ESL and EFL Paid Internships for Teaching Adults Business English

Paid Internships

We believe that one year of experience abroad is worth 5 years of experience in any other type of activity. These posts are given out at a centrally-located, up-market school located in the heart of Madrid.

Open to people who have studied TEFL, General Education, Business Administration, Economics, International Relations, Marketing, Political Science, etc.

Teaching English to Adults Paid Internship: Introduction

Besides teaching majors this program is open to people who have studied General Education, Business Administration, Economics, International Relations, Marketing, Political Science, etc.

Posts are sought for intern candidates in well-located, up-market schools. They are typically language training companies in Spain with offices in Madrid and Barcelona and satellite operations nationwide. We also have positions available in Italy (Palermo and Sicily) and Brussels, Belgium.

Based on your qualifications and an interview you will be guaranteed a spot even if you haven't experience.

Internship Purpose: To prepare students for working in an international environment in the language training field. Through working in rapidly expanding international companies, we aim to provide interns with valuable experience in areas related to international working environments:

If you would like the official TEFL Certification you can chose to come a month earlier and do our recognized four-week intensive course. As a fully accredited course, it is valid in all countries around the world. The course includes real teaching practices so you get hands on experience in a supportive environment. Be warned however, this school means business so be prepared for an intensive course!

 

Teaching English to Adults Paid Internship: Official TEFL Certification

Optional - 4 week Intensive TEFL – 1375€

What is included:

For further information and applying write us at best@bestprograms.org

Testimony:

Name: Bob Thomas - Nationality: Canadian

I want to be objective, this course was intensive, required dedication and hard work, but all staff were supportive and approachable and worked hard to make sure we got through it if we were prepared to put the effort in. It was not a holiday but I was proud to have attained a good grade. I am now in Spain supporting myself and enjoying teaching. What's more I am in the loop and I have a support network to go back to, for a place to go and sort work things out, for advice and assistance.

In terms of having a job; what they told me before the course turned out to be true for me. I also made several friends and have an ongoing social network with the occasional party to go. At a time like this with an economic crisis I consider myself lucky to have a job and to be independent right now.

 

Testimony Letters 2010-11

LinkedIn Testimonies - 2011. See original participant endorsements here

"I had the pleasure of working with Jill during my internship program through BEST Programs in Madrid, Spain. Before I even arrived in Madrid, Jill had three interviews already set up for me with dates, locations and points of contact. I ended up interning with a small magazine for six months and was able to directly contribute by managing advertising contracts and subscriptions databases, as well as writing various pieces for publication.

I had a great experience and would recommend BEST to anyone who is looking to gain valuable international work experience. My experience with BEST has directly contributed to current work assignments I've been given to travel and do business in Latin America. The language and business skills learned through your internship will last a lifetime.

Jill is very well connected and well respected with her intern placement companies and can offer placement opportunities in just about every business sector.Jill is also very organized, reliable, personable and is committed to helping you make the most our of your internship opportunity. She has been managing BEST for over 20 years, and it shows in the high level of professionalism, integrity and value delivered through her program."

Service Category: Career Coach
Year hired: 2006
Top Qualities: Great Results, Personable, High Integrity

Alison Trauley (atrauley@gmail.com)

 

 

“When I decided to move abroad in Spring 2010 to learn the Spanish language and culture, I researched numerous agencies and options before choosing to work through BEST programs. With the helpful information I received through their website and staff, I learned about their au pair program and decided this was the best option for my travel goals.

Jill and the BEST staff connected me with a family in Spain, arranged my language classes, provided numerous resources, and personally met with me while I was in Spain. The language school was very impressive, and the family BEST connected me with could not have been better. I have BEST programs to thank for helping me arrange a Spanish experience I will never forget.”

May 23, 2011

Kori Hattemer, Au Pair, BEST Programs - (kori.hattemer@gmail.com)

 

 

“While an undergraduate at St. Edwards University, I contracted BEST to find me an international sales and marketing internship in Madrid Spain. Jill evaluated my professional goals and placed me in a position that best fit my needs and level of Spanish. She was a pleasure to work with and the internship was a complete success!”

