News Article

This article was taken from the Tefl online magazine for more information please visit their website; www.tefl.com and it highlights the relavence of the English language in 2012, I hope you enjoy reading it.

The Importance Of Learning English In Spain

The Spanish have an amazing view of the importance of being able to speak English in order to get a job, secure promotion and continue up the career ladder. And it's best to start learning young!

Speaking English is a crucial skill in the Spanish employment market.

Meet almost any Spaniard in the street and let it be known you're an English teacher (or even just an English speaker for that matter) and they will suddenly burst into the best English they can muster to impress you with their mastery of this great language. The Spanish take great pride when they speak English, it makes them better or at least better than some. Any skill which is mastered always elevates it's practitioner to a new high. And for those that don't, it has a very good chance of constantly being on the list of New Year resolutions.

With the Spanish economy looking statistically humble, the need for the best CV and skill set will always inspire people to learn for economic benefit. Working for a foreign company in the cosmopolitan cities of Barcelona or Madrid would be unthinkable without a good level of English.



For parents, having their children speak English is a life-long gift which will help them through life, just like vaccinations, a million Euro inheritance or dental work. Many parents in Spain who want the best for their kids will always push them to learn, or better said, push them to be taught English where possible.



After school classes are always popular since mum or dad can postpone the school run for another hour, safe in the knowledge that the kids are learning. It works well for the kids as they still have their classroom heads on so it's easier to carry on the classroom discipline from earlier in the day. Regardless of the timing of the classes the benefits to mum and dad are obvious. One immediate advantage, especially with private, one-to-one tutoring, is that the teacher can go into greater depth reinforcing the school curriculum, meaning better results in the classroom, where teacher attention is shared between 20 or 30 other pupils-



If cuts have to be made in a household, due to the often spoken about 'crisis,' then yes, these classes are not as essential as food on the table, but maybe the after-school volley-ball classes get cut first.



But would their kids ever forgive them for sending them into the world of employment without "Fluent English" in bold, at the top of their CV?

By 'Old School' Teacher

Our 'Old School' Teacher works on the editorial team of The WorldTEFL Project and has enjoyed a varied and well traveled teaching career within the UK state education system and abroad.

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