I’ve recently been researching international schools in Madrid and Barcelona to plan for my child’s future education. After looking around, I’ve run into a dilemma I’d love to hear your thoughts on: are the Spanish teachers at these international schools really up to standard?
We’re choosing an international school for its international curriculum and English-speaking environment, but since we’re living in Spain, we also want our child to learn authentic, solid Spanish. However, I’ve noticed that many international schools focus their marketing on the IB or A-Level programs and their foreign faculty, often providing only vague descriptions of their Spanish language instruction. This makes me worry that their Spanish program might be more for show. What is the actual teaching quality and dedication of their teachers?
I asked some friends whose children are already attending international schools, and the feedback has been quite polarized. Some parents feel their school’s Spanish teachers are very professional—not only are they native speakers, but they also have qualifications for teaching Spanish as a foreign language (ELE). Their children are happy and making great progress. On the other hand, some friends complain that the Spanish teachers at their school act more like ‘activity coordinators.’ They use outdated teaching methods, mostly playing games and teaching vocabulary, without systematic grammar and literacy training. As a result, after several years, their children can only manage simple daily conversations, far from fluent communication and deep reading.
To get a clearer picture, I’ve compiled a few key points to investigate when choosing a school, which might help us assess the quality of its Spanish language teaching. Feel free to use this as a reference and add your own suggestions:
How to Evaluate Spanish Teaching in International Schools
Teacher’s Background
- Teaching Qualifications: Does the teacher hold a certificate or degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language (ELE)?
- Teaching Experience: How many years of experience do they have teaching non-native speakers?
- Native Proficiency: Is the teacher a native of Spain? Is their accent standard?
Curriculum and Assessment
| Aspects to Consider | Specifics |
|---|
| Curriculum Outline | Is there a clear, systematic curriculum with a progression path? |
| Placement System | Are students grouped by their Spanish proficiency level? |
| Assessment Methods | Besides daily performance, are there regular reading and writing tests? Some schools even mention their standards in Spanish teacher recruitment ads. |
| DELE Support | Does the school organize or encourage students to take the DELE exam? |
Personally, I feel that whether a school supports and organizes students to take the DELE exam is a very important indicator. This at least shows that the school has academic standards for Spanish, going beyond just simple daily communication. Have you paid attention to these details when choosing a school? Or do you have any tips or ‘red flags’ to share? Thanks a lot!
