Radka Číhařová
Cádiz

During my stay in Cádiz, Spain, I took part in the Crash Course Spanish Teacher Training, which was designed not only for beginning teachers of Spanish seeking practical experience. The CLIC Cádiz language school offers courses for students of all levels, from A0 to C2, as well as methodological and practical courses for teachers, which was the perfect combination of theory and practice for me.

Among the highlights of the course were observing different teachers at work and the opportunity to teach a block of lessons for complete beginners. It was very inspiring to see various teaching styles while also trying out my own approach directly in practice. My accommodation with Señora Carmen added to the authenticity of the experience and gave me the feeling of being part of the local culture.

I am bringing back several concrete ideas to my own teaching. For example, improving board layout – clearly distinguishing masculine and feminine nouns or regular and irregular verbs – which makes things more transparent for students. I was also inspired by different ways of gamifying lessons, such as button games, error spotting, “find a classmate who…”, or working with “street phrases” that help students understand everyday communication.

The organization of the course was sometimes a little chaotic, but everything could be arranged, and in the afternoons the school regularly offered cultural activities in Spanish and city walks. These activities allowed me to practice the language in a real context and get to know the local culture, which is valuable for a teacher not only professionally but also personally. Overall, the course was very inspiring and motivating, and it provided me with new methods and experiences that I will be able to use in my own teaching.