Teaching English Abroad

A Day in the Life of a Language Assistant in Spain

We updated this guide in September 2025

Teaching English abroad is a special opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture while sharing your native language with others. 

This guide shows a day in the life of a language assistant in Spain—from chill mornings, 3-5 class periods a day, flexible breaks, and a 4-day school week that often ends around 2:00pm. You’ll focus on speaking activities-not grading or building a full curriculum.

Who Can Join (and what RVF sets up)

First, here’s what you need to know up front:

  •  Eligibility: Native English speaker with at least an Associate’s degree in any subject. A Bachelor’s is not required.
  • No TEFL needed: You don’t need a TEFL or teaching certificate.
  • Placement & visa: RVF helps with your visa and places you as a Language Assistant (Auxiliar de Conversación) through Spain’s Ministry of Education.
  • Hours: Usually 12-20 hours/week, across 4 days (e.g., Mon-Thu or Tue-Fri).

Morning Vibe & Commute

Even if you have never been a breakfast person, mornings in Spain might win you over. Imagine waking up slow, walking through quiet cobblestone streets in the soft morning light, passing cafés serving café con leche, fresh OJ, and tostada with tomato and olive oil. It all feels beautifully simple, like there’s never a rush, and the best part is that it costs only a couple of euros.

Most assistants ride the metro/train/bus. Commutes range from 20 minutes to ~1 hour (totally normal here). If you arrive early, do what locals do: grab coffee with colleagues before the bell.

A Day in the Life of a Language Assistant in Spain: Schedule & Hours

Next, your exact timetable comes from your school coordinator, and it varies:

  •  Starts can be 9:00 am, 10:00 am, or even 11:30 am on some days.
  • You might have the same schedule all four days, or one “late” or “early” day.
  • Expect 3-5 hours on campus per day, 4 days/week.
Kelly teaching her Middle School class in Valencia, Spain
RVF Program Participant, Kelly, teaching her Middle School class at her school in Valencia, Spain.

Inside the Classroom: What You Do

Inside the classroom, the students greet you with genuine enthusiasm. They are often excited to learn from a native speaker and curious about your life outside Spain. Lessons focus on interaction and getting students to speak as much as possible.

Focus on speaking and interaction.

  • Typical load: ~3 classes/day (range 1-5)
  • Class length: usually 60 minutes, but some are 30 minutes.

Common Tasks:

  •  Lead conversation activities and games.
  • Give cultural mini-presentations about your city, hobbies, holidays.
  • Support subject classes (e.g., History in English) with materials provided.
  • Seasonal fun (e.g., Halloween stations with vocab/grammar tasks).

spanish students on halloween

RVF Program Participants ready to celebrate Halloween with their students!

Good news: You don’t build the curriculum from scratch—schools provide the materials and plan.

Breakfast & Lunch Culture (Important!)

Meanwhile, breaks are real—and random:

  • You might get a 30-minute recess one day and 90 minutes the next.
  • Some assistants even have a 2+ hour gap (great for errands or a quick nap).
  • You can stay in the teachers’ lounge, hang out on the playground, leave campus, grab a coffee, or go home and come back.

Many Language Assistants will have breakfast each morning with the same group of teachers, before walking into school together to be ready to go in their classrooms for when the morning bell rings at 9:00am.

Lunch Reality: Schools typically end around 2:00 pm and students eat at home. There’s no cafeteria. Plan to pack a snack, eat out nearby (cheap!), or head home afterward.

Do You Speak Spanish at School?

It depends. Policies vary by school and sometimes by age group:

  •  Some schools are English-only on campus—even with staff.
  • Others encourage Spanish with teachers and sometimes with students, especially for quick clarifications.
  • Action step: Ask your coordinator on day one what’s expected.

After School & Long Weekends

But your Spanish school day isn’t over yet! Before hopping on the train to take you home, you’ll most likely grab a Spanish beer, glass of wine, or, depending on the weather, a delicious Spanish cider, known an as sidra, with your other work mates, while chowing down on some Spanish finger-food tapas. There isn’t anything better in the world than enjoying a home cooked local meal in another country with locals from that area.

After a quick half an hour bite to eat (or possibly even longer), you’ll hop back on the train and will arrive home a little after 3:00pm, either ready to take a Spanish siesta or to continue exploring all that Spain has to offer. 

With a built-in 3-day weekend in many placements, you’ll have room to travel—Valencia, Seville, Basque Country, or quick trips around Europe.

Typical End of Workday as an English Teacher in Spain

RVF Participants at the end of their workday.

Sample Schedules: A Day in the Life of a Language Assistant in Spain

Example A (Mon-Thu):

  • 9:30-10:30 | 4º Primaria (conversation)
  • 10:30-11:00 | Break
  • 11:00-12:00 | 5º Primaria (reading & speaking)
  • 12:00-12:30 | Snack/Recess
  • 12:30-1:30 | 6º Primaria (project work)
  • 1:30-2:00 | Planning/photocopies → home by ~3:00 pm

Example B (Tue-Fri, one late day):

  • Tue/Thu: 10:00-1:00 (three 1-hour classes)
  • Wed: 11:30-1:00 (one 90-min block)
  • Fri: 9:00-10:00, 12:30-1:30 (two 1-hour classes + a 2-hour break)

Shaniya teaching English to her students in Alicante, SpainRVF Participant Shaniya with her students.

What You Don’t Do

In short, this role is not traditional full-time teaching:

  • No full grading load
  • No end-to-end lesson planning
  • No parent conferences
  • No high-stakes admin

You’re the speaking specialist who makes English fun and natural.

What To Bring

  • A few photos (family, hometown, pets) for Day-1 intros
  • A simple game/icebreaker you can run with zero prep
  • A USB with 2-3 short slide decks (culture, music, sports)
  • A reusable water bottle + snack (no cafeteria)
  • Comfortable shoes (you’ll be on your feet)

FAQs

Do I have to be a native English speaker?
Yes. The program requires you to be a native English speaker.

Do I need a Bachelor’s or TEFL?
No. Associate’s degree is required; Bachelor’s and TEFL are not required.

How many hours do I work?
Typically 12-20 hours/week across 4 days.

Will I know Spanish well enough?
You don’t need to know Spanish to do the job. Policy on speaking Spanish varies—confirm with your school.

Is lunch provided?
Usually no. Schools end around 2:00 pm; students eat at home. Pack a snack or eat nearby.

What does RVF help with?
Visa support, placement, and guidance from application to arrival.

Ready to Make Spain Your Classroom?