¡Hola!

I'm Erica and I'm from Motril, Granada. I am Head of Languages at a secondary school in West Yorkshire. I teach Spanish at A-Level, French at GCSE, and German at KS3. I am passionate about languages, building positive relationships with students, and enhancing engagement.

I hold a BA in English Studies and an MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Granada. I also spent a year studying at Nottingham University. In 2010, I moved to the UK and worked as a language assistant in various schools across the country. In 2015, I qualified as an MFL Teacher at the University of Reading.

I have extensive expertise in pedagogy and educational practice, particularly in language learning. As the MFL Careers Lead at my previous school, I developed tailored resources to promote careers among students. I also delivered training on effective teaching strategies and student engagement, and provided mentorship to both new and experienced staff.

I have collaborated with the BBC and currently review for them. I am certified in 'Leading Teacher Development' from the NPQ program. I have ve translated for the "Diego Maradona" documentary, created Spanish content for Newsdle, and been an AQA writing examiner. I have also presented webinars for @Linguascope and acted as a stationery Ambassador for Paperchase & Under the Rowan Trees.

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). 

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, 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, TikTok 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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