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Language and English Academies and
Agencies in Madrid:
 ASTEX Language Agency - If not yet
the largest agency, it's in the neighbourhood.
  Hot English Language
Services - A local publisher and English teaching
agency based centrally in the Moncloa area.
  Vaughan Systems - Here's a top
paying job for dynamic, sociable non-TEFLers (with a new
video).
 Cambridge House - Three schools in
the centre of Madrid and 20 years in the business. by T.
Brock.
 American Language Academy -
Here's an English academy where most of the teachers are from
North America. - by T. Brock.
  Windsor Idiomas - A
medium-sized (60 teachers) academy which hires at a distance
via Skype.
 English Systems - A long-established
medium to large-sized language consulting firm with an average
of 80 teachers working for them yearly, mostly teaching both
telephone classes and in-company English classes in around 50
corporations.
First
Language Consulting - First Language Consulting is a
relatively new academy which was founded in 2005
 Kennedy Empowering
Successful Communication - This school has a
presence in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and Salamanca
providing innovative solutions for their clients’ language
needs and being teacher centred, emphasises a positive and
supportive working environment.
 International Institute in Spain -
This school is a prominent historic entity offering a range of
language courses both on-site and in-house for adults as well
as a program for young learners.
Company
Class - An interesting alternative to the usual
agencies - by Adrian Manzano.
 Berlitz - With 128
years of experience, more than 450 centers in over 60
countries, Berlitz is one of the oldest and largest language
service providers in the world.
 Ashton Campion - This school
consists of two neighbourhood academies on the north side of
Madrid.
Telephone
TEACHING - A company offering a 50/50 mix of
telephone and in-company classes.
 Chalmore
Language Solutions was founded in 2004 and is a fast
growing language training company based in Madrid.
Daniel’s Centre is an
English School with 23 years of experience located in Torrejon
de Ardoz (20 minutes from Madrid).
 International
House Madrid -  An affiliate of the
International House World Organisation’s network of over 120
schools worldwide. See their CELTA and DELTA courses also.
 Cambio
Idiomas - Cambio is a small school of 15 teachers which
does mostly (85%) in-company classes.
Hyland Language
Centre was established 22 years ago, in 1985, and is one of
the best balanced academies in Madrid.
Club
Ivy - is an academic organization developed by former
alumni of prestigious universities around the world.
 Baxter
Business Services is a fast growing language school with
impressive client list and more than 30 teachers who usually
work with them because of the top rates and excellent
conditions.
Pueblo
Inglés School Profile
A school seeking experienced teachers to start immediately with
in-company classes, Masters courses and intensive residential
courses.
British Language Centre English
Academy - A stable job with top training for
teachers. See their CELTA and DELTA courses also.
 King's
Training - Two departments - one in the centre and one in
La Moraleja. It currently has offices and
centres in Spain, China and the UK, but operates in many other
countries.
EuroLanguage
Consultants - Offers first class language solutions to
companies, groups and individuals in Madrid, Spain and abroad.
 Go English -
This agency employs only experienced (3 years minimum), TEFL
qualified and effective in-company teachers.
 British
Council Madrid - The British Council operates 91 teaching
centres in 57 countries. There are around 2000 teachers
employed who deliver classes to about 495,000 learners each
year.
 Canterbury
English TEFL Courses
Canterbury English offers a 120 hour, one month TEFL Madrid,
CELTA Madrid, TESOL Madrid, TESL Madrid, Teach English Madrid,
Certificate program.
Courses and training
for teachers in Madrid:
British Language Centre CELTA and DELTA
courses.
International House Madrid CELTA and
DELTA courses
Hyland Language Centre
CELTA courses
Canterbury English TEFL
Courses
 CELTA and DELTA courses
in Madrid, Spain - TEFL, EFL or ESL
certifications.
TEFL Courses - Why it's important
to do one and the sorts of things you learn on one.
TEFL - Madrid - FAQS regarding
TEFL Courses in Madrid and other aspects regarding these
courses.
 TEFL Courses in Madrid - Is a
teaching certification really necessary for a Job? An article
on TransitionsAbroad.com.
PaininSpain.com:
TEFL
Courses - several articles against TEFL courses in
general.
How to be a better
teacher.
DevelopingTeachers.com - To keep
up on the latest developments in English teaching.
Conferences in
Madrid and Spain.
TESOL-Spain
- This is the main organization for English teachers in
Spain which is mostly academic in nature and is concerned with teaching methodology, etc.
