Career as Language Teacher

 LANGUAGE TEACHER

The role of a foreign language teacher is to teach courses in a specific language, which in modern curriculums often includes instruction in literature and cross-cultural studies. Foreign language teachers are masters of their language, demonstrating a high proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking the language they are are teaching. With these skills, instructors create an environment for students to learn effectively. Foreign language teachers usually teach several levels concurrently, from beginning speakers of foreign languages to students who are approaching fluency. Instruction in foreign languages includes vocabulary, grammar, and accent as well as spelling and other mechanics of language. 
With Indian companies emerging as global players and Indian market being eyed by multinational companies, it becomes essential that there is no dearth of professionals who can overcome language barriers and facilitate smooth communication for proper business transactions. Foreign language experts with a good understanding of cultures are in great demand in the corporate world. The scope of foreign languages as career is stupendous and candidates willing to explore it have multitude of job opportunities in various multinational companies and multilateral organisations. Moreover, language skills are essential attribute in most professions and help in the advancement of career.

Job Responsibilities:

• Teach students how to interpret foreign languages.
• Translate foreign languages into the students' natural language to help them understand.
• Provide instruction in literature and cross-cultural studies.
• Teach students how to read, write, and understand foreign languages.
• Provide individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each pupil.
• Develop pupil understanding and appreciation of culture of countries where foreign language is spoken.
• Create instructional resources for use in the classroom.
• Plan, prepare and deliver instructional activities
• Create positive educational climate for students to learn in.
• Meet course and school-wide student performance goals.
• Participate in ongoing training sessions.
• Create lesson plans and modify accordingly throughout the year.
• Maintain grade books.
• Grade papers and perform other administrative duties as needed.
• Write grant proposals to gain funding for further research.
• Create projects designed to enhance lectures.
• Read and stay abreast of current topics in education.
• Create lesson plans.
• Utilize various curriculum resources.
• Integrate competencies, goals, and objectives into lesson plans.
• Utilize curricula that reflect the diverse educational, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds of the students served.
• Develop incentives to keep participants in class.
• Develop professional relationships with other agencies and programs.
• Utilize public library resources.
• Work with program coordinators to ensure initiatives are being met.
• Tutor students on an individual basis.
• Establish and communicate clear objectives for all learning activities.
• Prepare and distribute required reports.
• Observe and evaluate student's performance.
• Manage student behavior in the classroom by invoking approved disciplinary procedures

Employment Opportunities for LANGUAGE TEACHER:

Academic qualification and proficiency in foreign languages opens the gate for career in sectors such as tourism, embassies, diplomatic service, entertainment, public relations and mass communication, international organisations, publishing, interpretation and translation, etc. Additionally, various multinational corporate bodies require candidates possessing excellent language skills in French, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, etc. Some new avenues such as online content writers, technical translators or decoders too have come up in a big way. 
International organisations such as the United Nations Organization (UNO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and various Indian national organisations such as Ministry of External Affairs, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), etc too require professionals who have specialisation in foreign languages. 
There is no shortcut to get a job as what matters is the skills and proficiency; therefore, the person should be genuinely skilled in the language so that his skills can be used by the employing company. However, there are some points which can help a candidate get hired which can be summarized in the following manner: 
• A passion to learn foreign language is must as it helps to know the language in fulsome manner, 
• Readymade sentences do not help in long term, so learn the language from scratch and construct your own sentences. There would be problem at the beginning but effort would pay in the end. 
• A learning aptitude and zeal to excel is must to build up proficiency in spoken aspect of the language. 
• If active interaction is possible, use it to maximize the language skills. No one can speak better than native speaker so talk with them to enhance spoken skills, 
• What various MNCs and KPOs look for in candidates is their fluency and clarity in the language, so gain them overtime.

How to become LANGUAGE TEACHER?

English as a Second Language teaching qualifications vary from state to state but typically require that an individual has graduated from a bachelor's degree program in education. Depending on the college's offerings, programs may be available in ESL, English language learning (ELL) or bilingual education. 
ESL courses teach students how to speak and communicate fluently in another language, to take cultural differences into account when developing a teaching style and lesson plans and to understand the physical and psychological aspects of language and communication. Specific courses in ESL programs include languages of the world, anthropology, voice and articulation, interpersonal communication, linguistics, language and society and methods of teaching.

Median Pay Scale/salary of LANGUAGE TEACHER :

Foreign language professionals earn attractive remuneration depending upon the work and the organization. Professionals working for PR or Marketing Department of any MNC can earn Rs 30,000 – 50,000 per month. Teachers can earn any salary in the range of Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 a month. Translators on the other hand receive Rs 250 to Rs 500 per page; compensation depends a lot upon the proficiency in the language. Similarly, an interpreter who is paid on an hourly basis can earn Rs 2000 to Rs 4000 per hour, again depending upon his calibre and work experience.

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