Spanish Teacher: Education Requirements, Salary, and Other Career Info

The rapid expansion of ESL, ESOL and bilingual students in primary grades has elevated the importance of Spanish teachers, especially those teaching in transitional programs. At the same time, many parents are enrolling their English-speaking children in Spanish immersion programs. The way to immerse students in dual languages is to start teaching them in elementary school, studies have found.

 

For students who have a limited proficiency in English, the goal is to move the student to English-only instruction. Teachers provide instruction in literacy and academics in Spanish along with instruction in English language development.

In Spanish immersion programs, teachers instruct students in both Spanish and English with a goal of developing bilingual and biliterate students. For example, math may be taught entirely in Spanish, while social studies instruction is in English. In the early grades, most of the curriculum is taught in Spanish. In later grades, half the curriculum may be in Spanish, depending on the subject.

Here is a video showcasing a Spanish immersion program in an elementary setting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPsx5dKcLwo

Many elementary schools with large Spanish-speaking communities — the Southeast, Southwest, California and Pacific Coast states — offer curriculum that is comparable to middle school introductory Spanish-language programs. One private school in Tucson, Arizona, for example, offers “pre-readiness” Spanish courses for elementary students. The school’s curriculum for grades 1-6 are designed to prepare students for intermediate Spanish in middle school.

In addition to focusing on cultural activities — such as festivities and games from Spanish-speaking cultures — some elementary school Spanish classes teach students to:

• Greet and engage people in basic Spanish conversations
• Sing a song and perform a skit entirely in Spanish
• Listen to and discuss Spanish folktales, short stories and poems
• Verbally describe people, places and things to a group in Spanish
• Follow simple written Spanish instructions and interpret brief messages
• Identify and describe the main ideas, themes and characters in a Spanish-language story
• Read, write and demonstrate comprehension of short stories and poems in Spanish
• Learn the entire Spanish alphabet and numbers 1-100 in Spanish

Elementary school Spanish teacher salary projections

Salaries for elementary school Spanish teachers vary widely, depending on experience and the focus of the class. Spanish immersion teachers, for example, are paid an average $43,904, according to Glassdoor.com Here are salary estimates for elementary school Spanish language teachers:

• Glassdoor.com: $53,161
• PayScale.com: $44,409
• SalaryList.com: $45,047

Certification requirements for elementary school Spanish teachers

A state-issued teaching certificate or license is generally required to become an elementary teacher. Some private schools do not require a teaching credential as a job condition. Certain parochial, faith-based, schools require staff to have an advanced education in the subjects they teach.

Elementary school teachers generally are not expected to hold advanced degrees. Certification and licensing requirements for elementary teachers vary from state to state. Nearly all states require teachers to take professional development courses as a condition of certification.

Teaching License Reciprocity by State: Visit our state-by-state teacher licensing and reciprocity page for regulations in your state.

Alternative certification is becoming increasingly popular. An estimated 20 percent of teachers enter the profession through nontraditional means. Because of fluctuating teacher shortages, states are offering alternative ways for people who already have bachelor’s degrees to become certified and begin teaching.

• What do middle school Spanish teachers do?
• Educational and certification requirements
• Salary and employment projections
• Pros and cons of being a middle school Spanish teacher

Middle school Spanish teacher job description

Middle school Spanish teachers generally teach grades six to eight. In some junior high schools, however, Spanish language instructors may teach seventh and eighth grades. Some private and parochial, or faith-based, intermediate schools include ninth grade as part of middle school.

Private and public middle school Spanish teachers are expected to work full-time schedules (generally from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Monday through Friday. In addition to teaching, Spanish teachers spend much of their time on lesson planning, grading papers and tests, and working with individual students as necessary to keep all students learning at grade level.

Spanish teachers are expected to have a strong command of vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure rules, with a systematic and consistent approach to teaching. Spanish teachers engage students in the language by conveying a passion for Spanish-speaking cultures. Most grammar instruction guidelines require a repetitious approach, with a teaching style that balances classroom participation against the tutorial needs of individual students if they fall behind.

