MEET OUR LANGUAGE ASSISTANTS!!

We are thrilled to introduce you to the language assistants joining us this year. Their enthusiasm, dedication, and support are essential in making our English classes more dynamic and enriching. We are truly grateful for their collaboration and for the opportunity to learn from their culture and experience. We hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we enjoy working with them!

Nicholas:

My name is Nicholas Scibetta. I am 25 years old and I am from Long Island, New York. I went to

elementary and high school in New York, but I attended university in Pennsylvania. I decided to

move to Spain to experience the culture and also to improve my Spanish. I studied in Barcelona

during university, but I had to leave early because of COVID. Madrid is definitely better!

This is my second year teaching at IES Calatalifa. I decided to return to the school because of

the amazing students and teachers. Currently, I live in the center of Madrid and I play on two

different football teams. I love helping the students improve their English in class, as well as

speaking with them about their lives, favorite things, and football in the halls and during the break.

Gil:

Hi everyone! My name is Gil Kim and I'm from New York and Boston. These are both cities in the Northeast of the United States that are famous for their history, culture, and sports. I wanted to teach in Spain for a year because I love the city of Madrid and Spanish culture. I also would like to learn some Spanish! I taught English in Korea last year so I'm excited to continue teaching here, especially at IES Calatalifa where the students and teachers are all so nice. I'm looking forward to the rest of the year :).

Maggy:

Hi! My name is Maggy, I'm 23, and I'm from Washington DC. DC is the capital of the United States so it's where our government and our monuments are located, but it also has a lot of good food, music, and culture. 

I visited Madrid when I was younger and I loved it, so I decided to move here last year and I worked helping younger kids learn English. I'm so excited to be at IES Calatalifa this year and have the opportunity to work with older students, and I'm having a really good experience!  

MESOPOTAMIAN AND EGYPTIAN TOURIST GUIDES

 The 1st ESO students became tour guides to delve into Ancient History. Organized in groups, each team researched a monument belonging to the Mesopotamian or Egyptian culture. After their research, they prepared exhibits explaining the history, symbolism and cultural importance of the monuments. This activity fostered meaningful learning by connecting historical knowledge with the practice of essential skills such as research, oral communication and teamwork. 

MESOPOTAMIAN AND EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY

Our 1st-year ESO students recently completed an activity on ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian gods. Each student was assigned a different deity, and they researched a myth associated with their god, as well as its influence on the daily lives of people at that time. To gather this information, they used the internet, learning to differentiate between reliable and unreliable websites. This activity not only enriched their knowledge of ancient civilizations but also developed their research skills and critical thinking when evaluating online sources.

In another activity, our 1st-year ESO students had the opportunity to experience writing like the ancient Sumerians, using clay tablets to simulate cuneiform script. This activity allowed them to understand firsthand the challenges and skills required to write in ancient times, helping them appreciate the value of early writing systems and their evolution. Additionally, they developed creativity and coordination as they tried to replicate cuneiform characters, gaining a deeper understanding of the role of writing in communication and the preservation of history.