There is an increase in the demand for foreign language teachers because of globalization and bilingual and multilingual education. As jobs start to move offshore, opportunities present themselves for people who speak other languages besides English. The makeup of a community can also create a demand for multilingual instructors.
In New York City, for example, over 800 languages are spoken, which increases the need for teachers in language training. But how does one become a foreign language instructor? Admittedly, this isn’t something you wake up suddenly knowing. It takes a lot of time and patience to learn a different language, train to be an instructor in it, and impart the knowledge to the students.
Being a Native Speaker
If you’re already a native speaker of a foreign language such as Mandarin, Thai, Japanese, Swedish, French, and Spanish, it becomes easier for you to train to become a foreign language instructor. You won’t have to learn the language from scratch, but you need the know-how to teach it to students. This means that you still need to enter a training institution that will teach you how to instruct your future students in understanding this new language.
Look for a training institution that specializes in the language that you speak so that it will be easy for you to engage with your instructors.
Learning a New Language
If you want to learn a new language because of the rising globalization, you need a foreign language center that will teach you the basics and advanced courses. Mandarin speakers, for example, are fast becoming an in-demand industry. Many business process outsourcing companies are looking for Mandarin speakers because of the many companies that operate in mainland China.
Learning a new language is not just about speaking it. It’s about learning to listen to nuances, writing professionally, and using the right intonation.
Earning a Bachelor’s Degree
Do you know that foreign languages are taught in colleges and universities for a complete course of four years? You can earn a bachelor’s degree by mastering French, for instance. After you have finished the degree, you are expected to know how to speak, read, and converse in the language. You are also expected to be able to write academically in the chosen foreign language. If you have studied French, your final thesis and research paper should be written fully in French. That will show your mastery and expertise of the language.
Completing an Internship
One of the advantages of learning a foreign language is that you will be encouraged to apply for an internship program in a company whose main language is the one you have studied and learned. It opens wide opportunities for travel and cultural connections. If you want to become a foreign language teacher, a completed internship program is also required by foreign language training institutions. You should also take a teacher’s certification exam.
Taking the Required Exams
Once you have finished all the academic requirements, including the internship training, you then need to take your state’s required exams for educators. Your exams will be specific to the subject you want to teach. If you’re going to teach Spanish, you should take a certification exam that is focused on determining your level of expertise in that language.
After passing the exam and gaining the confidence you need to teach kids and adults the language you’ve trained for, you are now ready to apply for teaching positions in universities and colleges. Since language teachers are in demand these days, you won’t find open opportunities lacking. This is also a profitable profession as it pays higher than other teaching positions.