There are two other "official" organizations for academies,
ACADE and ACEPROCE, but as far as I can tell, they have never
done much of anything useful or significant for the sector.
My opinion based on 16 years of experience on the subject regarding putting together any other sort of organization or association which looks out for English teachers's rights, etc. here is that it would
largely be just wishful thinking and an enormous waste of time. Instead, it's probably best just to
network with your friends as well as possible and on the internet if you are so inclined.
Google FriendConnect:
 Google Friendconnect is a
new service from Google which lets websites add new
interactive gadgets to a website, for example:
1) If you sign up, it lets you interact with each page on
the web site by making comments or asking questions. Each
page has a widget like the one on the right. To make
comments, you only have to sign in with the "sign in" button
just above the wall gadget.
2) The site is more interactive. Click on the heads of the
people in the gadget above and see more information about
each of the members of the site including the websites of
which they are members. Click on the image on the left for a
well-developed example.
Articles about and for
Teachers teaching in Madrid.
Teaching English in Madrid on GoMadNomad - A teacher who taught in Madrid in 2008 wrote this article.
David Overton: The closing of
Opening - There used to be a lot of multimedia academies
in Spain including Opening, at least 200 of which closed a
few years ago.
David Overton: Teachers Unite - "I know I’d be
happier if I could ply my trade without the feeling that if I
want more economic security, my main option is “getting out
of teaching”."
Crisis
- Is there a crisis for English teachers in Madrid?:
Seemingly so, but how deep it actually is or how deep it will
get is anybody's guess. (Autumn of 2008)
Is there less work this year?
- Fall of 2009 on ExpatriateCafé.
Expatforum.com: Teaching English in Spain.
Business by
Janice: Being
proactive at every level - "There are teachers who
take full responsibility for their own future and calmly and
persistently seek out the few vacant classes that are around,
and there are others that consistently project their
neediness on us, demanding that we find them classes."
CNN.com: Young Americans going
abroad to teach - ". . . many recent college
graduates are searching for alternatives to jumping into the
job market in the face of the recession. An increasing number
of young Americans are searching out paid positions teaching
English in countries like South Korea, Japan, China and Spain
as a means to expand their horizons and weather the economic
doldrums."
About
the TEFL Sector in Madrid - Janice Haywood answers
questions about the TEFL sector in Madrid, Spain.
How to Write a Great Cover Letter, The Anatomy of a Résumé (Youtube)
Teachers
- How to make your job application stand out - on
Janice Haywood's blog. Also, Applying
for a TEFL post? - Timing is everything.
Top
10 List - What academies want from an English teacher -
Personality, social skills, experience, committment, good
judgment, etc.
MapMagazine.com:
Are You
The Type of Person to Teach English in Spain -
entertaining and informative article.
PaininSpain.com:
Academies with no
Scruples - What Madrid English schools can do to
improve EFL jobs for teachers, also some recommended and
"bad" English language academies in Madrid.
PaininSpain.com:
Getting
Started in TEFL in Madrid - TEFL in Madrid: The
academy point of view. What Madrid English schools can do to
improve EFL jobs for teachers. Summertime reminders of why I
hated teaching English in Madrid.
PaininSpain.com:
What Madrid English
Schools Can Do . . . - What Madrid English schools
can do to improve EFL jobs for teachers, also some
recommended and "unscrupulous" English language academies in
Madrid.
Too
Young? - Too young? Too old? Too fat? Too ugly? As long
as you're not too lazy, you can do it. I talk about this sort
of thing in this Youtube video.
The
Teaching Rates - See teaching rates on Expatriate
Café.
To Teach
Kids or Not to Teach Kids - If you're not sure,
don't.
Competitive Rates - The Truthful Site: Not
totally! - Don't believe everything you read on
this site! (A sort of disclaimer.)
The
facts and the fiction - Helen Bain of
International House on teaching English abroad for the
Guardian.
Working
Madrid - For a Freelance teachers' hard-edged
point of view on the market.
You Say You Want a Revolution ...
- I get an email from time-to-time from English teachers
belly-aching about low wages, bad treatment or something
similar.
Americans working on the
sly in Madrid - It's really difficult for
Americans to get papers to work in Madrid. (It's extremely
difficult for academies to process your papers, although the
American Language Academy seems to have found the right way
to do it.) There's even a signature "movement" to get
one-year English
Teacher Visas at ExpatriateCafe.com. I know a few
English academies which are very enthusiastic about the
prospect.
Seeds
are being sown . . . - Academies are trying to
organize in order to get some sort of a special visa for
Americans.
