I’ve been researching schools for my kid lately, and it’s all a bit overwhelming. We’re leaning towards an international school, as an English-speaking environment might offer broader future opportunities. However, I have a major concern: if my child attends an international school in Spain, will their Spanish suffer? After all, we’ll likely be living here for a long time, and life is incredibly difficult without good Spanish skills, especially considering the local job market, like these international school jobs in Spain.
So, I wanted to start a thread to discuss this with everyone. What do you think about the quality of Spanish teachers in international schools? Can they really teach our children Spanish well?
My Observations and Concerns
I’ve spoken with some agents and attended a few school open days, and my impression is that international schools generally offer fewer Spanish class hours than local schools. They often teach Spanish as a ‘foreign language’ rather than a ‘native language’ like in public schools. This makes me worry whether the teachers’ methods, depth, and breadth of instruction will be sufficient.
For example, teachers in public schools might delve deeply into local Spanish culture, history, and literature, whereas I wonder if [international school teachers] are more focused on test preparation, like for the DELE exam. I’m not saying exams are bad, but I feel that language learning should be about more than just passing tests.
Teacher Background Comparison
I did a bit of homework and put together what I’ve found. Take a look and see if this matches your experience with [Spanish teachers]. Please feel free to add to or correct this:
| School Type | Teacher Characteristics | Teaching Focus |
|---|
| International School | Usually require qualifications for teaching Spanish as a foreign language (ELE); some may be non-Spanish but fluent. | Focus on grammar, communication, and exam prep; small class sizes. |
| Public School | Almost always native Spanish teachers who graduated from local education programs and are tenured civil servants. | Comprehensive coverage of language, literature, history, and social studies; large class sizes. |
| Private/Concertado | A mix between the two; strict hiring standards, may focus more on academic results and university entrance. | Solid curriculum, high discipline, balancing language and culture. |
Ultimately, I’m still torn. On one hand, I want my child to have a great English environment and an international perspective. On the other hand, I’m afraid they’ll end up with weak Spanish despite being good at English, which would defeat the purpose. What are your children’s real experiences learning Spanish in international schools? Are the teachers dedicated? Are the kids happy? Do they need extra Spanish tutoring after school? I would love to get some advice from experienced parents. Thank you so much in advance
!
