Conversational English Classes in Spanish Speaking Countries

If someone knows about teaching English classes in Spanish speaking countries, that’s Judi. She has taught conversational English in three different Spanish-speaking countries. Here she shares her experience in each of these communities.

In the last two years I have been fortunate enough to engage in conversational English classes with Spanish speaking persons in three countries: Peru, Mexico, and Cuba. No, I do not speak fluent Spanish! I do know key words that assist me in communicating with the students and the local community. Along with these key words, facial expressions and gestures are of great assistance. Of course making any conversations needs to be fun to create great experiences. Just as it is difficult to understand any language when spoken rapidly, it is true to remember that as an English speaking person, you should speak slowly. Here is a brief description of my experience teaching English classes in Spanish speaking countries:

Lima, Peru

There were two of us who volunteered at La Molina University. Because this was a voluntary program for students during and after university hours, the number of students and the continuity of discussions from one day to the next would vary. Also, the level of English proficiency was also varied with student being in undergraduate courses to post graduate classes. By the end of the two week sessions, the students were able in small groups to develop a utopian society. The students all agreed that these sessions were fun and appreciated the time they spent with each discussion in English.

Note: Next door to our classroom were South Koreans learning Spanish. At the last day of class our class and their class joined each other in multi-language singing in English. This experience was truly one of the best experiences in volunteering.

Volunteers at the farewell luncheon with staff from La Molina University.

Tomorrow we will share about Judi’s experience in Mexico and Cuba. Stay tuned!