TOWER Academia de Inglés has two centres, both are situated in attractive, modern premises in the centre of Ecija (Seville).

The specialist area of work at Tower Academia de Inglés is teaching English to Young and Very Young Learners. The school is a Trinity Examinations Centre and our priority commitments are student motivation and professional development.
Tower has earned recognition in the local community as a centre for quality teaching. We aim to provide an effective and stimulating experience of learning the English language through a communicative approach in the classroom. Teachers combine established practice with innovative techniques to deliver creative, motivating classes. The curriculum is based on the Trinity syllabus for each level and projects are an integrated activity. Examples of projects are the Christmas Mural, "The Tower Times" Front Page Competition,  and Spring Experiments, i.e. sprouting beans, growing sunflowers and caring for silkworms. All the classes contribute  to the annual newspaper. 

Courses and Students

Students range in age between three and eighteen, with the largest percentage being seven to twelve year olds. Enthusiasm is high and the younger children put on an informal end-of-year show for their parents to demonstrate favourite class activities. Older children prepare Trinity oral examinations and later move on to take Cambridge First Certificate. Classes are two days a week, in groups of ten to twelve students and last 55 or 85 minutes, depending on age and level. 

The Teaching Team

All our teachers are native speakers who have a degree and a recognised certificate to teach English as a foreign language. They are supported by the Director of Studies and peer teachers whilst being encouraged to develop their own style of teaching and explore areas of professional interest. In-house training is provided in the form of class observation with feedback, action plans and seminars. Further TEFL training is subsidised by the school. We also attend Teacher Training conferences in Seville and Cordoba.

 Classrooms, equipment and resources

All six of the large and sunny classrooms are equipped with hot and cold air-conditioning, a computer, wireless internet connection, projector, interactive whiteboard and large pinboards. Scanning, photocopying and printing facilities are available in the teachers' area.

An extensive collection of flashcards, realia, toys, dressing up clothes, story books, games and arts and crafts materials are kept in the resources room along with supplementary photocopiable sheets and a reference section of  teachers' development and resource books.  We keep subscriptions to relevant professional publications and are members of a number of IATEFL SIGS (special interest groups) 

WHAT THE TEACHERS SAY

One of the best things I have gained from working at Tower has been professional development. When I first arrived in Écija I knew next to nothing about teaching, let alone teaching YL or VYL, so I was pretty nervous about my first lessons and my first year in general. The director welcomed me to the school and provided in house training seminars to help get me started. She also met with me every two weeks to see how I was getting on with each class and to give me practical advice about areas I was uncertain of. Perhaps the most valuable thing she gave me was the space to grow; I was able to experiment with different approaches, methodology and activities without being pressured to teach in any certain way. As well as the countless TEFL conferences and magazines that have been sent my way, the school  paid for me to do a management course in Seville and now I work as assistant director. When I took an interest in teaching reading and writing, I was sent on a synthetic phonics course in Segovia and now I am piloting a Jolly Phonics scheme at the academy. Last year I decided to take the IH Young Learners course in Seville to complement my experience with an official qualification and the result was very positive: I passed with a distinction. All in all, my experience at Tower Academy has not only enriched my CV but my ability and enthusiasm for teaching young learners. (Maria Hardy)

I started working at Tower in 1995 and never left! Ecija is a very nice place and Tower is a great place to work. I’m currently teaching children from six years old right up to teenagers preparing for university entrance exams. I think that what I enjoy most about teaching here is really getting to know the students and their parents. Another wonderful aspect of my job is that no two days are the same. You never know what’s going to happen in the class. They say variety is the spice of life and it never ceases to amaze me the great range of teaching opportunities and challenges I am given here. I can’t imagine working anywhere else! (Yolanda Lizardi)

When I started at Tower in September 2009, my only previous teaching experience was on my Celta course and a 4-week stint at a summer school. Although I was really excited about teaching young learners, I was nervous about finding interesting and fun ways to teach the same students for a whole year! I really didn’t need to worry. The best thing about working at Tower is the incredible support you get – something I really needed and appreciate. The weekly group meetings and fortnightly progress meetings mean that you never have to struggle on your own – there is always an opportunity to discuss any problems or worries you have, and some practical and helpful advice for dealing with them. The materials room is jam-packed with games and resources, and if you’re ever stuck for an idea – just ask one of the other teachers. At Tower there is a strong focus on teamwork, and everybody is happy to help each other. I think it would be difficult to find a more supportive or friendlier place to work!
Rozi Lee – a happy Tower teacher!