Spanish Tuition

Spanish Tutor Buckinghamshire Hertfordshire

I am a Spanish tutor and obtained the official state Spanish qualification for teaching Spanish.

After years in secondary and adult education I now give Spanish classes for adults online and in person.

On this page I will present the following information

• Spanish Class Locations
• Online Spanish Tuition
• Spanish Tuition Fees
• My Spanish Language Students
• The Spanish Language Learner
• Which Spanish Language Topics Will We Cover?
• Teaching Materials
• The Four Spanish Language Skills
• One to One Individual Spanish Classes
• Spanish Group Classes
• Class Duration
• Spanish Tuition Frequency
• A Very Successful Recent Student
• My experience teaching Spanish classes for adults
• My Spanish teacher qualifications
• Spanish classes for adults designed for you
• Getting in touch

Spanish Class Locations

I am based in Waddesdon,  Buckinghamshire. I teach in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire at the following towns and surrounding villages:

Buckinghamshire: Amersham, Aylesbury, Buckingham, Beaconsfield, Chesham, Milton Keynes.

Hertfordshire: Tring, Berkhamsted, St. Albans, Hemel Hempstead.

Oxfordshire: Oxford, Thame Banbury, Bicester.

Online Spanish tuition

For my online Spanish classes I can use Skype, Zoom or WhatsApp.

This will depend upon your preference and which service works best with your Internet connection.
The truth is that I do not feel that online tution is ever as good as in person.
However, Covid has made remote online classes a form of communication that we all seem to adapt to.

Some of my students do both.

They take one complete 1 hour in person class and then a couple of follow up shorter online classes.

Spanish Tuition Fees

In person tuition is £20.00 for one student for one hour.

I can discuss small group fees if this is practical.

Online tuition is £15.00. per hour.

My Spanish Language Students

I work with a wide range of students.

Here are some examples:

• People, in work or retired who visit Spain regularly.
• Business people who need to acquire some Spanish language skills in preparation for trips to any Spanish speaking country.
• Students studying for examinations.
• University students who want to discuss their papers.
  Often these students just want to test out ideas.
• People who already speak Spanish but want to maintain or improve their skills.

The Spanish lessons can be one to one or in small groups.

They can be for fun or because you have a specific interest and need for Spanish tuition.

The Spanish language learner

Very early on in my teaching career I saw that not all language learners work in the same way.

Some people are fast and energetic.

Others prefer to take their time.

Therefore, my first step is to get to know what works best for you.

Quite apart from the pace of the Spanish classes you may well have other preferences.

Some people really like to use a text book.

It gives a kind of sense of organisation and shall we say security.

But that isn’t right for everyone.

You may already have quite an advanced Spanish level.

So, you might be looking to develop your speaking and listening skills.

You may find certain sections of a text book useful.

Equally you may find other sources to be more inspiring.

What this all means is that I feel I have to get to know your learning style.

I can then use my teaching experience to help you to develop your skills.

Which Spanish Language Topics Will We Cover ?

As an adult learner you may well already have some idea of the elements of Spanish language that will be most useful to you.

I think that can often be a good idea.

Perhaps we study better and indeed learn faster when we focus on what matters to us personally.

With this in mind the following is a reduced guide to some of the topics that we typically cover in our Spanish classes.

You may notice that I do not provide complete information here. The idea is to provide just a few examples.

• Greetings: hello, good morning, what is your name, thank you, goodbye. ||| Hola, Buenos días, Cómo te llamas? Gracias, Adiós.
• My family: mother, daughter, sister, father, son, brother, children, cousins, aunts.||| Madre, Hija, Hermana, Padre, Hijo, Hermano, Hijos/Niños.
• Who we are related to: my brother, your sister, your parents, her aunts, their cousins, do you have any sisters? is this your uncle? I have two brothers. ||| Mi hermano, tu hermana, tus padres, sus tías, sus primos, tienes hermanas?, es este tu tío?, tengo dos hermanos.
• To be and to have: I am, you are, she is. I have, you have, she has, they have.||| Yo soy, tu eres, ella es, yo tengo, tu tienes, ella tiene, ellos tienen.
• Ordering food in a coffee bar: the vocabulary for coffee, tea, toast, cakes. How to say what you want. ||| café, té, tostada, pasteles, bollería.
• The Spanish word Querer.
• We use this word to say what we want. We use it politely to ask for things, such as food in a restaurant.
• Hence: I want (yo quiero), you want (tú quieres/usted quiere), she wants (ella quiere), we want (nosotros queremos), you want [plural] (vosotros queréis/ustedes quieren), they want (ellas quieren).
• The word Quisiera. This is used to be polite and is similar to ‘I would like’ in English.
  For example: Quisiera una mesa para las 8||| I would like a table for 8pm.
  However, you could also use the ‘to have’ word: tener. You may want to say “do you have a table for 8pm”? So, you would say: Tienen una mesa para las 8.
  Tienen is plural and just like in English you are asking if the restaurant has a table rather than the individual that you are speaking with.
  Or another way to think about it is you are saying: “do you people [plural] have a table for 8pm”?||| Tienen ustedes una mesa para las 8?
• The days of the week, the month and times of day. Sometimes students find this a little boring.
  But I have my own approach to learning this Spanish vocabulary.
  The key is to understand that we need this to make all kinds of social and business appointments.
  Furthermore, we need this to be able to explain our own timetable.
  For example, when are the school holidays (vacaciones), the children’s birthdays (cumpleaños).
• Telling the time in Spanish. In English we say “it is a quarter to two” or “it is a quarter past two”. In Spanish this is said in a different form. The system is to say: “it is the two minus a quarter” “Son las dos menos cuarto” or “it is the two and a quarter” “son las dos y cuarto”. Perhaps you already know that “son” is plural. It does not mean it is, it means they are. You see in Spanish if the numbers are more than one, they are called “son”. OK, so if it is ten to one this is where we use the singular word, simply es. Hence it is five to one will be “es la una menos cinco”, likewise five past one is “es la una y cinco”.
• Making Appointments and using the telephone.
  Now we can introduce the language needed to make an appointment.
  If this is formal, we will use the Spanish ‘Usted’ form of address.
  However, for our friends we use the informal.
  Too complex to explain here but we enjoy clarifying these in our classes.
• Getting around in a Spanish speaking country.
  To move around we are going to need the language for: train station/ la estación, return ticket/ de ida y vuelta, first class/ primera clase, second class/segunda clase, how much/cuánto cuesta.
  However, we also need to know how to use the underground/metro, busses/autobús, taxis/el taxi.
  Adding to this we will want to talk about going to places.
  This will use the verb to go/ir: I go/yo voy,we go/nosotros vamos.
  When we talk about taking a taxi or other form of transport, we are going to need to use coger/ to take.

