Teachers
Neftali Peral
Director and founder of Hispaania Maja, Spanish teacher, paella master
From: Almería, Spain
Education: Spanish philology in the Universities in Almería and Barcelona
Additional training:
- International House Spain (the main Spanish teachers training centre in Spain)
- Cervantes Institute (world-wide cultural institution of Spain)
- IL3 (Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Barcelona)
- DELE examiner at Cervantes Institute
Additional experience as a Spanish teacher: University of Tartu, Tallinn University, Audentes school’s IB program, Folkuniversitetet in Tartu, University of Baku
Other languages he speaks besides Spanish: Catalan, Dutch, English, Estonian
Why learn Spanish? “Spanish, above all, means freedom – freedom to communicate with almost 500 million people in the world and to travel to amazing places in Spain and Latin America.”
Leonardo Unda
Spanish teacher
From: Quito, Ecuador
Education: Pedagogical Academy of St. Petersburg (Bachelor’s degree in teaching foreign languages), Antonio de Nebrija University in Madrid (Master’s degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language)
Additional experience as a Spanish teacher: St. Petersburg, Bangkok, Madrid
Other languages he speaks besides Spanish: Russian, English
Why learn Spanish? “Virtual learning gives everybody a chance to fit learning Spanish into their busy schedules, wherever they are. You can study from any chosen location and have 24/7 access to all study materials.”
Fernando Blanco
Spanish teacher
From: Toledo, Spain
Education: Complutense University of Madrid (Bachelor’s degree both in journalism and education), International University of La Rioja (Master’s degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language)
Additional experience as a Spanish teacher: Madrid, Toledo, Talavera de la Reina
Other languages he speaks besides Spanish:English, Russian, French
Why learn Spanish?“The reasons are endless, but at least three of them should be pointed out. First, in a literary sense, Spanish is a fascinating and rich language. Second, it is the most spoken language worldwide after Mandarin and English. Third, when travelling in Spain and Latin America, it gives you a chance to get to know the culture and the people even better.”
Natalia Cobo Dabán
Spanish teacher
From: Granada, Spain
Education: University of Granadada (Bachelor's degree in English Philology), University of Nottingham (Master's degree in Applied Linguistics)
Additional training:
- Cervantes Institute (world-wide cultural institution of Spain)
- Jornadas de ELE junto al Báltico. Training for Spanish teachers in the Baltics. Hispaania Maja, Tallinn (2019)
Additional experience as a Spanish teacher: Belarus, United Kingdom
Other languages he speaks besides Spanish: English, Mandarin, Russian
Why learn Spanish? "Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages (it is the mother tongue of more than 400 million people worldwide) and it is a language with a bright future. In addition, learning Spanish allows you to fully appreciate the world's greatest literature, music and art."
Carlos Vera Burbano
Spanish teacher
From: Zaragoza, Spain
Education: Complutense University of Madrid (Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Philology), Menéndez Pelayo International University (Master’s degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language)
Additional training:
- Cervantes Institute (world-wide cultural institution of Spain)
- University of Hong Kong, Conference for teachers of Spanish (2015, 2016)
- Spain’s Ministry of Education: Seminar for teachers of Spanish, China (2012, 2013,
2015)
Additional experience as a Spanish teacher: Vietnam, China, Spain
Other languages he speaks besides Spanish: English
Why learn Spanish? ''To learn a foreign language always gives you the possibility to connect with the people who speak that language and with their culture, in addition to giving you a chance get to know yourself in a way that gives to you a deep understanding of people from other cultures in particular and people in general. Then think about how many people speak Spanish all around the world and the huge variety of cultures throughout many countries that is associated with this language. That means a lot of possibilities of connection and a lot of possibilities to know yourself and to understand the world!”
Laura-Liis Relve
Spanish teacher
From: Pärnu, Estonia
Education: Tartu University (Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Philology), Tartu University (Master’s degree in Teaching Spanish). Exchange student in the University of Santiago de Compostela (one academic year).
Additional training:
- Training for Spanish teachers: Enseñanza del Español como Lengua Extranjera: didáctica y diseño de materiales. Cáceres, Spain
- Training for Spanish teachers: Jornadas de ELE junto al Báltico. Hispaania Maja, Tallinn.
- Conference „Reconsidering the Practice of CLIL and ELT“. Narva College.
Other languages she speaks besides Spanish: English, French, German
Why learn Spanish? „It is hard to put in words what I feel when I hear Spanish on the street, Spanish songs on the radio, the noise of Spanish cafés and bars, when I gasp the hot Spanish air leaving the airport, put my bare feet on the cold kitchen floor of a Spanish home, drink this first cup of café con leche... . All this and more makes my soul sing, and I try to pass all this and much more on to my students.“
Cristina Pérez
Spanish teacher (via Skype)
From: Ponferrada, Spain
Education: University of Leon (Bachelor’s degree in Spanish philology), Antonio de Nebrija University in Madrid (Master’s degree in linguistics)
Additional training:
- DELE examiner (A1-B2)
Additional experience as a Spanish teacher: across the globe, including the Voronezh University, Centro Adelante (St. Petersburg), Atlantic International School (St. Petersburg), Inlingua (Bangkok), Enforex (Barcelona), Dime (Barcelona)
Other languages she speaks besides Spanish: English, Russian
Why learn Spanish? “Spanish is a language of travel, business, gastronomy, history and traditions. It gives you an opportunity to access and understand the culture of more than 500 million people!”
Anna Guijarro
Spanish teacher (via Skype)
From: Barcelona, Spain
Education: University of Alcalá (Master’s degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language), University of Leon (Bachelor’s degree in Spanish philology)
Additional training:
- International House Spain (the main Spanish teachers training centre in Spain)
- Ave Global, Cervantes Institute online program certificate
Additional experience as a Spanish teacher: Dime Barcelona, Maidenhead (Berkshire, England), EICA (Barcelona), BSS Winter Languages (Barcelona), NISABA language academy (Sant Cugat, Spain)
Other languages she speaks besides Spanish: Catalan, English
Why learn Spanish? “Without a doubt, learning Spanish opens up the possibility of communicating with millions of people all over the world.”
Why learn Catalan? “Learning Catalan is essential to understanding what is currently happening in Catalonia and, of course, it also means to learn a language that is halfway between French, Italian and Spanish”