What
would happen if all the American teachers left
Madrid? - on the "Business by Janice" blog.
A
Turnaround in the Madrid Market - on the "Business
by Janice" blog.
Are
companies getting the language training they
deserve? - on the "Business by Janice" blog.
Time.com:
The Broken Hopes of a Spanish
Generation
NPR.org: Tourists Usually In Spain Stay Mainly Off The
Planes
Information on papers, red-tape and
paperwork
Oficina de Extranjeros See photo and map - C/ Manuel de Luna, 29 28020 - Madrid (Madrid) Tel.: 902111144 CITA PREVIA - This means that you may have to call to make an appointment first. (Horario: De de lunes a viernes de 8.30 a 13.00)
If I recall correctly, this is the office where I processed my work permit.
Regardless of what anyone can say about getting your paperwork done, things can change overnight, so my best advice is this: if I were getting my work permit for the first time, I would first go to the nearest police station (see below) and start processing my papers including my "NIE" (Número de Identificación de Extranjero). This can take lots of trips and then take a very long time till you get your actual papers back. Then, I would ask about the other things that I have to do like what the process is to get my work permit (permiso de trabajo) or registration certificate (certificado de registro).
NIE and Stations on Policia.es -
If you can read in Spanish, you can find a lot of information
about getting your papers processed on this relevant government website. There are even phone numbers you can call for information. The addresses of the
stations are listed here.
Note: no direct links because gov. sites change them
frequently. NIE on Business by Janice - "We
(companies and individuals) still get misinformed about very
important information and procedures."
TransitionsAbroad.com: Work Permits and How to Get Them.
Read Victoria
Fontana's article here.
ExpatriateCafe.com: The
Hiring Process as described by Tracy.
PaininSpain.com:
Immigration in Spain - several
articles on this.
PaininSpain.com:
Quick Summary of
Getting Unemployment.
Retirement for Madrid Teachers -
Read this article if you're going to retire here to avoid
surprises.
TeachingEnglish Poll on Improving your circumstances
Paying
into Social Security - A blog entry on David Overton's
TEFL-Diary.
Visas
and Immigration - Section on
ExpatriateCafe.com.
WorkPermit.com - Information on
immigration to Spain.
Opening
Bank Account in Spain as a non-resident (On the
Pain in Spain)
NIE by
Angloinfo.com - Europeans have little problem
getting work permits, but they do have to do some
bureaucratic leg-work like getting a national identification
number for foreigners first.
NIE by
SpainLawyer.com, NIE by
Expatica.com, NIE by
SpainExpat.com- other sites.
NIE on Ministerio del
Interior - If you can read in Spanish, you can
find a lot of information on this relevant government
website.
ExpatriateCafe.com: Convalidating a U.S. degree -
Another keyword with this is "Homologado".
ExpatriateCafe.com: Opening
a bank account without a NIE.
Work Permits for
Americans - North Americans need a job offer from
a local company before they can get a work permit (a 4 to 6
month process). It's that company that has to process their
papers, which is no guarantee that the government will grant
the permit. Whether the company will process them or not
depends totally on how interested they are in hiring you.
Articles for Autónomos
(or freelancers) teaching in Madrid.
ExpatriateCafe.com: How To Collect Money
From A Crooked Company? - A post that might
enlighten one a bit about the problems of being an
autonomo.
Why autonomo teachers
can charge more to the client than most schools -
blog article by Janice Haywood, Owner/Director of Human
Resources of Windsor Idiomas.
Freelance English
Teaching in Madrid - Steven Starry's article on
"Transitions Abroad".
Freelance in
Madrid - An article by Jennifer Sharples for the
UK's Telegraph. (Sign up for their Expat Newsletter. It's
really good.)
Complementary Professions -
There's a lot of down time in English teaching which may seem
bad, but you’ll also find that it frees up a lot of time for
you to take care of other business like I do on this webpage.
Here are some: translators, article writers, EFL Editor - Writer.
Spainexpat: Acting - Interesting article on an
external site on the actors' business in Spain.
Freelance Teachers:
Becoming an “Autónomo”. How to Do It?
Freelance Teachers:
Becoming an “Autónomo”. When and why to do It?
Spainexpat: Contracts vs. Autonomos - A short
run-down on an external site about contracts in Spain.
Freelance work day - A freelancer
asks for information regarding autonomos work hours. What's a
freelance teacher's work-day like?
Gestoría - Problems with your
papers? Join the crowd! Better yet, join Legalitas.
