Spanish beginners: module 2

Amaia is a Spanish teacher from the Basque country in Spain. She grew up in Mondragón and studied in San Sebastián and Bilbao where she completed a teaching degree at university. She has always been interested in teaching and, as well as her work in adult education, she has experience teaching at universities and companies. Amaia has Qualified Teacher Status in England and has taught Spanish at all levels. She has a keen interest in exploring those areas of the language that her students find difficult. She takes great pleasure in seeing how her students progress in the language, in their motivation and dedication, and in the dialogue that takes place among adults in the context of the classroom.

Pilar Villanueva-Martinez is a Ph.D. Candidate in Latin American Cultural Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. With over eight years of experience in education, Pilar has become a specialist in teaching courses on Latin American cultures, history, social movements, music, and literature. In addition, she has taught Spanish courses catering to beginners, intermediates, and advanced learners at esteemed institutions like Bucknell University and the University of Texas at Austin. Moreover, she has extended her expertise to various community-engaged organizations, including the Biblioteca del Bicentenario and Casa Cultural el Chontaduro in Colombia. She is also the founder and editor of the Latin American magazine Zánganos, dedicated to disseminating arts, cultures, and activism from the region.

My name is Montse and I am from Seville in the South of Spain. I have a Masters Degree in Bilingual Translation from the University of Westminster and I have worked as an interpreter and translator in both the public and private sector. I qualified as a Spanish Teacher and DELE Examiner with the Cervantes Institute and University of Roehampton, and I have been teaching Spanish full-time since 2016. The thing I love most about teaching is seeing my students progress and gain confidence.

My name is Keylor Murillo Moya and I am from Costa Rica. I studied Hispanic Philology at the Universidad de Costa Rica and I also have a Master Degree in Online and Distance Education from The Open University. Currently, I am at the final stages of my PhD in Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies at King's College London. I've been teaching Spanish as a foreign language for over 20 years, in the UK, Egypt and in my own country. I've worked for several higher education institutions in the UK and I've taught all levels of Spanish. Apart from languages, I'm also interested in literature (poetry, especially), philosophy and art. I do like to teach grammar in my classes, because I think that if you are learning a language you need to understand how it works and where it comes from. However, conversation and speaking are an obvious fundamental part of my classes and I always try to maintain a relaxed and friendly atmosphere among my students.

Analía is a native Spanish speaker from Argentina. She holds a BA and Postgraduate Diploma from Universidad de Buenos Aires. Since she graduated, she has taught English and Spanish language at various levels from Primary School to Adult Education in different settings. As a teacher, she has developed a passion for digital tools which she has incorporated into her teaching practice to enhance the students’ learning experience. Since June 2020, she has worked collaboratively with the Tutor Development Programme (TDP) to plan and deliver tutor training sessions about teaching online as well as student inductions to support students with different digital tools. Analía has recently received the Inspiring Teacher of the Year Award at City Lit. This award recognises tutors who have provided a high-quality online learning experience, demonstrated exceptional knowledge of their subject matter, and provided a memorable classroom experience.

Roberto was born and grew up in Madrid. He decided to become a language teacher because he is passionate about his language and culture. He has a Post-graduate Diploma in Teaching Spanish from the University of Barcelona and a Certificate in Advanced Methodology moderated by the University of Cambridge. He is also a DELE examiner and a qualified teacher trainer. As well as teaching at City Lit, Roberto teaches at London universities and Spanish schools. He has been teaching adults at all levels for many years, which he finds motivating as they share their knowledge, experiences and points of view. When he is not teaching, he enjoys reading historical novels, gardening and cooking.

Dr. Óscar Salgado-Suárez teaches Spanish language and cultural courses at Birkbeck, University of London; Imperial College and City Lit. His cultural research interests are 20th and 21st Century Spanish and Latin American visual and literary representations with a focus on storytelling, affects and humour studies in relation to historiography, national identities and power formations.