Typical duties of a middle school Spanish teacher:

• Manage classrooms and implement procedures; work with school leaders and administrators to initiate policies and procedures
• Prepare and assign classroom lessons and homework; grade vocabulary and writing assignments; evaluate oral demonstrations of fluency
• Administer and grade tests while staying current with state and local standards for Spanish language proficiency at the middle school level
• Select and obtain reading, writing and other curriculum development materials, including textbooks, in accordance with local and state guidelines
• Develop curriculum expectation criteria, working within the parameters of state and local requirements, and provide diagnostic feedback
• Conduct periodic open-door classroom visitations for parents and guardians, and schedule parent-teacher conferences as needed

Middle school Spanish curriculum

Middle school Spanish teachers are focused primarily on vocabulary development, word memorization, sentence structure, and verbal exercises. They work with whole classes and individual students to promote correct grammar, punctuation and spelling while enhancing students’ knowledge and understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures.

Because some students enter middle school with an introductory knowledge of Spanish from elementary school, teachers should be prepared for classes comprising a range of students — from English speakers learning Spanish for the first time to bilingual English-Spanish students who are proficient in one or both languages. Bilingual students in middle school can be helpful to Spanish teachers in assisting other students. Conversely, students who are fluent in Spanish but not English can benefit from helpful bilingual students.

Here is a closer look at current Spanish curriculum goals for middle school:

• Teach Spanish grammar rules, spelling, punctuation and proper use of symbols, focusing on nouns, verbs, cognates and clauses, as well as the use of gender-specific and gender-neutral pronouns.
• Apply word analysis skills to help students decode unfamiliar Spanish words, clarify meaning through context clues such as cause and effect, compare and contrast, and other word comprehension techniques.
• Teach and practice phonics, including phonemic awareness, letter-sound correspondence, spelling patterns, grammar and vocabulary rules through context clues and other recognition methods.
• Develop students’ Spanish vocabulary through oral exercises that focus on correct pronunciation, tone and cadence, verbal and written accents (tildes), including individual letters, formal and informal phrases.
• Create exercises so students can memorize numbers in Spanish; compare and contrast metric weights and measures; introduce students to one or more currencies of Spanish-speaking countries and make comparisons with U.S. monetary exchange rates.
• Teach language comprehension of simple themes and subjects by asking polite questions about family and friends; celebrations like birthdays, holidays and festivals; school activities and current events.
• Assign activities for students to practice writing simple stories in Spanish about personal background and goals, public events and activities that interest students and practice communicating stories aloud, one-on-one and in front of the class.
• Encourage students to exchange information in Spanish, express their opinions and feelings in Spanish, and accurately translate words, phrases and sentences from English to Spanish, and vice versa.
• Provide insights into the nature of the language, cultural concepts and viewpoints of Spanish-speaking countries, including individual values, familial attitudes and community mores; help students distinguish literal and nonliteral meanings.
• Assign individual and class projects that require researching subjects, writing and presenting analyses in Spanish about topics that demonstrate an understanding of Spanish through connections and comparisons to English and the United States.

How to become a middle school Spanish teacher: educational requirements

Middle school Spanish teachers are expected to have at least a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, or another foreign language, accompanied by expert fluency in Spanish. They may have dual degrees in Spanish and English language arts, a second world language or other curriculum.

Spanish teachers often specialize in subjects such as Latin and various writing genres, like Spanish, British or American literature; public speaking and debate; fiction or autobiographical writing; social studies, history or mass communications.

Level of educational attainment for middle school teachers:

• Less than high school diploma: 0.2%
• High school diploma or equivalent: 0.3%
• Some college, no degree: 2.9%
• Associate degree: 1.9%
• Bachelor’s degree: 44.3%
• Master’s degree: 46.5%
• Doctoral or professional degree: 3.9%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (Note: Data listed is for middle school teachers overall, and not Spanish specific.)

Certification requirements for middle school Spanish teachers

A state-issued teaching certificate or license is generally required to become a middle school Spanish teacher. Some private schools do not require a teaching credential as a job condition; however, certain parochial, or faith-based, schools require teaching staff to have an advanced education in the subjects they teach. Certification and licensing requirements for middle school Spanish teachers vary from state to state. Nearly all states require teachers to take professional development courses as a condition of certification.

Teaching License Reciprocity by State: Visit our state-by-state teacher licensing and reciprocity page for regulations in your state.

Alternative certification is becoming increasingly popular. An estimated 20 percent of teachers enter the profession through nontraditional means. This is particularly true for world language instructors. Because of fluctuating teacher shortages, states are offering alternative ways for people who already have bachelor’s degrees to get certified and begin teaching.

People with English language arts, mass communications and journalism degrees — who are fluent in Spanish and well-grounded in grammar and expository writing — might consider teaching Spanish as an alternate career choice. After graduating from teaching certification programs, new Spanish teachers are mentored by an experienced teacher until they earn full certification.

Middle school teacher salary and employment projections

The salary for all middle school teachers across the United States ranges from about $42,000 to $56,000 based on estimates from 2010 to 2012. The average salary for middle school Spanish teacher jobs generally ranges from $35,000 to $48,000.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: $53,430 (all middle school teachers)
• Glassdoor.com: $47,577
• Indeed.com: $46,000
• Simplyhired.com: $35,000

The employment outlook for middle school teachers appears stable in certain regions, and the overall demand for teachers is stronger than for many other professions, according to the BLS. In some U.S. regions with a higher population of Spanish speakers, such as the Southeast, Southwest and West, job growth for middle school Spanish teachers is stronger than other parts of the country. Overall, the BLS estimates a 12 percent growth rate for all middle school teachers through 2022.

There are various explanations for why some middle school Spanish teachers reportedly earn more than their high school counterparts. The maturity level of high school students — particularly those in advanced foreign language courses — makes them easier to work with and more appealing to teach. Secondly, middle school Spanish and English language learners require teachers with extraordinary patience and methodical teaching skills.

Pros and cons of being a middle school Spanish teacher

Pros:

• Teaching young students who are interested in learning basic Spanish, or as preparatory courses for advanced high school Spanish
• Advancing Spanish communications skills and cultural knowledge of Spanish-speaking countries while promoting cross-cultural relations
• Working in a profession that reflects the teacher’s passions for literature and writing, and other subjects related to Spanish-speaking cultures

Cons:

• Working with students who have a range of Spanish-language abilities that can result in boredom, disinterest and misbehavior
• Adhering to administrative and classroom procedures that are sometimes bureaucratic and difficult to implement consistently
• Teaching students at a transitional age level that can make concentration in school difficult and cause students to be disruptive

The wide range of classes — including AP college prep courses — gives high school Spanish teachers a variety of curriculum to cover. It also requires them to be prepared to teach a wide range of diverse students at different learning levels. This makes teaching high school Spanish extremely challenging and rewarding.

 

• What do high school Spanish teachers do?
• Educational and certification requirements
• Salary and employment projections
• Pros and cons of being a high school Spanish teacher

High school Spanish teacher job description

High school Spanish teachers generally teach grades nine to 12, though some high schools start at 10th grade. In certain parochial, or faith-based, preparatory schools, teachers are expected to be more advanced.

Private and public high school Spanish teachers are expected to work full-time schedules (generally from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Monday through Friday. In addition to teaching, Spanish teachers spend much of their time on lesson planning, grading papers and tests, and working with individual students as necessary to keep all students at grade level.

Typical duties of a high school Spanish teacher:

• Work with colleagues, school leaders and administrators to implement policies and procedures — from roll call to emergency preparedness
• Develop a framework for teaching bilingual and biliterate Spanish courses for intermediate and advanced students that incorporates verbal and written instruction
• Organize and implement lessons, lectures and assignments in alignment with state and local academic standards for high school world language curriculum
• Prepare students for successful advancement through Spanish-language proficiency assessments that test their knowledge and ability to perform at grade level
• Work with individual students to assess progress, improve learning and testing performance, and achieve overall success as Spanish-language learners

High school Spanish teachers may be called upon to teach English language arts, yearbook and journalism classes. Some Spanish teachers may participate in bilingual publishing of school-sponsored newsletters, websites and social media pages. These teachers are a natural fit to lead Spanish clubs, advise students and help organize after-school activities — from debate team competitions and local field trips to spring break or summer vacation tours of Spanish-speaking countries.

High school Spanish curriculum

High school Spanish teachers may teach introductory, intermediate and advanced courses. However, they are generally responsible for teaching comprehensive knowledge and skills that lead to full fluency and familiarity with Spanish-speaking cultures.

In ninth grade, Spanish teachers continue to focus on grammar and sentence structure rules. As students progress from memorizing key words, phrases and rules toward conversational Spanish, they are expected to demonstrate their understanding of the language.

High school teachers give students expository writing assignments, classroom speaking and one-on-one conversation exercises to demonstrate their language acquisition skills and fluency in Spanish. They also introduce students to sophisticated reading materials, such as advanced Spanish literature, and more expansive writing assignments, like research papers that focus on contemporary topics, history, culture and current events of Spanish-speaking countries.

Experienced high school instructors should be prepared to teach college prep courses, such as College Board advanced placement (AP) classes. Spanish instructors who can teach these courses are in greater demand than teachers who don’t work with AP curriculum.

As students progress through 10th, 11th and 12th grades, they are usually given elective choices in Spanish courses. These courses can range from studying literature and plays, to analyzing satire and poetry, to public speaking and creative writing. This gives high school Spanish instructors a wide range of courses to teach, but it also requires a higher level of curriculum expertise that may require a master’s degree.

Here is a closer look at current curriculum goals for high school Spanish students. High school Spanish teachers can expect to:

• Assign advanced reading materials for fiction and nonfiction works, including age-appropriate Spanish-language literature, newspaper stories and magazine articles, online bilingual or Spanish website content.
• Identify and analyze Spanish word origins and derivations through the use of idioms, analogies, metaphors and similes that help students expand their vocabularies, hone word pronunciation and phonic skills and convey meaning.
• Develop advanced comprehension and understanding of themes, character development, setting, plot, tone, tension and conflict, and other literary devices that demonstrate persuasive writing techniques in Spanish.
• Promote Spanish as a bicultural language that integrates English language, math, science and other curriculum, supports academic advancement, and establishes benchmarks for bilingual students to achieve.
• Use Spanish-language literature, history, biographical and newsworthy texts, film and television, Internet, social media and other means to inspire students to evaluate information and express their ideas accurately in Spanish.
• Study and evaluate the context, pronoun familiarity and cultural appropriateness of word choices; master past, present and future tense in writing Spanish sentences; make connections between English and Spanish texts.
• Create reading, writing and oral assignments that incorporate different strategies for developing critical thinking skills, including asking and answering questions, analyzing information, making predictions and reasoned conclusions.
• Use tables, graphs, charts and maps to teach statistical, geographical and cultural facts that prompt students to make comparisons between people, places and concepts, interpret information and present conclusions in Spanish.
• Develop assignments that require students to write cogent and in-depth autobiographical Spanish narratives using accurate vocabulary, descriptive details, effective syntax and appropriate voice to articulate information.
• Adopt technologies like Internet research and video that incorporate other curriculum, such as history and science, and assist students in verbally articulating ideas and interpretations using advanced Spanish.

How to become a high school Spanish teacher: educational requirements

Spanish teachers at all levels are expected to have at least a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, English language arts or another foreign language. Many high school Spanish teachers also hold master’s degrees, either in Spanish or another language or subject, such as history or social studies. Spanish teachers often specialize in literary genres, public speaking and debate, drama, short story or essay writing.

Level of educational attainment for high school teachers:

• Less than high school diploma: 0.2%
• High school diploma or equivalent: 0.2%
• Some college, no degree: 2.3%
• Associate degree: 1.5%
• Bachelor’s degree: 43.4%
• Master’s degree: 48.3%
• Doctoral or professional degree: 4.0%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (Note: Data listed is for high school teachers overall, and not Spanish specific.)

Certification requirements for high school Spanish teachers

A state-issued teaching certificate or license is generally required to become a high school Spanish teacher. However, some private schools do not indicate a teaching credential as a job prerequisite. Specific certification and licensing requirements for high school teachers vary from state to state. Teachers are usually required to take professional development courses as a condition of certification.

Teaching License Reciprocity by State: Visit our state-by-state teacher licensing and reciprocity page for regulations in your state.

Alternative certification is becoming increasingly popular, with an estimated 20 percent of teachers entering the profession through nontraditional means. Because of fluctuating teacher shortages, states are offering alternative ways for people who already have bachelor’s degrees to get certified to teach Spanish.

People with foreign language degrees who are presently working outside the education profession and who are well-grounded in Spanish grammar and expository writing, might consider teaching as a career change. These professionals, perhaps enticed by a standard workweek and two-month summer vacations, need to become certified before entering the education field. After graduating from certification programs, new teachers are mentored by an experienced teacher until they earn full certification.

High school teacher salary and employment projections

The salary for all high school teachers across the United States ranges from about $37,000 to $56,000 based on estimates from 2010 to 2012. The average salary for high school Spanish teacher jobs generally ranges from $36,000 to $50,000.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: $55,050 (all high school teachers)
• Glassdoor.com: $49,431
• Simplyhired.com: $38,000
• Indeed.com: $36,000

The employment outlook for high school teachers appears stable in certain regions, and the BLS estimates a 6 percent growth rate for high school teachers through 2022.

Pros and cons of being a high school Spanish teacher

Pros:

• Working with teenage students who are genuinely interested in world cultures is personally gratifying.
• Teaching young people critical thinking and developing bilingual skills is rewarding for people who want to help students prepare for the world beyond high school.
• Working among colleagues with shared academic interests and career goals, and who can offer classroom management support, is an added incentive.

Cons:

• Students who are peripherally interested in studying a foreign language in order to fulfill college entry requirements can be challenging.
• Salaries for high school teachers, particularly those who speak fluent Spanish, is relatively low compared to counterparts in other professions.
• A wide spectrum of students with different language skills and learning abilities can make teaching Spanish to high school students overwhelming.

Postsecondary Spanish teachers enjoy opportunities to advance their own knowledge of subjects they care deeply about while researching and writing books, publishing reports, magazine and online articles, and peer review papers.

 

• What do postsecondary Spanish teachers do?
• Educational and certification requirements
• Salary and employment projections
• Pros and cons of being a postsecondary Spanish teacher

Postsecondary Spanish teachers teach in lecture halls, medium-size classrooms and increasingly online, which many students find conducive to learning foreign languages. They specialize in grammar and sentence structure, literature and writing.

Postsecondary Spanish teacher job description

Postsecondary Spanish teachers cover the range of professional schools, junior colleges, state and private colleges, and universities. However, their audience comprises adults of all ages who are interested in speaking Spanish and learning grammar, literature and writing.

Postsecondary teachers have more flexibility over the format of their instructional methods than their K-12 counterparts. They also have greater control over their schedules, with many postsecondary instructors teaching part time, as well as full time. They have fewer classroom management and procedural responsibilities than grade school teachers but are expected to devote significant time preparing lectures and instructional guidelines for assignments, in addition to evaluating progress and providing individual assessments of students.

Typical duties:

• Creating course outlines with curriculum parameters, assignment schedules, knowledge expectations and testing requirements to help students achieve optimum performance
• Preparing and giving lectures, leading Spanish and bilingual discussions and giving multimedia presentations that enhance student understanding of vocabulary, reading and writing concepts
• Grading term papers, tests and other assignments, particularly oral presentations and writing, which can range from short stories and nonfiction manuscripts to discussing current events
• Working with associates and department leaders to coordinate Spanish language arts curriculum; instructional best practices; assignments and tests; and department teaching goals
• Serving on academic and administrative committees and working with school provosts, department associates and staff on policy decisions that impact Spanish language arts learners
• Working within budgets and helping to support Spanish department objectives, best practices and school policies, with the overriding goal of promoting student learning
• Attending professional advancement seminars, symposiums and other events that expand knowledge of Spanish language arts, world cultures and contemporary teaching methods

And, specific to university professors:

• Conduct research to advance knowledge in their Spanish subject specialization and optimize technology and multimedia tools to enhance learning
• Publish books and articles, original research and analysis in academic journals to advance knowledge of foreign language instructional best practices
• Supervise graduate students who are working toward doctoral degrees in Spanish or related concentrations such as other foreign language studies

Level of educational attainment for postsecondary school teachers:

• Less than high school diploma: 0.2%
• High school diploma or equivalent: 0.1%
• Some college, no degree: 2.6%
• Associate degree: 2.3%
• Bachelor’s degree: 16.0%
• Master’s degree: 35.6%
• Doctoral or professional degree: 43.3%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Data listed is for postsecondary foreign language teachers overall, and not Spanish specific.)

What about teaching Spanish online?

Today’s computer technology advancements, combined with the increasing demand for online college courses and Spanish-speaking employees, provide postsecondary foreign language teachers more career options than ever before.

As the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages (ADFL) points out, technology advancements have opened new opportunities for postsecondary institutions and students to learn through hybrid and fully online courses.

Hybrid courses combine elements of traditional on-campus instruction with offsite, or virtual, classrooms that allow students to take courses according to their schedules, but within the parameters and learning guidelines established and managed by postsecondary schools — from junior colleges and technical institutions to public and private universities.

Along with online classrooms, today’s Spanish teachers have a multitude of media at their disposal, including real-time audio, face-to-face videoconferencing, and presentation tools that facilitate instruction of grammar, phonics, oral and writing exercises in ways that were impossible or cost-prohibitive until the 21st century.

