Find your Dream English Teaching Job

So you’ve passed your TEFL course – congratulations! You are now qualified to teach English and the world is your oyster.

The next step is finding your dream teaching job – but this isn’t always as simple as seems. To give yourself the best chance of finding work teaching English, we’ve put together our top tips for finding a TEFL job:

1. If you have yet to book your TEFL course:

  • It’s good to read up on TEFL jobs even if you haven’t yet qualified! The first piece of advice we would give is to train in the location where you wish to work; this will give you good access to local job vacancies that arise and means that you’ll be there for interviews (sometimes even before your course has finished).

2. If you already have your teaching qualification, but have not yet decided where you want to work:

  • Now’s the time to do some internet research: a good starting point is to check how many English language schools there are in your chosen destination (tip: there are often more opportunities in rural locations than in big cities, where competition is high).
  • Expat forums are a great way to find out what it’s really like to live in your chosen country, and they are a good opportunity to do some early networking; some also show local job posts.
  • Consult the many TEFL recruitment sites that advertise TEFL jobs all over the world. Some people feel more comfortable contacting potential schools and employers prior to their arrival, and these sites are a great way to line up meetings and interviews in advance.
  • Cactus TEFL offers post-course careers advice and support, as well as free access to our very own TEFL jobs board and job alerts. Here you will find potential employers from all over the world, gain an understanding of what it’s like to live and work abroad, and receive expert advice as to the right path for you upon course completion.

3. If you already have your teaching qualification, and are in the location where you want to work:

  • Job searching in-country is the best way to find your dream teaching job. You are already on the ground to read local press and find out about newly-available positions, plus you are readily available to visit schools, attend interviews and meet staff before committing to a job (as it is, after all, just as important that it is the right environment for you).
  • Again, check out Cactus TEFL’s job board for jobs in your area. English language schools in Asia regularly seek ESL/EFL teachers, so sign up for job alerts if you are looking for work particularly in Japan, Taiwan, China or Korea. There are also usually jobs available through Cactus for English teachers in major European cities.

Good luck! If you require help or advice at any point, don’t forget you can contact Cactus TEFL on info@cactustefl.com or 00 44 (0) 1273 830 960.

The verdict – can Ollie surf?

We did it! We promised that Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips would try surfing in Spain, and here is the proof!

A welcome visit to the beach after 40°+ temperatures in Seville (more on that later) saw Ollie swap rugby boots for surfboard and take a few lessons with Escuela de Surf Cadiz (Cadiz Surf School).

The lessons took place on Playa de la Cortadura, one of Cadiz city’s beautiful blue flag beaches. Known for its small waves and warm water, Playa de la Cortadura is perfect for learning to surf – and water lovers can also try paddle boarding and body boarding through the surf school.

So how did Ollie fair? For his first time surfing, and with lessons in both Spanish and English, we were impressed!

Ollie-surfing-youtube-videoOllie managed to get to his feet and catch a few waves with expert guidance from his surf instructor…before taking a dip in the sea!

Check out the video of Ollie surfing on YouTube

 

Ollie-surfingWell done Ollie! Keep posted for our next instalment of what it’s like to learn Spanish in Seville.

And while you’re waiting, why not check out his flamenco moves

¡Hasta luego!

Cactus offers Spanish and surf courses in Cadiz through CLIC, and Ollie also brushed up his Spanish in Seville at their excellent school in central Seville.

 

 

 

 

¿Qué debo hacer para aprender inglés?

La respuesta es simple: cuanto más tiempo dediques a aprender y practicar inglés, más rápido aprenderás. Para aprender inglés necesitas practicar.

A modo de guía, si quieres llegar a un nivel intermedio de inglés (B1) partiendo de un conocimiento cero, te llevará:

• Varios años si estudias 2 horas a la semana
• 6 meses si estudias 15 horas a la semana
• 12 semanas si estudias 30 horas a la semana

8 consejos que te ayudarán a aprender inglés más rápido:

1. Relájate y disfruta
Cuando estamos estresados, si algo nos da vergüenza o nos produce frustración, el cerebro produce hormonas de estrés que actúan como un mecanismo de defensa. Esto ralentiza todo proceso cerebral, excepto aquellos necesarios para sobrevivir. No te lo tomes demasiado en serio y te darás cuenta de que aprendes más rápido de lo que crees.

2. Práctica, práctica, práctica
La práctica hace al maestro. Aprende palabras y frases y úsalos con tu profesor, otros estudiantes,tu familia de acogida – con todo el mundo. No es necesario ser perfecto. Cuanto más practiques, más rápido vaa a progresar en inglés.

3. Reduce la velocidad
La fluidez no implica hablar rápido – significa ser capaz de hablar inglés sin tener que pensar en cómo decir las cosas. Cuanto más practiques todo tipo de habla, más fácil te resultará.

4. Lee
A través de la lectura se aprende mucho vocabulario, expresiones y frases hechas, es una forma rápida y fácil – puedes leer en tu teléfono o tableta, mientras viajas o unos minutos mientras desayunas. Aprovecha la oportunidad y memoriza palabras y frases que te interesen.

5. Establece metas
Ponerte metas te mantiene encaminado y es ideal para motivarte. De esta manera se fragmenta el proceso de aprendizaje de inglés en objetivos fáciles de conseguir y así podrás ir alegrándote por tus logros. A cambio, te ayudará a aprender rápidamente, te mantendrá motivado y te marcará el calendario que tienes que seguir. Piensa en los motivos que te han llevado a aprender inglés y basa tus objetivos en esto.

6. Aprende con un amigo

Si tienes un amigo con tu mismo nivel de inglés proponte aprender inglés juntos. Podéis probar a hablar inglés (sin que os de vergüenza), ver una película en inglés o incluso viajar a un país de habla inglesa juntos. Si tienes a alguien a quien no quieres defraudar esto jugará un papel importante en tu motivación y progreso.

7. Deja de disculparte

No pases tanto tiempo disculpándote por tus errores y usa ese tiempo para alegrarte por los logros que estás haciendo. Cada vez que abres la boca para decir algo, estás mejorando – así que ¡cree en ti mismo! Cambia esos “No hablo mucho inglés” por un lenguaje más positivo: “Estoy aprendiendo; ¿Podría hablar un poco más lento? “. Sentirte bien con tu inglés te dará un impulso y ganas de aprender aún más.

8. No te rindas

Aprenderás inglés más rápido si aceptas desde el principio que requiere de esfuerzo y

determinación. Para lograr hablar inglés de manera fluida, es probable que tengas que pasar por malentendidos, momentos de frustración y de vergüenza así como un atleta tiene que sobrellevar el dolor, las lesiones y las derrotas en su camino para lograr una medalla de oro olímpica. Cada palabra que dices te está ayudando a aprender inglés, sea o no lo que querías decir. Por eso, salta los obstáculos para poder lograr el nivel de inglés que deseas más rápido.

¡Buena suerte!

Cactus trabaja con escuelas en todo el mundo seleccionadas meticulosamente para ofrecer cursos de inglés que se adapten a todos los intereses y presupuestos. Desde programas de cursos académicos de inglés en Londres hasta cursos intensivos de inglés en Nueva York, nuestros cursos son idóneos para quienes quieren aprender inglés para los negocios, por placer o para viajar.

¿Cuánto tiempo se tarda en aprender inglés?

 ¿Cuánto tiempo se tarda en aprender inglés? La respuesta a esta pregunta se ha convertido en un tema muy popular y relevante dada la gran cantidad de personas en todo el mundo que quiere aprender inglés.

Los factores que determinan el tiempo que podría llevar aprender inglés son muchos. Estos incluyen:

1. ¿Cuánto estás expuesto al inglés en tu entorno cotidiano?

Aprenderás inglés rápidamente si estás expuesto al idioma todos los días, todo el día – por ejemplo, si estás viviendo, trabajando, estudiando o viajando en un país de habla inglesa. Hacer un curso de inglés en un país de habla inglesa es la mejor manera de aprender inglés rápido ya que estarás recibiendo clases de inglés de calidad a la vez que estás inmerso en el idioma y la cultura todos los días fuera de clase.

Si no tienes la posibilidad de hacer un curso de inglés en el extranjero, intenta exponerte al inglés lo máximo que puedas en casa. Si puedes, pasa una hora o más cada día estudiando inglés, notarás la mejoría mucho más rápidamente que si sólo pasas una o dos horas cada semana estudiando el idioma. Una buena idea es hacer un curso de inglés por las tardes una vez a la semana, y complementar esto con auto-estudio en casa y con la lectura de periódicos en inglés, la televisión, la radio y el cine.

2. ¿A qué edad se debe empezar a aprender inglés?

Se puede empezar a aprender inglés a cualquier edad, bien es cierto que los niños tienden a tener más facilidades dado que sus cerebros aún se están formando y muestran una aptitud lingüística natural. Los niños absorben el inglés rápidamente y desarrollan una pronunciación auténtica, sin las inhibiciones que normalmente nos afectan a los adultos. Los niños tienen más facilidades para desarrollar las habilidades auditivas y de expresión oral, mientras que los adultos pueden sobresalir en primera instancia en la escritura y la lectura. Empieza cuanto antes, cuando somos jóvenes el aprendizaje es más rápido. Pero no dejes que eso te detenga si lo que quieres es aprender inglés ya de adulto. Con el curso adecuado, con una actitud positiva hacia el idioma y con perseverancia se puede aprender inglés a cualquier edad.

3. Si hablas otros idiomas

Si ya hablas un segundo o tercer idioma, esto te ayudará a aprender inglés rápido. Tu cerebro ya estará acostumbrado a los procesos de aprendizaje de idiomas y contarás con una mejor comprensión gramática general y los tiempos verbales. Y si alguna de esas lenguas es una lengua germánica occidental con raíces en el latín te será aún más fácil ya que están estrechamente relacionadas con el inglés. El conocimiento de alguna lengua escandinava (sueco, noruego, danés) o romance (francés, español, italiano) también podrá acelerar el progreso en el aprendizaje del inglés.

4. El nivel de fluidez que desea conseguir en inglés

Si lo que quieres es aprender a defenderte en inglés esto te llevará mucho menos tiempo que conseguir hablar un inglés fluido. Para algunos estudiantes el objetivo es tener un nivel intermedio (B1), otros necesitan un nivel B2 (para comunicarse en el ámbito empresarial), o el nivel C1 (para comunicarse de manera efectiva en el ámbito empresarial, para realizar estudios universitarios), o incluso para estudios universitarios de postgrado (para enseñar inglés o para realizar estudios de periodismo internacional). Cuanto mayores sean los objetivos que te has propuesto con el idioma, más tiempo y esfuerzo necesitarás invertir.

Cuantas más horas le dediques a la semana, más rápido irás mejorando. Si partes de 0, puede llevarte 10 años llegar a un nivel B2 si le dedicas 2 horas a la semana. Sin embargo, puedes llegar al mismo nivel en un año si le dedicas 25 horas semanales.

5. ¿Se te da bien aprender rápido?

Todos somos diferentes en la forma en que aprendemos y la velocidad a la que lo hacemos. Tú mejor que nadie sabes cuánto tiempo te lleva aprender cosas nuevas y cómo de bien se te dan los idiomas. Incluso si te resulta complicado aprender idiomas, no te desanimes – que no te aparte del aprendizaje del inglés ya que de por encima de todo es una lengua tremendamente útil y es muy gratificante poder hablarla. Encuentra tu forma de aprenderlo mejor y hazlo divertido – ponte a ver películas en inglés, a leer revistas en este idioma, juega a juegos ingleses o haz tu propio cuaderno en el que recopiles las palabras que vas aprendiendo.

Los profesores de inglés son expertos en encontrar formas de sacar lo mejor de cada tipo de alumno y un curso de inglés es sin duda la mejor manera de aprender con independencia del tipo de estudiante que seas.

¡Buena suerte y a disfrutar del aprendizaje del inglés!

Para más información y asesoramiento sobre los cursos de inglés, ponte en contacto con Cactus. Cactus tiene más de 15 años de experiencia en la organización de cursos de inglés en todo el mundo para todas las edades y presupuestos. Desde cursos de inglés general hasta cursos de inglés comercial, pasando por clases particulares de inglés, cursos de preparación para exámenes de inglés, cursos de inglés para niños, programas de inglés para un año académico y muchos más.

www.cactuslanguage.com

CELTA and Trinity: Which TEFL course is for you?

What is the difference between the Cambridge CELTA and Trinity TESOL?

Both the Cambridge CELTA and Trinity TESOL are English language teaching certificates that are accredited and recognised all over the world. As a result there are actually more similarities between the two courses than differences, but we shall look at the finer details of both.

Similarities

–          Both are accredited by highly respected institutions: TESOL by Trinity College London and CELTA by University of Cambridge English Language Assessment (formerly University of Cambridge ESOL)

–          Entry criteria for both includes: being over 18 years of age; having a standard of education equivalent to that required for higher education; a good level of spoken and written English; a good level of language awareness

–          Both include 6 hours of teaching practice with real English language students

–          Both courses comprise 5 units of learning

–          Non-native English language speakers with CAE PASS or IELTS 7.0 can apply to both

–          There is no final exam for either and assessment is continuous throughout the course

–          Both courses have a duration of a minimum 4 weeks

Differences

–          The CELTA must last for a minimum of 120 hours, the TESOL for 130 hours

–          The 5 units of learning for Trinity are:

  1. Teaching skills
  2. Language Awareness
  3. The Learner Profile
  4. Materials Assignment
  5. Unknown Language

–          The 5 units of learning of CELTA are:

  1. Learners and Teachers/Teaching and Learning
  2. Language Analysis and Awareness
  3. Language Skills
  4. Planning and Resources for Different Contexts
  5. Developing Teaching Skills and Professionalism

–         An external moderator will mark unit 4 for the TESOL and the whole course will be moderated by an external assessor for the CELTA.

–          For TESOL the final grades are either pass or fail. For CELTA the final grades are Pass A, Pass B, Pass or Fail.

Which one should I take?

Given the similarities between the two courses and that they carry the same weight in terms of international recognition, the main three deciding factors when choosing between the CELTA and TESOL are:

1. Price

The TESOL generally tends to be a little cheaper than the CELTA, although this is not always the case.

2. Location

When it comes to location, large cities will have centres that offer both the TESOL and the CELTA, but smaller cities may only offer one of the courses. If location is a key factor then this may limit your choice or options.

3. Facilities and reputation of the centre

All TESOL and CELTA centres are externally moderated and inspected, and must adhere to the standards and criteria set out by Trinity and Cambridge. However, not all centres are exactly the same in terms of facilities and reputation, and this is often reflected in the price. If you are looking for specific facilities such as air conditioning throughout, a good on-site café or a maximum group size of 12, then you need to look in detail at the specifics of what each centre offers and this may determine which course you choose to go for.

student and teacher looking smiling at the libraryCactus TEFL is an admissions and advice service for quality teacher training courses worldwide. Cactus works with well-known course providers to offer CELTA, TESOL, equivalent and online courses in over 90 locations across 36 countries. Cactus TEFL also offers free post-course careers advice and support, as well as access to our very own TEFL jobs board and job alerts.

 

Bastille Day: The best places to celebrate in France

Former Cactus intern Cécile Sargueux gives us a bit of history and top tips for celebrating ‘le quatorze juillet’ in her home country…in English / en français!

FRENCH / EN FRANCAIS

Le 14 juillet est le jour de la fête républicaine française symbolisant la Liberté et l’Egalité, et commémorant le passage de la monarchie à la République.

Histoire:
A Paris, le mardi 14 juillet 1789, des émeutiers prennent d’assaut la prison de la Bastille qui est le symbole du pouvoir absolutiste. Leur objectif est de s’emparer des armes pour pouvoir affronter les troupes du Roi. Ce jour marque le début de la Révolution française, la constitution de nouvelles règles de fonctionnement et l’instauration de nouvelles valeurs, définies dans la Déclaration des droits de l’homme. Comme ce jour a été très sanglant pour le peuple français, c’est le jour de la Fédération du 14 juillet 1790 qui est officiellement célébré, et non pas la prise de la Bastille.

Jour de fête nationale: feux, bals et défilés
Partout en France et pour tous c’est jour de fête nationale. De somptueux défilés militaires sont organisés, avec défilés motorisés, aériens et à pied, sauts de parachutistes et fanfares militaires. D’innombrables feux d’artifice sont tirés les 13 et 14 juillet, et des bals populaires et des concerts animent les villes en effervescence jusqu’au bout de la nuit ! Chaque année, flonflons, pétards, cocardes tricolores, danse et musette accompagnent l’ambiance festive, bon enfant et féérique du 14 juillet. C’est une expérience unique à vivre !

Voici 3 des villes qui offrent un spectacle fabuleux à cette occasion:

Paris:
La plus importante parade militaire se déroule à Paris. Les principaux corps d’armées sont présents, et les militaires défilent en grande tenue sous les yeux du président de la république et de la foule. Brandissant fièrement le drapeau de la nation, le cortège descend le long des Champs Elysées, de la Place de l’Étoile jusqu’à la Concorde.
L’impressionnant feu d’artifice de Paris est un de ceux qui nécessitent le plus de moyens financiers et humains en France. Tiré au pied de la tour Eiffel, on peut l’admirer depuis le Champ de Mars ou la Place du Trocadéro.

Lyon:
Un bal des pompiers est généralement organisé dans toutes les villes de France. A Lyon, les sapeurs pompiers de Gerland transformeront leur caserne en un club géant, avec une plage de sable à l’extérieur. Sur la Place de la Croix Rousse, une véritable station balnéaire prendra place, où danse, musique, transats, boissons et pétanque seront au programme. Sur les quais de Saône, 3 scènes différentes constitueront le grand bal populaire. Le feu d’artifice grandiose de Lyon partira depuis la colline de Fourvière.

Carcassonne, à une heure de Toulouse:
Chaque année, un exceptionnel et époustouflant feu d’artifice de renommée internationale embrase les légendaires remparts de la cité médiévale. Pendant 25 minutes, plus de 700 000 personnes assistent à ce spectacle inouï de lumières et de couleurs qui enflamment le ciel. C’est un des meilleurs feux d’artifices au monde !

ENGLISH / EN ANGLAIS

On the 14th of July, French Republican day is celebrated to commemorate the transition from the monarchy to the First Republic, and to symbolize la Liberté et l’Egalité (Liberty and Equality) won by the people.

History:
In Paris, on Tuesday, the 14th of July 1789, rioters stormed the prison of Bastille, a symbol of the absolutist power. Their objective was to take possession of the weapons to be able to face the King’s troops. This day marked the beginning of the French Revolution, the constitution of new rules of functioning, and the establishment of new values defined in the Déclaration des droits de l’homme (Human rights statement). Given that this day was very bloody for the French people, we officially celebrate the 14 July 1790 Fête de la Fédération, and not the storming of the Bastille.

Bastille Day: pyrotechnics, balls and parades
Everywhere in France and for everyone, this is a national day of celebration. Sumptuous march-pasts are organized with flypasts, motorised and walking parades, parachute jumps and military bands. There are many firework displays on 13th and 14th July, and cities across France celebrate with balls and concerts throughout the night! Every year, brass bands, firecrackers, dance and accordion music go with the festive, friendly and enchanting atmosphere of the Bastille Day. It is a unique event to experience!

Here are 3 cities offering a fabulous show for this occasion:

Paris:
The greatest march-past takes place in Paris. The main army corps are present, and impeccably uniformed servicemen parade before both the President of the Republic and the crowd. Whilst proudly brandishing the national flag, the procession goes down Les Champs Elysées, from La Place de l’Etoile to La Concorde. The impressive fireworks display of Paris requires the utmost financial and human resources. Fired at the bottom of the Eiffel tower, it can be watched from Le Champ de Mars or La Place du Trocadéro.

Lyon:
A Firemen’s ball (Bal des pompiers) is generally organised in every French town. In Lyon, the fire-fighters of Gerland will turn their fire station into a giant club, with a sandy beach outside. On La Place de la Croix Rousse, a real seaside resort will take place, where dance, music, deckchairs, drinks and petanque are planned. On the quays at Saône, 3 different stages will host the big popular ball. The spectacular fireworks of Lyon will be fired from the Fourvière Hill.

Carcassonne, only one hour from Toulouse:
Every year, an outstanding fireworks display, well-known all over the world, sets ablaze the ancient ramparts of the medieval city. For 25 minutes, more than 700,000 people attend this extraordinary show of lights and colors setting fire to the sky. This is one of the best firework displays in the world!

Cactus offers French courses in Paris, Lyon and many other fantastic locations in France.

We also offer evening language courses in French in London, Manchester, Bristol and other major UK locations. This is the perfect way to learn the basics or brush up on existing skills prior to visiting France!

So you want to see Ollie dancing flamenco?

Last week we asked you what you wanted to see Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips doing in Spain…and the overwhelming response was to see Ollie Phillips dancing flamenco!

We listened to your feedback and whilst Ollie was in Spain earlier this week he not only danced flamenco, but he did so at the highly prestigious Museo del Baile Flamenco in Seville.

museodelbaileflamencoThis 18th century Museum of Flamenco Dance, founded by respected flamenco dancer Cristina Hoyos, is a flamenco dance institution housed in a traditional Andalucian palace. Cristina is one of the most important flamenco dancers in Spain and she has worked with the legends of flamenco, many of whom are honoured in the museum. For those interested in learning about flamenco’s roots and appreciating the beauty of the art of flamenco, this is the place to come.

And so to Ollie.

Ollie was invited to join dancers on stage at one of their evening performances, in front of an audience of some 100 flamenco fans. Undeterred by no previous dance experience – and no doubt helped by the natural agility that comes with being a professional sportsman – Ollie gallantly copied the experts and proceeded to dance flamenco to everyone’s delight.

So here we are folks – the proof:

ollie-phillips-flamenco

Keep posted for the complete video of Ollie’s trip to Seville and Cadiz which will be released shortly – including footage of him dancing flamenco on stage!

clic_logoOllie travelled to Spain to study Spanish with Cactus partner CLIC in Seville. Cactus offers Spanish courses in Seville and in many locations across Spain and Latin America.

 

 

School trips abroad: make language learning real

School trips abroad allow students to see the useful of the language they are learning for themselves.

If there is one subject that gets a hard time in the UK, it’s modern languages. As the world becomes better at English, and British students opt for other subjects that are portrayed as more useful and appealing, once popular subjects such as French, Spanish and German are in worrying decline. Yet if there is one subject that equips students for the future, preparing them for life on the global platform and increasing their employability and earning potential, it’s – yes – languages.

With the country “producing too few young professionals with good language skills to meet the country’s needs” (Language Survey Trends 2013/2014 – British Council), the real and pressing issue today is to encourage more of our younger learners to embrace languages. Comparing Britain’s struggle to equip students with a basic level in one foreign language to the European Commission’s impressive achievement of 61% of secondary school pupils across Europe studying two foreign languages (forecast to increase to 75% by 2020) shows there is clear potential to improve second language ability in the UK.

The situation at secondary education level obviously has an impact on language learning in higher education: in 2014, not one language featured in the top 10 courses studied at university. Instead, subjects related to medicine, business studies and the fashionable creative arts hold far greater appeal to the students of today.

So what can we do to reignite the interest in second languages?

As experts in modern languages and empowered with the task of educating the next generation, we have the responsibility to show our younger learners the true value of learning a foreign language and how it can change their lives.

segovia_childrenOne way to do this is to make language learning real. If we can take foreign language students out of the classroom and transport them to a country where the language is spoken – encouraging them to soak up the culture, explore the history and indulge in the food – it can make all the difference to their linguistic and all-round education. Indeed, in its report titled ‘Learning outside the classroom’, Ofsted identified that primary and secondary schools who take learning outside the classroom “make subjects more vivid and interesting for pupils and enhance their understanding”.

In the case of learning a language, the benefits are manifold. Speaking the language in a real-life situation is the quickest way for any student to improve their spoken language, even if (and especially if) mistakes are made. From ordering a Fanta Limón in a café to telling your host family about your family back home, being abroad gives the impetus, need and desire to speak the target language. It’s no longer role play in class back home: these conversations have a purpose and generate a real sense of achievement.

The same Ofsted report alludes to further advantages, stating that learning outside the classroom “can also contribute significantly to pupils’ personal social and emotional development”. 

And this is arguably as important as any linguistic growth. Giving young people the chance to spend time in another country, learning about another culture and customs, is giving them the gift of global knowledge. They are likely to become tolerant citizens and more accepting of other cultures in their future social and professional lives. They will also learn more about themselves, and in rising to new challenges they will gain confidence that can be transferred to many aspects of life and learning.

seville_clic_courtyardA high quality language study trip will include language lessons geared to your students’ level at a local language school, to give them a solid foundation in the language, and allow them to spend the afternoons enjoying fun social, sporting and cultural activities. Safe and comfortable accommodation with carefully selected host families provides a relaxed environment in which to further practise the language and experience the culture first-hand. If your students are preparing for their GCSE Spanish or A Level German, for example, a language trip abroad will help them to progress their skills at a criticial time in their development.

The overall result is that school trips can lay strong foundations for building a positive attitude during the highly impressionable teenage years; this in turn leads to positive aspirations, enhanced relationships (with teachers, parents, the community) and improved well-being. Increased career prospects down the line are an added and significant bonus.

Learning languages through inspiring trips abroad is more relevant and necessary for our students than ever before – and the good news is, it’s easy to make this happen. Seek out a good language training company and they will be able to design a bespoke trip to match your group’s age, level and interests; organise a familiarisation trip; and visit your school to chat to teachers and parents in advance of the trip.

Let’s get our teenagers speaking more languages, both inside and outside the classroom!

happy positive teenagersCactus is a leading provider of language courses and specialises in arranging high quality language trips for school groups abroad. Language tuition, comfortable accommodation, stimulating activities and safety are at the heart of every trip we organise, and every trip is tailored to the needs of the group.

We regularly visit schools to talk to teachers, parents and students about the benefits and logistics of school group travel. www.cactuslanguage.com

CELTA Course Winner – LIVE Prague Blog

Do you want to know first-hand what it’s really like to take a TEFL course?

Follow our 2014 Suzanne Furstner Scholarship and CELTA course winner, Shervin Hejazi, who has just arrived in Prague to claim his prize of a 4-week Trinity CertTESOL course at our partner school Oxford House TEFL.

Shervin started his course on Monday and is already well under way. When he’s not revising English grammar and carrying out teaching practice in front of fellow students, he’s busy updating his blog with his thoughts and experiences on his TEFL course in Prague – giving would-be teacher trainees a window into the world of a TEFL student, and hopefully inspiring them to do the same! We’re loving Shervin’s blog and we hope you do too!

Follow Shervin’s TEFL in Prague blog

Read Shervin’s winning Scholarship essay here

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Cactus TEFL is an admissions and advice service for quality teacher training courses worldwide. Cactus works with the majority of well-known course providers to offer CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL, equivalent and online courses in over 90 locations across 36 countries. Cactus TEFL also offers free post-course careers advice and support, as well as access to our very own TEFL jobs board and job alerts.

Ollie Phillips Spain – what do you want him to do?

Ollie Phillips Spain – Is Spain ready?

So we’ve told you that Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips is jetting off to Spain this weekend

Now we want YOU to tell us what you want to see him doing!

Reply in the Comments box with your choice of the following:

I would like to see Ollie Phillips in Spain…

  1. Dancing flamenco
  2. Kite surfing
  3. Making a paella
  4. Ordering sangria and tapas in Spanish
  5. Pretending to bullfight
  6. Playing Spanish guitar

…and we will do our best to make it happen!!

But quick – he goes on Sunday 5th July, so get your votes in now!

Ollie Phillips Spain: Ollie is going to learn Spanish in Seville and try Spanish and Kitesurfing in Cadiz. Cactus offers Spanish courses in Seville, Cadiz and across Spain, many of which offer the great opportunity to combine Spanish lessons with activities such as surfing, tennis, flamenco and cooking.