How to Become a Spanish Teacher

Teaching a foreign language such as Spanish can be a rewarding experience on a variety of levels. You might be the type of person that enjoys sharing information with others and providing them with knowledge that they can use as a tool to better themselves. Or, perhaps you are skilled with words or have a talent for learning foreign languages. In either case, becoming a Spanish teacher might just be the perfect career move. The steps that you need to take to become a Spanish teacher can be somewhat difficult and time-consuming. In the end, however, the benefits to both you, the teacher and your students will be invaluable.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

1. Learn both spoken and written Spanish to a high degree of proficiency. Fluency in the written form of a language is every bit as important as the spoken form, especially in the language teaching field. Additionally, spoken Spanish takes on so many differences from region to region that it is important for an individual that wants to teach the language to have a good grip on the general form of the language.

2. Investigate certification requirements in the region in which you’ll be teaching. Occasionally a school district will allow an individual who speaks Spanish natively to waive out of any learning requirements. Other locations require that an individual be certified as a teacher in general, while other places may require even further certifications for foreign-language instructors. A phone call to local school districts can shed further light on these potential requirements.

3. Obtain the necessary certifications and clearances for teaching Spanish. Spanish in the United States tends to be more common than other foreign languages; as a result becoming a Spanish teacher might be a much simpler process than those required to teach a less-represented language. Additionally, most schools prefer that teachers have some direct schooling in education. This usually means a major course of study in education at an accredited university or college. In the case of Spanish, however, a major in the language might be sufficient by itself.

4. Submit your resume or curriculum vitae to the proper school authorities. School districts frequently maintain offices outside of any school buildings to which they administer. Resumes and curricula vitae should be sent to these offices rather than the school in which you intend to teach.

5. Follow up on your application about two weeks after you have submitted it. A simple phone call to insure that the school district received your materials might distinguish you from other candidates that have applied to the same job.

Tips & Warnings

• While an individual can learn a foreign language like Spanish in college, it would be better to gain these language skills through actual conversation with native speakers—preferably over the course of several months in Spanish-speaking regions.

• Once you have attained fluency in Spanish you can maintain your skills through conversation with native speakers and other Spanish teachers.

• Some schools may occasionally require their Spanish instructors to teach classes on other subjects. Inquire about this possibility at the time of interviewing to avoid any undesired requirements.