Talk Barcelona

BOOK: Languages Fast

TB — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:32:53 +0000

The Quick and Dirty Guide to Learning Languages Fast

Product Description
There are many reasons why you might need to learn a foreign language quickly. The author, a U.S. Army Green Beret, often travels to foreign countries on short notice and needs to be able to communicate with military and government officials, many of who do not speak English. He tried all types of schools, classes, books and tapes, but none delivered what he needed when he needed it. So he developed his own method for learning foreign languages. It proved so effective for him and his fellow Green Berets that he decided to share his method with others who need to learn a language quickly. The Quick and Dirty Guide to Learning Languages Fast is designed for people who have no interest in learning complicated rules of grammar. The author promises that his method will help anyone become functional in any language in seven days and proficient in 30. He’s trimmed the fat, freeing your time for what’s truly useful. Includes a day-by-day schedule, a handy workbook format and secret tips to help you master key elements quickly and easily.

– Book Reviews —

Tricks and techniques that can fast-track our learning and help us to cut corners. Many of these techniques are employed in language courses, with flash cards, mnemonics, games and visual aids all being incorporated alongside traditional lessons and exercises to help us to stay motivated and feel like we are making progress at a steady rate.

The Quick and Dirty Guide to Learning Languages Fast outlines the method used by the author, A G Hawke, who often had to learn languages on short notice during his career as a Green Beret in the US Military. Being able to communicate clearly and quickly with foreign officials was essential, and many other courses failed to deliver the amount of fluency he required in the short time he had available. This book explains the method that Hawke devised in order to learn languages… fast! In fact, the author boasts that students who stick to the program should be conversational in seven days, and proficient in just thirty. It’s a tempting promise.

The book provides a daily schedule, clearly instructing you on what must be done each day, and the workbook format lets you track your progress and make sure that you stick to the routine. You simply fill in the workbook for the language that you want to learn.

The key to Hawke’s program is to skip any unnecessary vocabulary or information. Most courses use contextual examples to illustrate how a word, verb or grammar element is used, and these examples are often full of vocabulary that you will never need to use. Hawke emphasizes efficiency above all so that you only ever learn what you will truly use. The book guides you through identifying what you really need to know in the language that you are learning, and offers tips on how to retain and use that vocabulary.

The book is not a magic wand, and you will still need to put in the effort to see results, but if you stick to the method you should at least shave some time off of your learning curve. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to gain a strong grasp of the Spanish language in a short space of time, this book is ideal for the impatient, the dedicated and those with a short attention span.

The Quick and Dirty Guide to Learning Languages Fast is a book designed to deliver the basics to anyone who needs to learn to communicate in a foreign language in a short period of time. The author, A.G. Hawke, is a former Green Beret who brings plenty of experience in this area due to his various short notice deployments to other countries. He promises that his book will allow students to become functional in any language in seven days and fluent in thirty.

Hawke sticks to the KISS theory of leaning. In other words, “Keep it Simple Stupid.” His book organizes and prioritizes the most important information into charts, then breaks down lessons into a daily schedule. He also includes a workbook and some tips on how to approach your learning.

For the most part, The Quick and Dirty Guide to Learning Languages Fast is a book about simplification and organization, and is a great starting point for helping foreign language students streamline their learning. I recommend it to anyone who is going to be traveling to a country in which a foreign language is spoken.

Also a very important part of this book is that once you reach a working vocabulary You Know WHAT Other things you need to learn

I wish I’d had this little book. One of the good things about this book is that it has, in English, useful word lists that you can reproduce, although the one deficit is that the pages are small, and trying to write in a non-Latin alphabet or phonetically is difficult, given the space alotted. Better to reproduce the word lists and personalize them on Word.
The word lists do increase your vocabulary acquistion quite quickly, and the applications are endless. This book, of course is not meant to be a study guide in any particular language, but it will get you started in a logical, rapid fashion.

This is for the people who need to know enough to get by in a short period of time. If you are in the military or travel alot it is a must. It also works for any language.