Watch this space. Information will be updated almost every day.

Teaching Materials.

There are a plethora of books and other teaching materials available for the Spanish language learner.

Here are just a few examples.

Sueños World Spanish

BBC Active

Mike González || Luz Kettle || María Elena Placencia

This Spanish course is new to me and I am liking it very much.

On the surface it is a book and audio CD’s, so nothing new there.

Actually, I do find several very positive points about this method.
Sueños really is very much about Spanish in the entire Spanish speaking world.

The taught language is perfect Castilian as spoken in Spain.
However, what is different is that there are lots of South American Spanish examples.

This inclusive approach is also present in the audio CD’s which I must say are crystal clear.
Someone has been very careful to produce a very high quality sound recording but I emphasize with superlative clarity.

Each chapter has some interesting and useful texts.
These cover a wide range of topics that are important in the Spanish speaking world.

Because of all of this I would say that Sueños functions fabulously as just a language course if that is what you need.

However, it is furthemore a superb introduction to the cultures of all Spanish speaking countries.

Sueños is absolutely about real Spanish in the real Spanish world.

15 Minute Spanish Learn in just 12 weeks.

This Spanish study method is published by DK. I purchased the complete language pack.

At first, I was a little disappointed. The outside packaging is about A4 size or bigger.

When I opened the box, I found:

• The main course book which is about half that size.
• A Spanish visual phrase book which is about the size of a pocket diary.
• A Spanish easy grammar book, likewise pocket diary size.

O.K. so I did not like the small size, perhaps being used to delivering classes with full sized textbooks.

• However, I found the content to be very good.

The main text book provides 12 chapters that focus on key topics such as introductions eating and drinking, making arrangements, travel, getting about, accommodation, shopping etc.

The book is well illustrated and each chapter displays the relevant key language very clearly.

The last pages are a very complete menu guide and two useful dictionaries; English to Spanish and Spanish to English.

• The phrase book is very visual and is an invaluable pocket book. Keep it on you when you are studying Spanish and when in a Spanish speaking country.
• The easy grammar book is exactly that; easy. It is easy to understand and you can dip into it when you are curious to check out a grammar point.

All together this 12 week, 15 minutes a day Spanish language study course is very useful. 

Only thing: DK up your game with the text book size!

Pasos: A Spanish course aimed at adult learners.

This is a very complete course.

You can use it for self study but I think that it is ideal for classes with a teacher, whether individual or in small groups.
As far as I know this book has often been used is adult learning courses provided by the local council.

Indeed, I used Pasos when I taught in both Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire Adult Learning.

There is now a new fourth edition which includes a DVD in addition to the audio CD and the range of text books.
The publishers also explain that any previous typographical errors have now been corrected.
I am finding that this is working very well with my students.

The videos on the new DVD are very helpful as they help us to see and hear Spanish in  a real life setting.

Spanish Verb Tenses

This is a truly useful and down to earth book.

First things first.

There are plenty of serious language learners who do not much enjoy grammar and verbs. If, however, you are thinking of having a go at verbs then this book may well be great for you.

What is a verb?

Verbs are those words that we use to describe things that we do. Actions.

For example, in English Sing, Eat, Run, Work etc.

In English often these kinds of words (verbs) are not too tricky.

For example: I sing, you (just you one person) sing, she/he sings, we sing, you sing (more than one person) they sing etc.

In Spanish it can sometimes be a little bit more complex.

