Maria Arias Spanish and English Tuition

21/08/2021

I hope your Summer is being wonderful and these last few weeks of it are feeling like months!

I'm not one for rushing things, I know there's still aaaaages until Autumn, however I am at a very good point to pause and take in everything that's been happening this lovely season.

I've been away, in England and Spain, visiting my loved ones and traveling with my significant other, and it all has been fantastic. I've been extremely lucky considering the context, and for that I am truly grateful.

It's been very beneficial to take things slower (or as slow as possible) and use my time to live life a little bit. Sometimes this may feel like it's not the best use of our time but let me tell you, after a very tough few months, I decided that I was going to make my summer be exactly the way I wanted it, and thanks to that, here I am, excited to be back, getting ideas together and feeling hopeful for the months ahead.

I hope you're all well and giving yourselves exactly what you need.
🙏💜

23/05/2021

Facebook is telling me that in fact it wasn't Albert Einstein who wrote the sentence on this picture. (I've been fact checked Donald Trump style😆)

I'm going to try and find out who the real author is, so if someone out there knows it, do let me know! I still agree thoroughly with the statement though 😉
🦃🐘🐒🐢

https://www.facebook.com/104206695148301/posts/118166327085671/

I have heard the phrase "I am so bad at this" so many times when it comes to languages or humanities that I have lost count. It always makes me feel disheartened because I think that something that has gone a bit wrong, made us think that we are not good enough for this discipline.

This is simply not true! Everyone can learn a language and get to use it confidently. Yes, read that again. The key is (as for most things in life) to allow us to fail freely!

Avoid comparing yourself to others and leave plenty of room for slow & steady growth. It's totally possible to learn other languages, for every single person 🙂✌️
̃ol

21/05/2021

Excellent find 📚 🙌
Went for a little look at on my dinner break and saw this Amos Oz gem.

I attended a conference Amos Oz gave when he won the Princess of Asturias award (maybe in 2005?) at the Faculty of Humanities of Oviedo University and I've been meaning to expand on my knowledge since! You just never know what you're going to find when you shop second hand (second hand ftw!) ☺️

Happy weekend everyone, enjoy whatever you end up doing ✌️

18/05/2021

Lo prometido es deuda y aquí está un pequeño programa de los talleres de inglés que impartiré en verano 🏖️ (julio por ahora). Van a estar genial - son intensivos, amenos y enfocados a trabajar por separado dos áreas distintas, la gramática y la comprensión oral!👩‍🏫 Tengo mil ideas y planes para las lecciones y para que los estudiantes interactúen, practiquen y ganen esa confianza tan necesaria para hablar bien un segundo idioma 🏆. La idea de formar grupos con amigos es estupenda para sentirnos cómodos aprendiendo y practicando, y poder continuar el curso que viene sobre una base de apoyo y entendimiento mutuo.

Como ya sabéis esto es sólo una pequeña parte de lo que hago así que las plazas son bastante limitadas y el tiempo apremia! No dudéis en poneros en contacto si quereis más información o reservar. Viva el verano y viva aprender!

17/05/2021

Clases de inglés este verano! 🏖️📚🙋‍♀️🌞

Si estás pensando en clases de repaso para los peques (o no tan peques) durante las vacaciones de verano, ahora es el momento de reservar tu hora! luego todos queremos irnos de playa y aprovechar las horas de solazo (...o los más suertudos 😆)

Pondré unos pequeños horarios como guía en las próximas semanas, pero mientras tanto podéis mandarme mensajes y pre-reservar 🇬🇧🤩

En Julio y Agosto aceptaré pequeños grupos y talleres de conversación 🗣️🇬🇧🗣️

🎊

16/05/2021

I have heard the phrase "I am so bad at this" so many times when it comes to languages or humanities that I have lost count. It always makes me feel disheartened because I think that something that has gone a bit wrong, made us think that we are not good enough for this discipline.

This is simply not true! Everyone can learn a language and get to use it confidently. Yes, read that again. The key is (as for most things in life) to allow us to fail freely!