Here’s the skinny: If you really need to learn a new language fast, because you will travel somewhere in the next few days, then this is probably a good book to get. Otherwise, you may get it if you can spare the money, and it may teach you something. But don’t expect any silver bullet.

The method is very simple and most of the pages are filled with word tables. These are simple tables that you have to fill with translated versions of some essential words in the target language. It’s a waste of paper; the book could show the model for the tables, and put the essential words into lists. It’s easy to build the tables if you have the lists. Nonetheless, the selection of essential words is a good guide for what to learn first.

The method gives you a direction for a quick start in a language, and is supposed to work for any language. However, some parts of the method may be difficult or impossible to apply if the target language is too different from English. The author admits this is so, and the student may need to adapt the techniques.

There’s one sound piece of advice for any language learners, regardless of method: you must immerse yourself in the language and culture you want to learn. Read children’s books, newspapers, magazines; watch movies; listen to music; eat the food; all of this connected with the culture associated with the language.

Otherwise, I found it mildly interesting, but don’t plan on using the method as I’m not in such a hurry, and becoming merely functional in a language is not my goal at this point. But I think I can incorporate some of the tips and ideas into my own language learning habits.

I’m impressed with this book. Some of the tips are a bit inane. If you’ve learned a language before, they might be suggestions you’ve already figured out. That being said, for the first time language learner, this book points out things that many of us had to learn the hard way.

I give it five stars for the list of words alone. Previous reviewers criticized the book for these word lists, but I disagree. The list is filled with items that will allow you to hit the ground running, if you elect to memorize them as instructed. These frequently used words are worth the price of the book. Each one is a golden nugget.

As a language teacher, I don’t agree with all of Hawke’s observations on language. But if you’re faced with the practical reality of needing to communicate in a week or two, proper language learning has to take a backseat to picking up what is humanly possible. For this purpose, his advice is worthwhile.

If you’re looking for a language-learning silver-bullet, bad news – none exists. But if you’re looking for a way to organize your self-study of an unusual language, this book is worth looking at.

Although this may leaves many feeling confident in a new language, it most certainly is not enough to get around with.

It’s quite annoying to read this book, almost like watching people trying to use sticks as wheels. The author seems to think that knowing small bits of vocabulary in a language is fluency enough to carry on diplomatic conversations with natives.

I’ve been studying Spanish on my own nearly every day for almost two years. Of all the how-to-learn-a-language books that I’ve found in that time, I think that Barry Farber’s “How to Learn Any Language” outlines the best long term strategy. But I think that A.G. Hawke may have the best short-term/quick-start method.

In his introduction, the author talks about principles. He says that his method is based on the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle. I don’t think he gives himself enough credit. I can see three much more tangible principles at work here:

1) Prioritize
Learn the most useful and important things first. The book’s charts are prefilled with suggested concepts that the author considers most important.

2) Divide and conquer
The material to be learned is broken into manageable chunks. You concentrate on one chunk at a time. Every day you have a goal.

3) Be consistent
The method suggests a daily pattern of review and learning.

While these principles may not be earth shattering news, the book does provide plenty of details. From those details, you are expected to craft a program of your own. This allows you to take charge of your own learning and to progress with the least amount of wasted time and effort (At least in the early stages).

After reading this book, I can’t help but wonder how much of a head start it would have given me. Having no guidance at all, I floundered for quite a while before I started making any real progress. If I’d had this book, I might have shaved several months off my initial learning. (Even just a one month head start is worth more than the price of the book.)

Other reviewers point out that this slim book has very few pages of real text. I’ll admit that was my initial reaction too. It’s barely longer than a magazine feature article if you don’t count the charts. But the author wastes no words.

Short as it is, I’m glad this did end up in book form rather than in a magazine. Otherwise, it would be lost in the abyss of back-issues.