Finally, many online instructors work in adjunct teaching roles. This means they work on a contract basis and are compensated per course. Some online adjuncts teach several courses for multiple schools and work enough hours to be considered full time. This can be an ideal arrangement for proficient Spanish instructors looking for multiple opportunities to teach their craft.

Bottom line: Online learning is here to stay; and, online learning is well-suited for Spanish and other world language students.

How to become a postsecondary Spanish teacher: educational requirements

Educational requirements vary with the type of postsecondary institution. Foreign language teachers who work at four-year colleges and universities are most often required to have a doctoral degree in their discipline. However, some schools may hire instructors with master’s degrees or those who are doctoral candidates for part-time positions.

Instructors with master’s degrees comprise the majority of full-time teaching positions at two-year colleges. Candidates holding dual master’s degrees have an advantage because they can teach more than one subject, including multiple foreign languages, as well as English, or concentrated courses like world literature and culture studies.

Many two-year institutions prefer applicants who have experience with distance learning or teaching, which is particularly relevant as hybrid and fully online classes gain popularity.

Doctoral programs for foreign language and literature generally take six to eight years to complete, including time spent earning a master’s degree and writing a doctoral dissertation. It is fairly common for students to conduct postdoctoral research for two additional years before they seek a part-time or full-time faculty position.

Postsecondary/college Spanish teacher salary and employment projections

Postsecondary foreign language and literature teachers earn a median salary of $58,670, according to BLS data for 2012. The statistics cover Spanish teachers working at colleges, universities and professional schools at the local and state levels, and for private institutions.

On average, university and four-year college teachers earn higher salaries than their counterparts at junior colleges. However, the BLS data reveal this is not necessarily the case for foreign language and literature teachers, who currently are in demand at the junior college level. This is particularly relevant for postsecondary Spanish teachers throughout the Southeast, Southwest, Pacific-western states, Texas and Nevada, where bilingual and other students, eager to learn Spanish, are on the rise.

The majority of job postings on online sites are for assistant professors, and the salary range depends on the institution and whether the job is for a visiting instructor or a tenure-track position.

• Glassdoor.com: $46,972 to $74,771 for assistant professors
• SimplyHired.com: $60,000 median
• Indeed.com: $40,000+ for assistant professors
• SalaryList.com: $26,220 to $82,198

Employment of postsecondary foreign language and literature teachers is projected to grow 15 percent, according to BLS data.

Employment by industry for all postsecondary foreign language and literature teachers:

• Junior colleges (private and public): 7.0%. Annual mean wage of $75,290
• Colleges and universities (private and public): 7.0%. Annual mean wage of $67,000
• Other schools and instruction (private and public): 1.2%. Annual mean wage of $50,980

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

A note on tenure: For postsecondary teachers, a significant goal in the traditional academic career is the attainment of tenure — a contractual agreement that makes it very difficult to dismiss a professor without just cause. The tenure process can take up to seven years of moving up the ranks in tenure-track positions. The tenure track begins with assistant professor, then associate professor, and finally full professor. Tenure is granted through a review of the candidate’s research, contribution to the institution, and teaching abilities. However, institutions are relying more heavily on limited-term and part-time faculty contracts.

Pros and cons of being a college Spanish teacher

Pros:

• Becoming an expert in a foreign language that is increasingly accepted and valued in the United States and is ranked second only to Chinese in fluency throughout the world
• Working with students who share a passion for speaking Spanish, and view teaching Spanish as a career choice or recognize that being bilingual opens doors to other opportunities
• Cultivating opportunities to publish and work toward tenure, including writing literary, autobiographical and nonfiction, or even through documentary film or other multimedia platforms
• Building collaborative relationships with associates by attending professional conferences, symposiums, and instructor exchange programs devoted to Spanish language arts best practices

Cons:

• Teaching college students is demanding; it requires long hours devoted to course design, curriculum preparation, reading and grading essays and multimedia projects as well as oral presentations
• The sometimes bureaucratic policies on campuses of higher learning can be frustrating for foreign language teachers, who may feel inhibited by structured and highly competitive environments
• The competition to achieve tenure and get published is intense at most postsecondary schools, and the demanding nature of the publishing community requires persistence and fortitude
• The salaries for college professors are relatively low compared to some college graduates with Spanish degrees who can earn higher wages in the private sector or government agencies