulous vacation on the Mediterranean, and then be off to South Asia (where I hear all of the well-paid English teaching jobs are). It's amazing how plans can change so dramatically and quickly. Plans that I thought were set in stone changed within weeks of my arrival here, and I have lived in Barcelona ever since.

Upon my arrival I did an intensive one-week Spanish course to review all of the basics and feel more confident in my speaking abilities- especially to learn the “tu” and “vosotros” forms which are hardly ever used in South American countries. With that under my belt the journey was much easier- I’d definitely have to recommend beginning any stay in Barcelona with a Spanish course. While Catalan is the other main language, everyone living here is bilingual- and knowing Spanish is a great asset in general, so it is a definite “must” in my book.

It all began with a chilling little sojourn in a law school far, far away where I learned that I’d prefer to be the one on the other side and from thence began my interest in the unknown land of teaching English abroad. Leaving the US without a plan or destination I began my journey with a visit to friends on the west coast of Ireland. Along with many other acquaintances who had visited over the years, they too recommended doing my TEFL in Barcelona, since if you’re going to travel, you should do it right!

While taking my TEFL course I learned that I loved to teach and draw up lesson plans. It is also where I met some of my best friends since I have been here in Barcelona. Weekends spent planning lessons on the Barceloneta beach, days spent lunching under the Mediterranean sun, nights spent listening to music on the streets of the Raval until the madrugada, the stuff you read about but were never sure was true- all right here. I never hesitated. After two weeks wandering around and getting lost every chance I could find I was hooked. There is a feeling in this city unmatched in any other place I have been.

Since I have been here I have seen Tool’s “Forty-Six & 2” played on a sitar, danced in the fires of the correfocs, eaten a three hour menu del dia, taken classes in life drawing and flamenco, and learned that when someone says “foc” to you, what they really want is a light. Even if you leave Barcelona, having been here you will never be quite the same. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to leave...