Is there still a need for non-native Spanish instructors?

Question

I really want to teach be a Spanish teacher, but It seems like everybody and their mother already speak Spanish. Also, would I be a secondary pick when competing with a native speaker?

Answer 1

You absolutely have a great chance of getting a job as a Spanish teacher.

I am a Spanish and French teacher and most of the teachers at my school are not native speakers. When we hire a new teacher we do speak to them in Spanish and they need to be able to communicate well. We dismissed some immediately when they could not understand a simple question. The last 2 that were hired are not native speakers, but they speak very well.

It is also useful to remember that speaking the language and teaching the language are 2 different things. Of course we look at the recomendations from student teaching and any other experience that they have. If your experience and references look better you could easily be selected over a native speaker.

Kids believe that they need two years to graduate from high school. Actually most states do not require a foreign language to graduate, however most colleges look for 2-3 years. I understand that Michigan has made Spanish a requirement for high school graduation. Ohio is considering it. If that does become school law then it will take about 10 years before they can actually force it because there will be an immediate shortage. Some universities in Ohio are working now on accelerated education degrees for foreign language teachers in an effort to help prepare for this law. The last that I heard though it is still up in the air.

Many states list foreign language teachers as one of their critical shortages. Check the website of state department of education where you live and see if you can find that. Ohio, at this time, has no shortages as a state. However, I have often heard that it can be difficult to find Spanish teachers and I had no trouble getting a job.

If you want to relocate, Georgia lists Spanish and French as critical shortages almost every year. Michigan is of course another state that would likely need teachers.

Suerte!

Answer 2

Well everyone and their mother learned Spanish from somewhere. And I don't think you would necessarily be a secondary pick if you speak the language well (good pronunciation, good grasp of grammar / vocabulary) and if you have a good professional background (a degree in education / teaching experience...etc.)

Being a native Spanish speaker doesn't necessarily mean you can teach the language. You need to be able to understand the inner workings of a language, and you can't just answer the students' questions with "That's the way it is", you need to be able to explain things to them. Also you need to know how to constantly check the students' comprehension and how to introduce new material without letting them forget what they've learned before. Since you've learned Spanish yourself it might be easier for you to teach it rather than for native Spanish speakers who just "know" how to say things.

I'd say you shouldn't give up on becoming a Spanish instructor. A big plus for you would also be to spend some time in a Spanish speaking country, not only would this improve your language skills but it would also improve your chances of getting hired.

Answer 3

I would say yes but it depends on what state you're in... Here in AZ, the state mandates the practice of SEI (structured English immersion) in all public school classes. That eliminates that need for bi-lingual instruction.
I think your best bet would be to check out private schools. Many offer languages to attract students into their programs; I know that the school I was at in NM had to struggle to find qualified Spanish teachers. (The classroom teachers had to "teach" their own Spanish with a video series, lame! I am a native speaker so I did my own thing.)
I would also check out high schools... some districts have students take a foreign language for two years to meet graduation requirements.
As far as who they would pick, I would go with the certified teacher. That will differ from state to state as well. Some will allow native speakers to teach without certification. If I were a principal, I would want the teacher with certification. Although I'm a native speaker, don't ask me to conjugate! LOL

Hope this helps,
Mon :-)