Top qualities: Great Results, Good Value, High Integrity

John Shipley (shiptx@hotmail.com)

 

 

I did my internship in translation in Brussels from September to November of 2010. At first it didn't seem good because they were kind of unorganized. Eventually things smoothed out. I was also eventually really welcomed. I even had dinner at my boss's house! My experience was great! It really opened by eyes to other cultures and it strengthened by love for international travel.

Here is a photo of me at the Mannikinpis in Brussels.

Sincerely,

Elisabeth Ellingson (elisabeth.ellingson@gmail.com)

 

 

Dear BEST,

I had an extremely positive experience with Best Programs Paid Internship and would whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone looking to move to Spain for study or work purposes. Although I came to Spain with an advanced level of Spanish, the level of support I received with lodging, transportation work placement, Spanish classes and so forth was still invaluable and helped me transition smoothly to life here.

Spain is a great place to live, filled with culture and life, but the bureaucracy is quite daunting. Going through Best Programs relieved me of so much of the paperwork, red tape, and bureaucracy involved. The entire process with my visa application and student card went through smoothly, the wait time was minimal and everything was trouble free.

The first week of classes was fantastic - the materials and quality of instruction provided and the cultural immersion activities at the school really helped me jumpstart my somewhat rusty Spanish skills and was a great way to segue into life and culture here, meeting local Spaniards as well as students from all corners of the world. Work-wise, everything also went smoothly as promised. Through Best Programs, I was able to find work placement. The training and support provided by Xavier and the staff there are very comprehensive, I have been working for 2 months now and am very happy with everything - the work content, the support system provided and the work salary.

Jill herself was kind enough to arrange an apartment for me for my first 3 months in Madrid. Lodging-wise everything could not have been better. I had a cozy, well-furnished room with my own private bathroom, the apartment was beautiful and there was such great energy in the house. Jill and Nimi are extremely positive, friendly people - they made my stay in Madrid very pleasant and were always there to help out with any issues that I came across while adjusting in Spain.

Initially, I came across Best Programs by pure accident while surfing on the net. At the time, I was considering a host of other similar stay-abroad/work+study programs offered by other agencies. I chose Best Programs purely out of gut instinct, and was worried about how it would be before arriving in Spain. Luckily, everything turned out great! Like I said, the support I received with just about everything was tremendous and it made life here so much easier. For me, it was definitely worth the money!

David Tzeng (darvinchy80@gmail.com)

 

 

Elise Novak (Au Pair)
Family: Blanca Sanz Santander - Dates: 2/12/10 – 6/1/10

Tasks/Responsibilities:

My au pair responsibilities were pretty minimal. Everyday after school I spent 2 hours with the kids working on their English homework and reading comprehension. A few days (mostly over Semana Santa) I was asked to babysit the kids for the morning or afternoon, and some evenings the woman who does the housework/cooking would ask me to help them with their showers. This was all I was required to do, though most days I ended up spending pretty much from 5pm until I went to bed with the kids, between homework and dinner and everything.

Rating of my performance:

Overall I feel satisfied that I gave it my best effort. I often would prepare ahead for homework time, and I made math flashcards for the girl and a huge vocabulary list for the boy. Unfortunately the boy had some behavioral issues, especially in March and April, so at times I felt like I didn’t know how to deal with him, but he was having problems in school and with the family too, so it wasn’t just in his relationship with me. In general though I got along well with the family and from what I could tell they seemed comfortable with my living habits.

Rating of the family:

I could not have asked for a more generous family in terms of how they introduced me to Madrid, included me in all their activities and took me to several palaces and monuments. For Semana Santa I went with them to Vitoria and during that trip they took me to La Rioja. Also in my first month or so the parents stayed up later than usual with me after dinner to speak with me in Spanish and give me practice. In general the kids are pretty well behaved and sweet, though as I said the boy has some behavioral issues, which I think stem out of a lack of social skills.

