Teach In Spain Volunteer Program
What's Included
- Rent-free Spanish homestay - live with a welcoming, local family that provides cultural immersion and two meals a day.
- 12 Teaching Hours - work part-time as a Language & Cultural Assistant 4 days a week
- 3-Day Weekends - time to travel and explore Spain
- Pre-departure Preparation - CIEE staff keep you on track with instructions, checklists, webinars, and reminders
- 24/7 Emergency Support including insurance to reimburse unexpected medical expenses
- Practical and Cultural Advice - Feel prepared, with extensive resources on topics like cell phones, living with a host family, and Spanish cultural norms
- Airport Pickup - Hotel shuttle on arrival day
- Two-Day Orientation - meet the Madrid team and prepare for your volunteer experience
The Destination
Teach in Spain – Volunteer participants are placed in the stunning region of Castilla y León, noted for its large plains, dramatic mountains, and evocative medieval towns. It is known as “The Land of the Castles.” In this region, you can visit cities like lively Salamanca or magical Segovia, famous for the fortress that inspired Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty castle. The gothic walls of Ávila have similar nostalgic appeal, while the lofty cathedrals of León and Burgos are among Europe’s most remarkable. This is the hidden Spain that most travelers never realize still exists.
CIEE wants all our participants to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while teaching abroad. To that end, we've gathered information from local teams and perspectives from former CIEE teachers and others about conditions and cultural attitudes that teachers with specific identities might encounter abroad. We hope those resources are informative and helpful.
The Take-Aways
COMPENSATION
Accommodation and two meals a day from your volunteer host family.
PREPARATION
Job placement, pre-departure assistance, an online, blended-learning pre-departure course, and in-country orientation.
ASSISTANCE
iNext international insurance with 24-hour worldwide assistance and support from the CIEE office in Madrid.
Program Blogs
CIEE Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Layla!
Where are you from? What was your academic background or career before teaching abroad? I am Canadian, specifically Québécoise. In Quebec, students are required to attend community college (CEGEP) before... keep reading
The Oldest Restaurant in the World
It may sound like a hoax, but it's true, Restaurante Botin is, per the Guiness book of World Records, the oldest restaurant in the world. Opened and operated as a... keep reading
Culture Shock in Europe
To state the obvious, Spain is not America, and as a result life here is not the same. In a previous post I outlined what a day looks like here... keep reading
Job Description
As a native English speaker, you will be assisting classes or small groups of students in order to develop their listening and conversational skills, as well as presenting on your own cultural traditions. In many schools, you'll also teach English to members of the school staff. If you are placed in a bilingual school you may facilitate English conversational activities in subjects such as science, art, and history. This is so the students’ exposure to English, outside of their normal English class, is maximized.
Exact responsibilities of Volunteer Language and Culture Assistants vary according to each individual school. However, you won’t be left alone with an entire class of students, nor will you be responsible for grading, discipline, or the independent supervision of students.
Compensation
For your hard work as a highly valued volunteer, you'll receive:
- Cost-free accommodations with a host family in your host community
- Two meals a day provided by your host family
Schools
The schools where you’ll be teaching are public schools administered by the Ministry of Education in Castilla y León. For over a decade, our program has paired native English-speaking volunteers with local Spanish schools and homestays. Location and age-group preferences will be considered by CIEE, but we aren't able to guarantee specific placement preferences.
Workload
All Volunteer Language and Culture Assistants work with local classroom teachers in public schools. You will lead conversational activities in English and give presentations on your home culture. You may also participate in other activities, such as music, theater, sporting events, English language clubs, and more. In addition to your 12 classroom hours, you’re expected to spend at least five hours a week helping your host family improve their English. You’ll still have ample time to take part in activities that further enrich your experience, such as finding an internship with a local business, teaching private English lessons or traveling.
Qualifications
There are a few simple requirements. These, plus a sense of adventure and a desire to cross cultural boundaries and engage with people eager to learn English, will make you a great candidate.
Requirements
- Native-level English fluency
- Citizenship in the United States, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, or the United Kingdom
- Completion of at least 2 years of college level courses
- Age 59 or younger when program will start
To make your application stronger, highlight additional qualifications such as:
- Knowledge of Spanish language
- Experience teaching or volunteering, community involvement, experience with children (such as working as a summer camp counselor)
- Experience studying, working, or volunteering abroad
- A college degree in English or education
TEFL Certification
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification gives you the skills, experience, and confidence to make teaching abroad even more rewarding – both for you and those you teach. The CIEE TEFL 150-hour certification course can easily be added on to your program to ensure that you:
- Develop an awareness of the field and practices of TEFL
- Understand the components of English related to teaching nonnative speakers
- Get personalized feedback from an experienced TEFL tutor
- Can design lessons for TEFL students at a variety of levels
- Complete 20 hours of practice teaching experience to hone your skills
Discover the benefit of including a TEFL Course with your teach abroad program.
Our Team
Alissa Malbrough
Teach Abroad Advisor
Alissa’s international journey so far includes studying in Argentina, teaching in Ecuador, Spain, and Korea, ice trekking, backpacking, and skydiving. She’s excited to help others explore teaching abroad!
Laura Canadillas
IN-COUNTRY SUPPORT
Laura worked in various social services positions in France, Scotland and Thailand, before she came back to her hometown, Madrid, to support CIEE teachers in Spain.
Ready to change your life?
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