The book is called the quick and dirty guide to language learning because that is what is is. It is designed to help you become functional quickly and it does accomplish this if you make the commitment and follow the schedule.
If you want to learn a new language I highly recommend this book. Hawke presents a 7 day process to help you become functional in a new language quickly. He gives you the schedule for each day that includes reviewing what you have learned before you go to bed and as soon as you get up in the morning. If you are traveling to another country on business or for a vacation this book will help you get the essential vocabulary you will need. If you are learning a language in depth this will give you a good foundation. Hawke largely focuses on building vocabulary and learning useful phrases. He also provides information on the most useful grammatical concepts for a new user to master. Grammar books often focus on complicated grammar concepts that new learners really don’t need early on. This book actually covers important information that Barry Farber left out in “How to Learn Any Language” such as common word lists. I suggest you buy both, complete Hawke’s book and then move onto Farber’s.

BUYERS IN SPAIN

BUYERS IN UK

BUYERS IN USA

BUYERS IN SPAIN

BUYERS IN UK

BUYERS IN USA

BOOK: ESL Teaching

TB — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:28:58 +0000

Highway To E.S.L.: A User-Friendly Guide to Teaching English As A Second Language

Book Description
In today’s world, teaching English as a Second Language (E.S.L.) is big business. An expanding global communications network has made English the international language of choice. In Highway to E.S.L., authors Rik Ruiter and Pinky Dang provide an easy-to-understand guide, not only for individuals seeking a new and rewarding career teaching English, but also for experienced E.S.L. instructors who wish to improve their classroom skills.
Written in a user-friendly format that includes detailed course planning and an appendix containing a variety of useful evaluation forms, Highway To E.S.L. supplies readers with valuable information on how to teach the different disciplines of English—a vital component to successful education in both domestic and international markets. Other key topics include:

· Necessary teaching methodologies and approaches
· Innovative personal teaching tips
· Proficient classroom management
· Troubleshooting common classroom problems
· Efficient planning that utilizes timetables
· Stimulating activity suggestions
· Effective curriculum and lesson planning for grammar, reading, writing, listening, and speaking
· Incorporating both conventional and non-conventional teaching resources in the classroom

– Book Reviews —

Evidently written to help novice ESL teachers understand the diverse and challenging skill sets required to teach English overseas, this ambitious book provides a plethora of practical tips for success in the classroom.

The 21 chapters range from overseas preparations, classroom management, and language needs and placement tests to verb tenses, teaching vocabulary, and teaching vowels. An informal, friendly tone pervades – and more than a few odd sentences and editing errors have survived in this 359-page tome. Each chapter includes concise subheadings, clear examples, and many needlessly long sentences. Numerous teaching suggestions, strong statements, and bullet point lists help transmit an impressive amount of information.

From my perspective as an experienced ESL instructor who has taught academic ESL for over a decade, this book remains a hidden gem. Two very strong chapters alone – Teaching Writing (chapter 10) and Teaching Speaking (chapter 17) – make this a smart choice. Both cover the predictable ground, include worksheets, and offer innovative assignments to motivate students.

I haven’t read the entire book, but I’m impressed with the depth and range of concepts in the chapters I have read. Further, the resource lists allow one to conduct further research. The book attempts to convey academic research in an accessible, practical manner. Overall, it succeeds in providing a single teaching resource for English teachers wanting to help their students master a difficult language.

Two other final comments. I recognize how the book might have benefited from an university press editor, but the book would also have been far thinner, more academic, less engaging – and far less practical for ESL teachers working overseas. "Highway to ESL" succeeds far better in explaining the field and guiding teachers through a complicated maze of information than most professional titles.

I’ve found this book easy to navigate and plan to use it right away in my ESL classes. I appreciate this useful book.

It is by far the closest thing I could find to what I was looking for. In 350 pages it covers the basics and more. I now have a lot of tools and exercises I can use when I have to prepare a class on a short notice. There is a lot of information on the logistic side too: classroom management, lesson planing etc. Not the book for those looking for highly academic prose but if you are looking for a complete tool box all-in-one, this book is worth a try. Recommended for those going to teach overseas.

The authors might be good teachers. They certainly seem friendly, encouraging, and good-humored. But this book is poorly written and poorly edited. There are unwitting occurrences of bad grammar.

