Information About Fernando - Aberystwyth teacher -

(1 review)

Personal Description:

Hello! ¡Hola!

My name is Fernando and I am a Qualified Teacher of Spanish with years of experience teaching Spanish in different environments.

I have a degree in English Studies and a Master's in Education with specialisation in second language acquisition. I hold full QTS (Qualified Teacher Status in the UK). I have also received training in teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language at the European University of Madrid and the Cervantes Institute. I keep myself updated in the field, taking opportunities for continuous professional development.

I am currently writing my doctoral thesis about contemporary Spanish literature.

Piece of advice: don't ask me about it unless you are ready to hear me talk for hours on end :)

Teaching Experience:

I have experience teaching Spanish in different settings. Before I moved to the UK, I volunteered as a Teacher of Spanish, teaching the language to migrants and refugees. I balanced this with my postgraduate studies and teaching English as a Foreign Language in Spanish schools.

After I moved to the UK, I started teaching Spanish in tertiary education. In the past I have taken different teaching roles at Coventry University or the University of Birmingham, always related to the teaching of Spanish. I have been in charge of conversation groups, Spanish grammar classes, translation classes (English>Spanish), among others.

Additionally, I have worked as a private tutor. I have supported GSCE and A Level Spanish candidates, with very good results, and taught Spanish to casual adult learners. I have experience organising and delivering courses for absolute beginners, improvers and advanced students.

Currently, I am doing my PhD in Hispanic Studies while I teach Spanish part-time at Aberystwyth University (Wales), so the Spanish language really is my bread and butter.

Teaching Approach:

After years of teaching Spanish as a foreign language in different settings, I have become a versatile individual with a student-centered approach. Unless the student is not preparing for a specific exam, I have a preference for communicative approaches, using my own materials and real documents, like songs, ads or news articles. In my classes, pupils learn by doing, experiencing a first-hand use of the language.

As a professional Spanish teacher, I have access to an ample range of pedagogical materials that ensures that my classes are never the same. I use a combination of self-crafted materials, text books and real-life documents.

My main objetive is making lessons engaging and challenging, always tailored to the needs of the students. In my online classes, I use a variety of Microsoft-powered tools such as Whiteboard or Teams.