In Spanish the word for sing is cantar.

Going through the I. You, She list again you get: Canto, Cantas, Canta, Cantamos, Cantáis, Cantan.

Some people are quite happy to memorise all these variations of a verb (conjugation).
But many people feel that they need to understand how to use these words in a realistic situation.

The book is in my opinion very good at explaining how verbs work and at showing them in real situations.

If you would like to think about it here are the details:

Author: Dorothy Deviney Richmond

Publisher: Passport Books

ISBN: 0-8442-7334-1

The Four Spanish Language Skills 

The four skills are usually defined as: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Some language teachers have a fixed approach to teaching the four skills.

I am more open minded.

Some of my students want to focus on speaking and listening.

They feel that they can best acquire Spanish language by listening and repeating.

Conversely, other students feel that they have to see the word written down first before they can attempt to say it.

Likewise, some students of Spanish like to analyse the written language first.

They want to work out what it all means first.

Once they understand how Spanish language is put together and differs from English, they feel they can speak.

Because of these individual learning differences I like to tailor my approach individually.

In person Spanish Classes

There are a few ways to make this possible.

In the current situation I offer Spanish garden classes.

This depends on lockdown laws and regulations of course.

If we get a great spring and summer, we can have sunny Spanish lessons in my garden.

In some cases, I can travel to you and perhaps you might consider Spanish classes in your garden.

One to one individual Spanish classes

Some of my Spanish learners find that they need one to one classes.

They know what is important to them and want the classes to be very focussed.

If this is your case, I will try to make sure the classes are very useful to you without being overwhelming.

Spanish Group Classes

Some students find that working in a small group is ideal for them.

If people already know each other or meet and get along well groups Spanish classes can be useful and fun.

A group can be just two together or perhaps as many as six.

When I taught in adult education classes sometimes were as large as twenty participants.

That can be alright if there is a very large room.

Additionally, such classes need to have a very pre – set plan and teaching materials.

Most of my private students prefer not more than six maximum.

Class Duration

I teach Spanish in 1- hour sessions.

However, some of my groups prefer to book two hours. 

Spanish Tuition Frequency

This is a very personal choice.

Some people are sure that they need a class every week.

Every two weeks is also quite popular.

Words from my students

I can’t thank you enough.
As you know I had been struggling.
Now I feel so much more confident to speak real Spanish.
Anne B Aylesbury

Now I can indeed understand Spanish movies without sub titles.
Amazing!
Peter J Tring

A Very Successful Recent Student

I have had the pleasure of teaching a new student for 12 weeks.

The experience has been very positive and as such I would like to make some comments here.

This particular student needed Spanish skills for a business trip to a Spanish speaking country.

Although this business person would be supported by professional interpreters, they nonetheless wanted sufficient Spanish to have a degree of independence.

To this end we chose the 15 minute a day 12 week course book that I discuss above.

Naturally, I have also supported the classes with materials that I have produced specifically for this student.

The student is a very good learner.

Particularly they knew exactly which questions they needed to ask at each point.

This in turn provided a deeper understanding of each language element.

My experience teaching Spanish classes for adults

I qualified in Spain as a teacher of Spanish Language and Literature.

This was aimed at secondary school Spanish teaching.

Nonetheless I also taught Spanish as a foreign language to adults.

In Britain I tried secondary school teaching.

I found that I prefer teaching Spanish to adults.

Spanish classes in adult education

I have taught Spanish to adults for State Adult Learning.

Adult Community Education AEC Spanish Courses. Milton Keynes Council.

I delivered Spanish language courses for Milton Keynes Adult Community Education.

I gave the classes at two locations.

These were Cofferidge Close in Stony Stratford and a school at the top of H2.

Oxfordshire Adult Learning Spanish Courses

I gave Spanish classes for Oxfordshire Adult Learning.

The classes were at Lord Williams School in Thame and at a School in Bicester.

I absolutely loved working with adult Spanish learners.

All of my class participants were highly motivated.
They were also relaxed happy people who enjoyed learning or improving their Spanish.

I developed my classes to help my students to gain the skills and confidence that were so important to them.

Now, I love providing private Spanish tuition.

My Spanish teacher qualifications

Name: Tomas Jimenez Pulido

B.A. Humanities. Major Spanish

Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Spanish Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching Spanish Language and Literature 11 to 19. QTS Qualified Teacher Status.

M.A. Translation and Interpreting.

Perhaps I can help you

Spanish classes for adults designed for you

I am very student centred because over the years I have found that this gives the best results.

We can design our classes in such a way as to be useful to you.

Your needs might be to develop speaking skills but equally you may enjoy all listening, writing and reading activities.

Certainly, I can advise and suggest a way forward but ultimately your focus is your choice.

If you want to focus on speaking skills I can help.

Conversely if you feel more comfortable having a book to work from, I can recommend one.

My Spanish tuition classes are for individuals and groups at very reasonable prices.

Getting in touch

I hope the above article on Spanish classes for adults has been informative.

Naturally, you will have your own specific questions.

Please contact us to discuss Spanish tuition in greater detail.