My 5 Tips for new Language Assistants

No matter how much you prepare before arriving in Spain, there are some things you only learn once you're actually standing in front of a class of 25 students who are all looking at you.

Most of what I know now didn't come from training sessions or handbooks. It came from making mistakes, figuring things out as I went along, and learning what actually works in a real classroom.

If you're about to start your first year as a language assistant, here are five things I wish someone had told me from the beginning.

1. Always have a backup activity

Whatever you think will take twenty minutes will probably take ten.

Sometimes the students fly through an activity, sometimes they lose interest halfway through, and sometimes your teacher suddenly asks if you have another game ready.

Having two or three simple activities in your back pocket makes life so much easier. A quick speaking game, a round of Hangman, or even a few conversation questions can save you from those slightly awkward moments where everyone's waiting for you to come up with something.

2. Private classes are easier to find than you think

One of the biggest surprises for me was how often parents were looking for English classes outside of school.

Once you've settled into your school, teachers will often mention that parents are looking for a native speaker, and before long you'll probably have someone asking if you're available after school.

It's a great way to earn a bit of extra money while you're living in Spain. Most assistants charge somewhere between €15 and €25 an hour depending on where they live, their experience, and the type of class.

3. Don’t let your students know you speak Spanish.

Even if your Spanish is pretty good, you don't need to tell the students.

The second they realise you understand them, they'll naturally switch to Spanish whenever they get stuck. It's completely understandable, but it defeats the point of having a language assistant in the classroom.

Of course, there are moments where a quick translation can really help, especially with younger students, but in general I found it was much better if they thought English was the only option.

4. Plan a few days ahead

One habit that completely changed my week was planning several lessons in advance instead of doing everything the night before.

It doesn't mean every lesson goes exactly to plan, because classrooms are unpredictable, but having activities ready means you're not constantly thinking about work once you get home.

One of the best parts about living in Spain is actually having time to enjoy it. Whether that's meeting friends for tapas, heading to the beach, joining a gym class, or spending an evening at a language exchange, it's much easier to do when you're not scrambling to plan tomorrow's lesson at 10 o'clock at night.

5. Don’t be too hard on yourself if the students don’t get it.

Some lessons are brilliant.

Some lessons feel like absolutely nobody is listening.

That's just teaching.

The students aren't going to understand everything the first time you explain it, and not every activity is going to be a huge success. Some classes will be full of energy, others will barely say a word.

Give them your best, try different approaches, and remember that you're there to support their learning, not perform miracles. As long as you're showing up prepared and giving it your all, you're doing exactly what you should be doing.

You'll learn more in your first month than you ever expected, and before long you'll realise that the things that felt terrifying during your first week have become completely normal.

That's just part of becoming a language assistant.