Hi everyone. I am graduating this august and plan to move to Madrid in September. I am currently looking for and applying to different tefl courses. So far, it seems like there is a very limited number of acredited courses. I have applied to Canterbury, EBC, and International house (which is already full for their september course).
I am wondering if anyone knows of other accredited courses that are offered in Madrid. Thank you so much for your help!
I did my TEFL Accreditation course with Tt Madrid. It is a small school located on c/ General Yague. It is a very welcoming environment and the staff there are very knowledgeable about all aspects of teaching, certification, testing, and working in the Madrid/Spanish market. Not only do they certify you to teach English, they also assist you in finding housing. Once you have completed the 4 week course, they also work to find employment for you by setting up interviews and circulating your resume. As a graduate you also become a part of a network of other Tt Madrid graduates and the school and all of its teaching materials are available to you…more or less forever.
Hello Jess,
Regarding your question about accredited TEFL courses in Madrid, I have just completed an excellent one month intensive TEFL course that is fully accredited through IAQuO and recognized throughout the world. I am now happily working in Madrid and highly recommend TtMadrid as the best option for becoming TEFL certified in Madrid. The teachers and staff are extremely supportive and informative. The program centers around teaching real students in a classroom environment with teacher observation and feedback throughout the course as well as classes in how to teach English. They also have a great support system in place for after you graduate, including helping you find work, networking, and the use of their resources. Their website is http://www.ttmadrid.com. You can also call the very helpful and capable Rae at +34 915721999 with questions or for more information. I do believe they have space available in September. Alyssa Brackin
Thank you both for your input. I really appreciate the advice from people that have actually taken the course.
However, I can’t help but notice that you both posted within the same hour and both happened to ironically recommend the course offered by TTmadrid. It makes it hard to believe you don’t both work for the company. I apologize for my accusation if it is untrue.
Hee Hee that?s funny…Well despite what it seems like I don?t work for TtMadrid although I do happen to be there almost everyday as I don?t have access to internet in my home and this is one of the niceties they provide. I?m also a new teacher and am busy putting together lesson plans for my students and so have been spending a lot of time perusing their resources and using their photocopy machine.
As you may know or not know, August is a very tight time for jobs in Madrid as everyone and their dog goes on vacation so I am online looking for jobs and networking with other graduates constantly. My graduating class had 7 students in it so as you can imagine we all became quite close and often meet here as well to discuss jobs, lesson plans or just to go out and explore Madrid. Anyway, just thought I?d put my two cents in and let ya know where I?m coming from and that I still stand by my former post. Thanks and good luck. Besos Alyssa
I can’t help but crack up about the analysis of the IP addresses of the TtMadrid people… It is true that once you graduate in all your free times you usually head back to the school to prep for classes and such and use their internet.
I too took the TEFL course at TtMadrid. The course was fantastic!!!! The staff is very professional yet they’re also just like your best friends—guide you in doing what’s in your best interest.
I contacted Work In Spain—and, surprise—he’s with TTMadrid. Anyone know anything about that school? Work in Spain says they offer a deal where they’ll get you a student visa that allows you to work 20 hours a week at $15 an hour for a year. The only requirement is you take their four week class which is around $1600. Is this for real? Is TTMadrid the only company that offers this? I would rather take a CELTA or Trinity certified course, since its about the same price and better recognized. But the opportunity to work legally (since I’m a North American) would be a huge advantage.
I’m a little skeptical of TTMadrid considering their aggressive marketing on this forum, though. If anyone has more information that would be awesome!
before i chose ttmadrid, i travelled to madrid on my spring break of my senior year in college to scope out the situation with TEFL vs CELTA vs TESOL etc…. i met with 6 or 7 different one-month certification companies/schools… and ttmadrid was my number one choice. in regards to recognition… there really is no difference between TEFL, CELTA and TESOL… if you have one, you’ll get the job.
one question, have you contacted ttmadrid? the directors are wonderful people and would love to help you with every question or doubt you may have. i encourage you to do the research, make contacts with every program you find, and make your own decision about this. we may seem “aggressive” (as you put it) with how we respond so enthusiastically about the ttmadrid program… and it’s just that it has become like a little home away from home for all the students. it’s a difficult and very rewarding thing to do. as for the new program they have about the student visa, it is true. i’d take advantage of that. when i did the course, they hadn’t put that program together yet.
good luck with the selection process. and if you choose ttmadrid, let me know… and i’ll see you at the graduation party - they always have on at the end of each month!!
Basically, what TTMadrid is offering is a way of legally being/working in Spain where THEY are unloading the hassle of executing this legal loophole from your shoulders. I’d do it in a heartbeat if I were in your shoes (which I was, 5 years ago, and let me tell you it’s a real pain in the arse to deal with that stuff yourself).
Expatraitor, I know that’s what they say they do…. I just can’t find any information about them online beyond their own marketing. It’s hard to get a sense of what their reputation is. Also.. the Web site for this program is in classic too-good-to-be-true format: http://teflmadrid.com/
Kind of like those e-books that promise they’ll provide the secrets to financial succes…
On another note… I was wondering, if a student visa allows you to potentially work up to 20 hours…. does that mean that North American auxillaries can work if they ask for approval?
I’m talking about this program: http://www.mec.es/sgci/usa/en/programs/us_assistants/default.shtml. It’s the one run by the Spanish government that allows American and Canadian college graduates to work in public schools as “Spanish language and culture assistants” or “Auxiliares de conversaci?n extranjeros en Espa?a”.
The thing is, in the FAQs, it specifically says you cannot work if you’re an auxillary. So.. maybe if you’re part of this program it is impossible to obtain approval for part time work, even though you’re under a student visa.
Auxillaries only work 12 hours a week, so you would think, even if that counted as work, you should be allowed to work up to 8 hours somewhere else… I guess not, though.