Freelancers equipment and tools:
Choose the right email. Why printers and/or electronic
dictionaries?
Salaries and
Wages - How much can you make in Madrid?
ExpatriateCafe.com: Self-employment VISA
requirements - A post about becoming an autonomo
via the creation of your own company - it's not easy or
cheap.
Factura - MS
Word document with the "invoice" that I've always used.
Right-click to download calendars: 2009-2010 School Year MS Document, 2009-2010 School Year with Workweeks MS Document.
Some real-life stories
about teaching in Madrid.
Ready for a Change - Ahmed J. Nicklaw came to Madrid years ago.
Yin
and Yang - Kelley Pigott shares his experiences on
returning to Madrid to teach English after 2 years back in
Seattle.
My
Experience With Spain - An autobiographical article by
Marcus Searson on his experiences with the people and places
in Madrid.
Dailyrecord.com:
Next stop: The
world - An English teacher travelling round the
world who just happened to pass through Madrid. (follow up to
her blog)
ExpatriateCafe.com: An
Insider’s Account of the Madrid TEFL Scene.
MapMagazine.com:
Confessions of a TEFL Teacher.
A
Bit of Guff about Teaching English - A bit of guff about
teaching English on the hoof in Madrid or the ramblings of a
traumatized English teacher.
How
I Became an English Teacher in Madrid - Freelance editor
Sarah E. Rogers writes about teaching English in Madrid.
The Experience
is Waiting for You - A recent arrival from Dallas,
Trent Brock, shares his experience.
Part 2: The Wrap Up! - Trent Brock
writes about what he did over the year, some experiences that
he had, and gives some advice to newcomers - from a one year
veteran of Madrid!
German Teacher in Madrid
- Astrid Schmidhofer talks about her experience teaching
German here. It's not very different at all from what an
English teacher typically goes through.
Adrian in Spain - A young New
Yorker English teacher - Adrian Manzano - writes of his
experiences in Madrid, Spain.
My Experience in Madrid - An
anonymous autobiography.
About William Christison - a short
bio.
Mary - A
Real-Life English teacher's Experience.
Monica - A
Real-Life Experience.
Transitions
Abroad - Another real-life story.
Be wary of Teach
English Abroad Schemes - A young teacher's
experience goes bad - read this very interesting article on
an external site.
Related on
Expatriatecafe.com: Fraud
Alert! - About fraudulent versions of the
"Auxiliares" program.
Another Scam
1, Another Scam
2 on "ESL Hell: The Pain in Spain"
Homeless and Jobless- This
guy wasn't actually living in Madrid, but he had some hellish
experiences nonetheless. The moral of the story: choose your
roommates and business partners wisely because some people
around here are pretty bad and others aren't so bright.
Would you like to share your story? What made you come
here? How did it go? etc. etc. Send me your story to: madridteacher@gmail.com.
Writer's
Guidelines.
A Blog about Teaching
English in Madrid.
Business by Janice - Written by
Janice Haywood, Owner/Director of Human Resources of Windsor
Idiomas. Topics include: "Do Academies ever get any sympathy
from teachers?" in which Janice comments, ". . . running a
school is like juggling with 14 different balls."
¿Quién da clases de
inglés en tu empresa? - An article, in Spanish on
20minutos.es with Janice Haywood's participation, which
claims that a lot of academies contract unprepared
"backpackers" or students who come here to learn Spanish.
Other information and
sources of information about teaching in Madrid.
Transitions Abroad -
Work in Spain page.
English Academies in
Spain - "Teaching English in academies."
Spainexpat: "To Do"
List - A step-by-step list on how to make your
move to Spain on an external site. - Needs fleshing out, but
ok.
Spainexpat: Summer Camp
work - A seemingly well-informed article on an
external site. (It claims salaries of up to 2,000 euros.)
Avian
/ Swine Flu - It's back!
Information on
Living in Madrid
You
can find more articles about living in Madrid and Spain here:
Madrid
The English
Teaching Business in General
MapMagazine.com: Getting Familiar with
the English Teaching Market in Spain - text of a
general nature.
ExpatriateCafe.com: Opinion: Teaching
English In Spain Is A Joke! - A very good
collection of forum entries about the good vs. bad points of
teaching here.
English
Teaching Abroad Overseas - This is a 9-10 minute video on
Youtube.com of me chatting in general about teaching English
abroad.
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Teachers Required
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ASHTON
CAMPION
(School of
English)
For their two schools
in the north of Madrid.
 Ashton
Campion
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