Strong points of my experience:

I saw and learned a lot in Madrid, and in the second half of my stay was able to travel on weekends to other cities. My Spanish definitely improved. My au pair responsibilities were light so I was free to do whatever I wanted during the day and after dinner.

Weak points:

My family’s previous au pair had come with another American so they were able to go out at night and meet people together, but I didn’t have anyone to go out with in the first place.

Would I recommend/change the program?

Yes, I would definitely recommend the program as a way for young women to get to Spain and explore. I can’t think of anything I would change about the program overall, other than obviously it would be nice to have a larger group of au pairs at any given time in order for them to be able to keep each other company!

Please let me know if you have any other questions that I didn’t touch on.

elise.novak@gmail.com

 

 

Hi,
The internship was great. My work mates spoke English but they tried to speak Spanish with me and wanted me to speak Spanish, so I learned alot! They also had another intern who I spoke Spanish with most of the time.

I walked to work every day and it only took 10 minutes. I wouldn't complain about anything and thought it was great. I have some photos, but don't have my camera here, but I'll absolutely send them another day.

Thank you so much,

Christina Lindstrom (Swedish Fashion Intern, Spring 2010)

 

Hi

I just wanted to make my own comments about my experience with my program in Madrid. I had a totally awesome time and could never have done anything like this without BEST to help arrange everything for me. I shopped around before commiting to the program and found that BEST's prices were far better than many other comparable programs - alot of which did not included housing at very high prices.

Your accommodations coordinator found me a great, central apartment and really enjoyed the mix of nationalities that I lived with. BEST gives you a choice to live with a friend, other international students or local Spanish people so you have to decide which option is best for you and for your Spanish skills! My internship was great - it was tough in the beginning to communicate with my coworkers but after the first 2 or 3 weeks things got much easier and then I got more responsibility and more work to do.

Having this experience has really boosted my confidence and Spanish skills as well as being a lot of fun and giving me a lifetime of memories. I have only good things to say and have recommended the BEST program to MANY people.

Thank you!
Betty Salinger

 

Teaching English to Adults Paid Internship: More Testimonies

Visit our Testimonies Section, have a look to the letters former interns sent to us or choose the area that that you are interested in.

 

Teaching English to Adults Paid Internship: Program Features

Training Program Diploma. Upon completion of the internship, the intern receives:

For those who come from English as a Second Language backgrounds, we not only provide specialized training in adult ESL education, we also certify up to 600 hours of evaluated classroom experience. This exceeds most classroom observation requirements by 4 year universities and it also exceeds the requirements established by the TEFL certificate emitted by the British Council.

Future Job Opportunities... Beyond the internship

A brief list of job opportunities are as follows.

Student Visas
Interns who stay longer than 3 months (90 days) need to obtain a Student Visa. BEST will provide you with the documentation to apply at the Spanish embassy closest to your place of residence.

Stipends: A stipend of up to 1100 euros monthly is given based on the rate of 13 euros/hour gross, with a minimum of 500 euros for part time.

Tax and Health Care: Tax returns are filed in Spain, and are subject to a 2 % tax withholding. For US citizens, filing a tax return in the United States is not obligatory.

Health Insurance: Student Visas require students to possess private health care insurance. This health insurance can be from the United States. This program includes the first three months of health insurance. The cost of extending the insurance once in Spain is 35 euros/month.

Please see the Fees section for a full list of all included features.

 

Teaching English to Adults Paid Internship: Language Course

The Intensive Spanish Program consists of:

The school provides:

 

Teaching English to Adults Paid Internship: Lodging

BEST's housing policy exists to assist the participants of its programs. BEST recommends that the candidate arrive in Madrid on the Saturday or Sunday before the commencement of the program to look for lodging which corresponds with your needs. However, if this is not convenient for you, at no extra cost, we will find you a shared apartment with other participants, a deluxe apartment rental or Spanish roommates.


