¡Hola!

I'm Erica, and I come from Motril, a town in Granada, Spain. I’m Head of Languages in a secondary school in West Yorkshire. I can 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 from 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 at the University of Reading.

I have extensive knowledge of pedagogy as well as experience in many fields. For example, I have led numerous initiatives to promote languages and increase uptake at GCSE and A-Level. I am also the MFL Careers Lead in my department. I have created Spanish resources for a wide 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 have worked for the BBC on several occasions in the past and currently work for them as an Educational Consultant/Reviewer. I hold certification in 'Leading Teacher Development' through the NPQ program. Furthermore, I was a translator for the 'Diego Maradona' documentary and created Spanish content for Newsdle. I was also an AQA writing examiner and a presenter for @Linguascope webinars. Finally, I was a Paperchase Ambassador and 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 evening courses for MFL teachers on a termly basis (Sept – Dec, Jan – Apr, and May – Jul). We also offer intensive summer courses for teachers and we have currently available summer 1 to 1 lesson packages at all levels & mentoring sessions packages tailored to your specific needs.

I have taught the Spanish courses for the past three years, and they have been very useful and practical for teachers. These courses have helped teachers feel well-equipped and more confident in teaching their own classes, positively impacting their pupils’ learning by improving outcomes. Our French courses are also taught by passionate teachers with plenty of experience who know how to help you achieve your goals, making you feel more confident in teaching the language.

I also offer one-to-one mentoring sessions on A-Level teaching, planning, creating resources, engagement ideas, KS4 uptake, and interview preparation. These sessions are available upon request or via the lessons packages available on the online shop, so please contact me to find out more.

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

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

My aim is to help teachers plan lessons faster, offer them fresh ideas, and share effective tips 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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