BUYERS IN SPAIN

BUYERS IN UK

BUYERS IN USA

BOOK: Teaching English Overseas: Job Guide for Americans & Canadians

TB — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:25:19 +0000

Teaching English Overseas: A Job Guide for Americans & Canadians

Book Description
The new, revised edition of this comprehensive guide for people who want to find jobs teaching English abroad. It includes detailed practical advice on: teaching without training; choosing a TEFL training program; the current overseas job market; how to conduct a successful job search; legal, medical and other practical considerations; dealing with culture shock. It also contains contact details of 450 schools and other organizations which between them hire more than 10,000 teachers every year.

– Book Reviews —

This is the best book to buy if you are an American or a Candian looking to teach English overseas. It covers everything from what to take with you to how the job markets currently look in differing parts of the world. Jeff Mohamed covers everything, there is even a section on how to avoid culture shock when you arrive in a foreign country.
This book is also packed with numerous contacts for everything you could possibly need, from organizations to send resumes to, places to get certified, and on and on.
This book will answer any questions you might have about teaching, for example he covers the pros and cons of the various certification programs, including the Cambridge/RSA TEFL certificate. And if you aren’t happy with the book there is even an address in the beginning which you can send for a refund from the publisher.
If you are thinking about teaching English overseas (even if only for a year) this is the first book you should read.
Highly recommended

Experiened TEFL professional who seems to be quite knowledgeable and notable individual in the industry. Thumbs up!!!

It is absolutely loaded with helpful information, from choosing a TEFL certificate/TESOL program, to how to market yourself overseas(including a step-by-step guide to creating an ESL resume), preparing for interviews, researching your potential employers, where to find jobs, and what to expect.
In addition, there are sections devoted to job outlooks by region
"Teaching English Overseas" also includes sections devoted to legalities, practicalities, and health concerns, dealing with culture shock, your first weeks overseas, and a very thorough appendix that covers TEFL certificate programs in Canada, the USA, and abroad, along with TEFL books, lists of overseas employers (with email and addresses), TEFL job websites, international programs and employers, and a "test your knowledge of English" section to give you an idea of what grammar points employers expect you to be able to explain.

This is an absolute necessity for anyone considering teaching English abroad, whether you have no TEFL experience or you already have an advanced TESOL degree.

Like most nonfiction books, much of this book’s content could be gained from other sources. But you know how long it can take to find information on the Internet, and how unreliable much of that info is. Reading this book will save you many, many hours of web surfing — and you can be sure that the advice in the book is from someone who is a very experienced and respected figure in the field of teaching English.
This book has a lot of excellent information about issues related to finding English teaching jobs overseas, as well as information about necessary training (and where to find it!). It references some other helpful books on teaching, informational websites, and more. I found this book to be a very nice guide for those new to the TEFL profession, as well as TESL/TEFL professionals who might wish to try teaching in a new country. The author obviously put quite a bit of time and research into this volume, and it shows.
am about to make my way to Prague for a TOEFL course and could not have researched this school without reading this book. He gives all the options and why and why not. His advise on looking for jobs and how to write CV’s is extremely helpful, especially for Americans, as it is not the same as a resume. A little biased to the Cambridge certificate and affiliates but he worked for them so whatever…. definitely a must if you are just trying to figure out where to start with your TOEFL.

This book is helping me plan and assess every step involved in teaching English abroad, including selecting a TEFL certification program, selecting a target country, writing an appropriate resume, etc. It is helping me to be realistic about where I can go to teach. It also provides valuable information on what to look out for when signing teaching contracts.

I’ve been teaching English as a Second Language in the US for three years and recently decided to go overseas. I bought Mr. Mohamed’s book and have found it to be exactly what I needed: clear, informative and detailed. It has already helped me to obtain job offers in the areas where I most want to work, Thailand and China. I’m sure that the book’s detailed advice on training, job searching and adapting to life abroad would be as useful to someone just entering TESL as it has been to me.

Thanks to this book and despite me having no teaching experience or certification, I found a job within a week. This book is concise and contains many links to websites I could not find on my own. The job I received is in Mexico and they are paying for my plane tickets and rent when I get there, along with a nice salary. I am very pleased. If you want a job then I would suggest you look here first.

BUYERS IN UK

BUYERS IN USA

BUYERS IN UK

BUYERS IN USA

Explore the World Teaching English Abroad:

Imagine a new life abroad full of excitement, challenges, and rewarding experiences. Teaching English overseas is the perfect opportunity for any English speaker to explore the world and immerse themselves in new cultures. Whether you are a trained teacher or a complete beginner, a TEFL qualification is your ticket to the journey of your life.

Earn money teaching English abroad - i-to-i paid teaching jobs

BOOK: Teaching English Abroad

TB — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:10:20 +0000

Teaching English Abroad:
A Fully Up-to-Date Guide to Teaching English Around the World [Paperback]

Book Description
A detailed guide to finding work abroad teaching English as a foreign language, packed with real life accounts from people who’ve already done it, a directory of over 380 EFL training courses and a country-by-country guide to long and short-term placements – for both trained and untrained teachers.

– Book Reviews —

"Your best single source for training and finding a job". –The Guardian (This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition)

The information provided in the book is a god send for someone starting out. It provides information on where to begin study wise, getting the job, local contacts in countries, and stories from others out there already. I highly recommend Teaching English Abroad for the novice and beginner.

This is one of the most comprehensive and useful sources I’ve found on this subject. It’s modern, up-to-date with information, and is definitely a ‘bible’ for EFL teachers, or those who wish to become one. The first few chapters are introductory and provide some informaiton about various language degrees and certifications, and general information about working abroad and some of the potential problems/concerns you might have. The second part of the book -which takes up a majority of the pages – has a page or so devoted to all major countries in the world. For each country the author describes the EFL scene – whether jobs are plentiful, the amount of schools already in place, etc. and how difficult it will/won’t be to get a work permit.

e aware that this book is written by a British woman and is biased toward British training and British readers. There is some helpful information for Americans but it is not the focus of the book.

I am an American, but I have no gripe against the book being geared toward Brits, and I hardly think it could be more useful to either. The author does a fine job making it accessible to anyone with half a brain.

I always recommend this book to people who tell me they are thinking of getting into teaching English as a foreign language. I think it provides a fabulous overview of the industry, and the pros and cons of teaching abroad. The book helped me to narrow down what was most important to me in an overseas teaching position. Although the book does have a slant towards a British audience, this book is NOT only useful to Brits. I am an American, and it helped me to get my first job teaching in Europe. It also helped me decide where to get my TESL certificate.This book is an excellent starting point for those considering teaching English abroad. For my money, this is the best introduction to teaching abroad in one single publication. Read and enjoy.

BUYERS IN SPAIN

BUYERS IN UK

BUYERS IN USA

BUYERS IN SPAIN

Teach in Barcelona

TB — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:54:25 +0000

Finding & getting Language Teaching Jobs in Barcelona

Living Costs in Barcelona

TB — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:14:26 +0000

Living Costs in Barcelona (Spain)

Another question is “What are the typical (average) costs of living in Spain and Barcelona?”

10€ to 30€ per hour, is reportably the wage for Language Teachers in Barcelona resulting in €800-€1,200 or less a month.

(€1,500 is reportably the monthly pay for the average Spanish City earner)

Ever since the Euro came in and some suggest, prices went up a third, the balance between Language teachers pay in Barcelona and the cost of living changed.

700€ a month appears to be the minimum cost of living comfortably in Barcelona

Accommodation costs in Barcelona

250€ – 500€ a month for a single room
300 Euros a month for a shared flat
600€ + for an apartment (ok studio or 1 bed)

Hostels with private rooms and fully equipped kitchens are a good starting point, with flexibility in your costs and mobility.

One option, for a low cost visit to establish opportunities as a teacher and preparing a move to Barcelona, is a home swap. Search for available properties in Barcelona Spain, here

Teacher Earnings

TB — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:47:47 +0000

Language Teachers Earnings in Barcelona (Spain)

Another question is “What are the typical (average) fees and wages for a teacher in Spain and Barcelona?

Language Teacher Pay ranges from 10€ to 30€, with many earning midway or less, bringing in between €800-€1,200

Likely lowest to highest by Language Teacher Jobs Type in Barcelona:

Private English or Spanish Language Lessons and Courses in Barcelona and Spain
(subject to being exclusive and attracting wealthy clients)
English or Spanish Language Schools
(though it can allow for more teaching hours per month, between 20 to 30, by agreement)
Companies needing English or Spanish Language Teachers
(though in this climate, even big firms are becoming less generous)

Typically, contracts last 6 to 9 months, with around 20 hours a week and only pay holiday entitlement on rarer 12 month contracts.

Work as a teacher Barcelona

TB — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:39:35 +0000

The ups and downs of working as a language teacher in Barcelona

The Upside

As an English speaker in Barcelona (Spain), it is one of the best earning, most viable professions. Using immersion methods.
Teaching is a good industry for meeting people and absorbing the culture
Language courses are likely to remain in demand with people wishing to learn English, Spanish and in Barcelona Catalan. Especially at an advanced level.
Spanish National Holidays are frequent. Teaching at a Barcelona and Spanish schools often mean 2 to 3 months break in the summer, time off at Easter and 2 weeks at Xmas.
Barcelona weather is hotter than many european cities and cooler than the extremes of southern Spanish locations.
If the teaching role involves many students, seen only a few times or less a week, it is a good opportunity to home your teaching skills. Apposed to a more cushier teaching position.
Barcelona is a lovely city with a strong Spanish culture, sunny weather and a moderate winter that is less extreme than Northern or Southern Europe. A laid-back environment, next to the Mediterranean and with some wonderful surroundings. Such as the National Park, fabulous local towns like Sitges and Skiing 50 minutes away for the winter months.
(Madrid may also be described similarly)
In-Company and Self Employed teachers often have more freedom and independence, which can be useful if they do not need to work all the time or are studying for Higher Teaching Qualifications.
Some schools provide a specific curriculum to follow, which can make teaching languages easier for the inexperienced.

The downside

With a working day often being spread from 8am to 10pm, it can be a long day, for Teachers that are not self employed. Even with the various breaks in between and typical 2am to 4am siesta, when shops etc. are closed.
It can also be hectic in some roles, with varied ages and many students, who meet a few times or less a week.
As with most professions, it takes a while and good skills to get the better paying positions. Non EU Teachers looking for a job are limited to employers who are prepared for the added paperwork.
The summer break is a negative, as it’s difficult to find work during that time, even for private classes. Many Catalans and Barcelona residents go away on holiday during all of August. Teachers offering Spanish lessons can target those that remains during intensive summer language courses and tourism teaching opportunities, such as a Barcelona or Spanish kids summer camp.
Language Academies in Spanish Cities, such as Barcelona and Madrid, have been going out of business. Choosing a healthy employer is important, where possible.
Being a Self Employed or In-Company Teacher can mean working alone, reducing future teaching opportunities via Networking with other teachers and making it a more lonely option.
Experienced Language Teachers may find a Language School wants to provide a specific curriculum to follow, stifling their creative language teaching skills and making their teaching job repetitive.

Teaching job in Barcelona

TB — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:31:49 +0000

Finding adverts and websites offering English and Spanish Language Teaching jobs in Barcelona and Spain can be hard. As many Teacher Positions are not advertised.

Also the Catalans and Spanish tend to react to personal approaches rather than a letter applying for a teaching job in Barcelona and Spain, or emails. Business casual attire is expected, when visiting Schools, Academies and Companies who offer Spanish and English Language Courses.

Once here and in your first job, making as many connections as possible is important for future opportunities. Word of mouth is the first call in language schools via other teachers and companies needing a language teacher. With employees being asked to recommend the best language teachers they know. “Enchufe” and “Enchufismo”, a Spanish term, refer to plugging ones self or networking. The same applies for finding clients if working as a self employed teacher in Barcelona and Spain.

Work Visas and Residency

TB — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:23:56 +0000

European Union National

As a National of the European Union (EU), you already enjoy the right to work in Spain.
Getting all your affairs straight still takes effort.

Whilst some move first, many search for a Spanish visa in London and UK, or a Spanish Emigration Solicitor in London and UK.

Non European Union National

Many start by asking “How to I get a Work Visa?”