Avoid comparing yourself to others and leave plenty of room for slow & steady growth. It's totally possible to learn other languages, for every single person 🙂✌️
̃ol

03/05/2021

Excited!!🌞🌞
I have just prepared an English excercise about Amy Johnson 🛩️💚. I think it's fantastic that not only can we learn a second language, but also another Culture, History and new inspirations for life! Go Amy! 👑

30/04/2021

Isn't this just the truth! 🤭💔

Don't underestimate the importance of the acquisition of a second language from an early age - it's honestly one of the greatest gifts: freeing, empowering, stimulating... A full life skill to cherish 🤩

30/04/2021

Que levante la mano al que le den escalofríos de acordarse de este libro 😉 🤭

Muchos años en primaria y en secundaria nos hemos pasado todos dándole vueltas a la gramática, al por qué de las mil y una excepciones del inglés, al por qué de las pasivas y de los phrasal verbs, por qué, pero por qué!! 🧟‍♀️

Qué sería de nosotros, sobre todo los del plan "antiguo", sin los libros de gramática, sin esos profes que nos explicaban la diferencia entre un participio y un adjetivo. A mi personalmente, me encanta una buena gramática, o un libro de semántica con todo ahí juntito, que en un momento entiendes dos diferencias mínimas, y al segundo siguiente ya eres capaz de expresarte con mucha más precisión y confianza 💔 gramáticas forever!

En resumen, que me acaba de llegar un pedido de libros que me han alegrado el día!! 🤓 Y que ahora tengo mil planes en la cabeza para practicar inglés 🇬🇧✌️🇪🇸

28/04/2021

Aunque no sea una sorpresa, os quiero contar que me está gustando mucho volver a dar clases de inglés 💓🇬🇧 Planear lecciones y organizar información por niveles, buscar textos, pensar en cómo adaptar ejercicios a cada persona, ver lo difícil que les parece al principio y la satisfacción que da cuando se entiende y sale bien! Me quedo despierta hasta tarde leyendo , comparando, escribiendo... Pensando mil maneras de hacerlo accesible y entretenido! Y es que no siempre es fácil, sobre todo cuando el reto es aprobar exámenes, llegar a ese nivel que nos dicen es el "adecuado".

No olvidemos que, aunque debemos estudiar para lo que se nos exige academicamente, lo más importante es aprender y comprender, y que el hablar una segunda lengua nos haga sentir orgullosos de nosotros y de nuestras capacidades! 🏆

Próximamente, publicaré alguna imagen que a muchos les traerá recuerdos de sus días de estudiante! 📚❣️

25/04/2021

I have been reading today about why and how English has come to be the most spoken language in the planet. The History behind it is very interesting and I'd encourage anyone to have a look at British imperialism and American neo-imperialism etc., however this has nothing to do with why I became, first interested, and then (and forever) so passionate about the English language.

I (like many in Spain) first was taught in English when I was 9 years old and really, considering I now live in the UK, never stopped learning it. It was a very organic process to me; apart from the national curriculum, English was just everywhere, in songs, films, books... I became naturally drawn to it, and when the time came to decide what I wanted to do "as an adult" the only thing that came to mind was languages, (always English) ... and traveling to new places!

I figured out that to me, learning English to a good level, could be a gateway to exploring the world, meeting different people and testing my own limits. This took many different shapes and at times, it felt it was only a fantasy, but bit by bit, by studying and learning and practicing, I made it happen. And the experiences and knowledge I gathered along the way are so unique that I can only be proud of it!

None of this would have happened without hard work and loads of study time of course, but what took it to the next level was the exposure to a second language, on a cultural level. From my little corner I just want to encourage everyone to pick an interest in another culture, read foreign authors, listen to language podcasts, download non-english music, show your kids non-english cartoons...anything will do! This is the actual gateway. Pick a language, a culture that you like, for whatever reason, and explore it fearlessly, have some fun with it. The richness it brings is endless I promise!

I'll happily recommend some good reads and listens to get it all started, just ask! 🌞 ✌️