Tailor-made Spanish clases

Hi, my name is Elena. I am from Spain and I live in Madrid. I have lived and worked in both the USA and the UK, so I speak English. I also speak French at an intermediate level.

I have been teaching English and Spanish for 11 years. I have a 150-hour TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate from Arizona State University.

I teach students of various ages and needs.

When teaching school-age students, from preschool to college, I focus on their current school curriculum, including grammar, listening, writing, and speaking, and I prepare them for their Cambridge exams. I don’t want them to get bored repeating what they did at school, so we draw mind maps, practice learning both online and with pencil and paper games, do drawings, and listen to songs.

For adult learners, I prioritize speaking skills, as speaking also involves active listening. We talk about past experiences to use past tenses, or future plans to use future tenses. I also help them with business English, as I have worked in different sectors before becoming a teacher, such as consulting, banking, and the pharmaceutical sector. Additionally, I assign essay writing to reinforce their writing and grammar skills or grammar exercises if that is what they need to improve. Of course, I adapt to my students’ needs, level, or reasons for studying this beautiful language, such as for traveling or working.

Apart from teaching, I enjoy painting, walking my dog, cooking, and sports like horseback riding.

I can’t wait to meet you.

How easy is it to learn Spanish?
We all have a gift, but not everybody has the gift or talent for languages. Learning Spanish or any other language is easier if, for instance, you are already bilingual because your brain is differently wired; it is denser. If not, practice will make you perfect and, answering the next question...

What is the easiest way to learn Spanish?
Being motivated, consistent, and optimistic will help you achieve your goals.

Is Spanish easy to learn?
Spanish is, of course, easier if you already speak a language that comes from Latin. But yes Spanish is easier than French or German.

Is it difficult to learn Spanish?
Spanish has a phonetic spelling which makes it easier, but it has some grammatical difficulties, like the future perfect or the verbs ser and estar.

How much time does it take to learn Spanish?
Not everybody learns the same way, has the same patience, or practices as much. If you want to learn a language, you have to do more than just take classes and learn grammar; you have to read, watch movies, etc. The fastest way is immersion. I learned English in less than six months.