These are the options we make available:

1. You can sign up for a shared student apartment at all our program locations. These are normally flats with shared bathroom(s), kitchen and a common area with 2 to 4 bedrooms. Cleaning and upkeep are sometimes provided by the owner. They are fully equipped and centrally located. Sometimes there is Internet. A private room costs approximately 500 Euros/month (approx. $670) and a room shared with a friend costs 300 Euros/month each (approx. $400), sometimes payable in advance.

2. In Spain you can sign up for a deluxe apartment, through our partner Friendly Rentals. These can be a loft, a studio or one, two, three bedroom apartments with full services within a converted townhouse or historical building. The decoration is nicer, there is Internet connect, better security. All expenses and cleaning are included. All centrally located. Ask for specific details and photos. Prices range from 60 Euros a night for double occupancy. For this reason this option is normally popular for visiting parents and relatives.

Note: All quoted rent prices can fluctuate according to the exchange rate and the individual landlord's requirement.

3. Room with a Spanish, Belgian or Italian family with either breakfast or half board.

 

Examples of Costs:

Madrid:
Single room + breakfast only: approx. 160€/week;
Single room + half board: approx. 195€/week

Barcelona:
Single room + breakfast only: approx. 135€/week;
Single room + half board: approx. 170€/week

Note: Exact costs depend on individual owners and can continually fluctuate according to season and demand.

4. You can elect to arrange your own lodging.

 

Teaching English to Adults Paid Internship: Calendar and Participation Options

Qualifications / Skills Needed:

  1. University student or graduate in area of interest.
  2. Minimum of 20 years of age.
  3. Professional or academic backgrounds: i.e. Business Administration, Intenational Relations, Marketing, Political Science, etc. Preference given for Education and ESL (English as a Second Language).
  4. Minimum elementary Spanish.
  5. Availability between September and June for a semester or the academic year.
  6. EFL teaching participants must have native speaking skills in English.
     

1. Interns can decide to participate for an entire academic year or for 1 semester.

*Summer semester not available.
Renewals are free with the exception of insurance. Insurance is mandatory.

2. Full Time option:

Requires a full-time commitment, 20 hours a week + attendance of shadowing or training sessions.

3. Part Time option:

Minimum commitment to 10 hours a week + attendance of shadowing or training sessions. Interns would need to be available during the time slots of 8:00-10:00, and/or mid-day, 14:00 to 16:00.

 

Teaching English to Adults Paid Internship: Applying

Application Process Involves:

Application Time: The application process takes a minimum of 2 months, preferably 3 months especially for Brussels. We will sometimes accommodate rush placement for a fee of 100 euros.

Commencement dates: September and January.

Methods of Payment:

1. Credit card payment online or by sending us this Data: Credit card, Number, Expiration date, Validation code, Signature; by scanning and jpg file to best@bestprograms.org.

2. By money order from Western Union. The transfer can be paid with VISA and should be sent to Jill Suzanne Arcaro Gordon. Please send us the control number once payment has been made.

3. BANK TRANSFER in Euros to:

BEST Programs
Open Bank
Plaza Manuel Gomez Moreno, 2; 28020 Madrid, Spain
IBAN: ES69 0073 0100 52 0473377294
Account Number: 0473377294
BIC/SWIFT (Bank Identification Code): OPENES MM
Fee Code: OUR
Please be sure to mention "sender´s name" and what the transfer is for.

All banking costs must be paid by the sender.

4. Paypal to best@bestprograms.org

BEST requests that you notify us once you have made payment and send us a scanned copy of the transfer order, so that we can begin processing your application immediately. We will be on the alert for the transfer and confirm reception of it once received. Transfers can sometime take up to 5 days.

Teaching English to Adults Paid Internship: Terms & Fees

Fees: Participation Fee: 1840 Euros [payable upon confirmation of placement]. 60 euro non-refundable deposit (to be deducted from your final payment).

Cost Includes:

Optional: