¡Hola!

I'm Erica, and I come from Granada, Spain. I’m a fully qualified languages teacher and second in department at a school in Wakefield. I teach Spanish to A-Level, French to GCSE and German to KS3. I am very passionate about languages and increasing engagement. I hold a BA degree in English Studies and an MA in English Applied Linguistics by the University of Granada. I also spent one year studying at Nottingham University. In 2010, I moved to the UK and worked as a language assistant in different schools across the country and, in 2015, I qualified as an MFL Teacher by the University of Reading.

I have an extensive knowledge of pedagogy as well as experience in many fields. For example, I have led a lot of initiatives to promote languages and increase uptake at GCSE & A-Level. I am also the MFL Careers Lead in my department. I have created Spanish resources for a great range of students and teachers and have offered training to my department on ‘engaging’ and ‘relevant’ ideas and activities. I have mentored new staff and ECTs and line-managed different members of the department.

In addition, I worked for the BBC in several occassions in the past & at present I work for them now as an Educational Consultant. I also created content for Newdle, a languages company based in Wakefield. At the moment, I am finisning my NPQ course in 'Leading Teacher Development'. Furthermore, I was translator for the 'Diego Maradona' documentary. I have also been an AQA writing examiner and a presenter for @Linguascope webinars. Finally, I was a Paperchase Ambassador & I am now a Rowan Berry Box Ambassador!


If you want to find out more, you can check my LinkedIn profile

Online Courses for MFL Teachers & 1 to 1 Teacher Mentoring

We offer online Spanish, French & German evening courses for MFL teachers on a termly basis (Sept – Dec, Jan – Apr & May – Jul). We also offer teachers’ intensive courses in the summer (dates coming up soon!).

I have taught the Spanish courses for the past three years and they have been very useful and practical for teachers who now feel well-equipped & more confident to teach their own classes and have an impact on their pupils’ learning by improving their outcomes.  Our German & French courses are also taught by passionate teachers who have plenty of experience and who know how to help you achieve your goals so that you can feel more confident teaching the language.

We also offer 1 to 1 mentoring sessions on ideas, planning, resources, engagement, KS4 uptake, MFL clubs, MFL primary ideas, interview preparation… All things languages teaching & all the training delivered by very experienced teachers. This is based on request so please contact us to find out more.

If you want to book a bespoke languages course or 121 mentoring sessions for yourself and/or your department, please contact me via email or social media (Instagram, Facebook or X).

I am truly passionate about creating Spanish resources as I believe that, although the teacher is the main resource in the classroom, having resources which are attractive and clearly presented can positively impact on teaching and learning. I wanted to make a difference with my website and this is why I created Spanish & Umbrellas. 

My aim is to help teachers plan lessons faster, offer them fresh ideas and share effective tips in order to maximise their students’ progress and promote a love for learning. It can also benefit learners who need extra resources to practise their language skills and develop cultural understanding.

Thank you very much for visiting my website, I really hope to support you!

About Spanish & Umbrellas

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