Postsecondary Foreign Language Teacher: Education and Career Info

• What community college foreign language instructors do
• Educational and certification requirements
• Income projections
• Pros and cons of being a community college foreign language instructor

What community college foreign language instructors do

At the community college level, foreign language instructors develop and deliver lessons on the grammar, vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation and idioms of a foreign language. They lead their students through practice conversations and reading and writing exercises. Organizing and encouraging in-class discussions immerses students in the language, leading to faster improvement for everyone.

Throughout the course, foreign language instructors assess the speaking, reading and writing abilities of their students. Assigning and grading homework, tests and quizzes helps the teacher identify the strengths and weaknesses of each student and tailor their teaching approach to best fit the entire classroom.

More advanced courses usually include a close study of the literature of the country (or countries) that speak the foreign language, as well as cultural immersion and analysis.

The main tasks of community college foreign language instructors include:

• Developing course materials such as a syllabus, tests, homework, handouts and essay prompts
• Lecturing students on grammar, vocabulary and syntax in basic courses and literature and culture in more advanced courses
• Grading students’ essays, exams, quizzes and homework
• Holding regular office hours to answer questions and provide guidance
• Advising students on research projects
• Leading foreign language discussions during class time
• Encouraging students to communicate with one another using the foreign language grammar and vocabulary they’re learning in each lesson
• Hosting and/or attending immersive foreign language social, cultural and academic events

Education and certification requirements

At minimum, community college foreign language instructors must have fluency and deep expertise in the foreign language they are teaching. In most cases, you will need a master’s degree in the foreign language to teach at the community college level.

Income projections

Here are three estimates of what you might earn as a full-time foreign language instructor at a community college:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: $63,500
• Glassdoor.com: $55,289
• PayScale.com: $47,086

Full-time faculty at community colleges generally command higher salaries than adjunct instructors. Adjunct instructors are paid by the course and don’t always receive benefits. For more about the difference between full-time faculty and adjunct instructors, check out our article on community college instructors.

Pros and cons of being a community college foreign language instructor

These are the key advantages and disadvantages of becoming a community college foreign language instructor.

Pros

• Teach students who are dynamic, enthusiastic and eager for opportunities
• Rewarding to educate many first-generation college students
• Focus on teaching exclusively
• Flexible hours and opportunities to take time off
• Can work well in some cases as a side job

Cons

• Little opportunity for research or publication
• Lower pay than professors at four-year colleges and universities
• Many teaching positions at community colleges are adjunct, meaning lower pay, few benefits and little job security

• What foreign language professors do
• Educational and certification requirements
• Income projections
• Pros and cons of being a foreign language professor

What foreign language professors do

In addition to teaching , foreign language professors conduct research into the literature, culture and politics of the foreign language they teach, and then publish their research in academic papers and books. The next two sections will break down their main responsibilities into two categories: teaching and research.

Teaching

Foreign language professors’ teaching duties depend on whether they teach introductory or advanced courses. Their duties include:

• Planning, preparing and delivering foreign language lessons and/or lectures
• Assigning readings in the foreign language
• Leading foreign language discussions in class
• Encouraging students to communicate with one another using the foreign grammar and vocabulary they’re learning in each lesson
• Leading discussions or giving lectures on literature written in the foreign language
• Preparing teaching materials such as assignments, quizzes, tests, essay prompts and informational handouts
• Working with students to improve listening, speaking, reading and writing skills via individual and group sessions
• Talking with students about current events in a foreign country that speaks the language the class is studying
• Grading homework and tests
• Hosting and/or attending immersive foreign language social, cultural or academic events

Research and scholarship

Foreign language professors may produce scholarship on the foreign language and its culture and politics. A foreign language professor’s research and scholarship duties may include:

• Contributing to the academic study of the foreign language, usually by analyzing literature written in the language, as well as studying the culture and politics of the country or countries where the language is spoken
• Publishing the results of critical inquiries in academic publications and books
• Constantly reading texts written in the foreign language
• Applying for grants to gain external funding from foundations, governments and businesses
• Leading a team of research assistants
• Supervising graduate students’ research projects

Education and certification requirements

Gaining a professorship at a university or four-year college can be a monumental task. At minimum, aspiring foreign language professors will have to complete a doctorate demonstrating a commitment to research and inquiry in the foreign language they plan to teach. Getting a full-time faculty position at a college or university frequently requires that you publish original research and earn the respect and admiration of your colleagues. Some of these requirements may be reduced or waived if you are hired only to teach basic to intermediate courses.

Income projections

Foreign language professors usually earn significantly more than their counterparts at community colleges. Here are annual salary estimates for foreign language professors:

• BLS: $63,500
• PayScale.com: $47,086
• Salary.com: $93,735
• Journal Times: $69,520

Pros and cons of being a foreign language professor

Consider both the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a foreign language professor at a four-year college or university.

Pros

• Full benefits for health insurance and retirement security
• Higher pay than most other teaching jobs
• Can be a tenure-track position, with an opportunity for long-term job security
• Ample opportunities for research
• Publish your findings in prestigious journals and books
• Get to teach students with a passion for learning and achievement

Cons

• Probably responsible for joining a committee and attending many extra meetings and professional events
• Can be frustrating to work in bureaucratic institutions like universities
• Academia can be highly competitive and exhausting, with a “publish-or-perish” norm
• Many years of advanced education required