In education, is "Foreign Language" usually code for "Spanish?"?

Question

I've been considering pursuing a teaching degree, and I notice that several states have mandates regarding foreign language education, either at the elementary or secondary level. But I see no specific mention of languages being taught in AZ (where I am) or anywhere else mentioning anything other than Spanish.

Are there actually jobs for teachers of other languages? (I speak Korean and Japanese) Or is this just like "bilingual" in any job listing, where they mean "Spanish bilingual?"

Answer 1

In a lot of jobs that just say foreign language in general, then that is what they mean...any foreign language.  Than again, some jobs just right requirements "in general" and will only be more specific to those who actually inquire about a certain position.  

So my advice to you would be, if you already know what position you want and where you want to work, then call the office and ask  for the specific qualifications they are looking for.  If know one is able to come to the phone or return an email, then try to schedule an informational interview w/ the employer.  Then you would be able to ask any questions you may have concerning the specific job position or about the school/organization, etc.  And you will be able to find out if you meet their needs, if they will be able to use someone like you, and/or if you will need to take any additional courses to meet what they are looking for.

Answer 2

forign language is anything other than the native tongue the country you are in speaks

since you are thinking of applying for primary then its unlikely that they would want a korean or japanese speaking teacher as these languages seem almost impossible to learn where the school might think that they would be wasting their funds hireing you

however saying that if you are very enthusiatic.. you sell your self and your language and you convince the school that taking this next step into asian language will be even better for the children then you might have a job

apply to a few places and see what happens.. you never know you might get it and it might be the best expression of your life

Answer 3

My elementary aged children are being taught French.  Frankly, I think it is a ridiculous misdirection of time and efforts.  They would have many more opportunities to actually use Spanish.  Since there are many Spanish speaking students in the area, I believe that they should be taught Spanish for Natives...just as most students are taught English.

Legally, in the world of professional definitions, a foreign language is any language other than the recognized "native" language of the geographic area.  Sign language is also considered a "foreign" language.

Answer 4

foreign language means anything but the native language of where you are, if you're in america then any language besides english is a foreign language =]

Answer 5

A language thats not English

Answer 6

I don't think it's code. But it probably is a good idea to know Spanish in AZ!

Having a second language is helpful because not only can you potentially teach ESL but you can communicate with parents who speak that language (or fill in for a teacher who is sick and teaches a language).

It can be any language but you have to think about the pool of applicants. If everyone speaks Spanish they might get the job over you. Maybe in SF or LA you could put your language to use or just be a more competitive applicant!

Answer 7

foreign language is any language than the country's native language(in america anything but English is foreign)

Answer 8

Very few public schools, as far as I know, offer programs in anything but European languages.  I know of many who take French or German, in addition to Spanish, and a few who have taken Latin, but I don't know of any public primary or secondary schools which offer Japanese or Korean (my nephew is taking Japanese at his primary school, but it is a private school).  I do hear that Mandarin (Chinese) is becoming a popular language, mostly in primary schools, but I don't think this trend has expanded to other Asian languages.

Answer 9

You have to consider that Arizona and New Mexico have passed Spanish and English as the official languages of their state. You also have to consider the extremely high Latino population in Arizona. There are jobs for teachers of other languages, which are called either less common languages or also known as lesser taught languages. In a job posting, bilingual is specifically referenced as Bilingual Spanish/English or Bilingual whatever/English. I direct a foreign language teaching program at the university where I work. Each state has its own state standards for both the content area and the teaching area for the languages. Since you have experience with Asian languages, my suggestion would be to get an ESL endorsement, which you can use outside the US as well as inside.

Answer 10

"Foreign language" is not just code for Spanish. Almost every high school offers classes in at least two different languages (with French being the second most common) and there are usually more than that available.

State mandates and standards for language education apply to all languages taught in school.

You could actually be in very high demand as a teacher if you are in the right part of the US. I have heard of numerous schools that offer Japanese and also some that have two-way bilingual programs (non-Korean kids learning Korean while Korean kids learn English) in Korean. The trick is that you need to look in parts of the US where there's a high Asian population - in these places, these languages are taught more often. I'd suggest looking into schools on the West Coast and Hawaii. Those places are where the language programs I heard of were.

If you want to stay in Arizona, you might have a tough time.  However, if you are willing to move, you can likely find a job. For security reasons, the US government is trying to get more people to learn languages that are unconventional choices, including Korean and Japanese, so there should continue to be more and more schools that offer these options.

Answer 11

Yes, there are jobs for teachers of other languages. Schools will usually ("usually") offer different language classes based on demand found in the community. For example, here in Texas, the 2 most prominent classes are Spanish and French. However, some schools offer German, Japanese, Italian, American Sign Language, etc. You need to "shop" the different ISD's where you live.

Answer 12

I don't think so. I regard it as a language that is not english or derived from the united states. something that is foreign to you.

Answer 13

Most schools offer Spanish, Italian, French and German (if they can find a teacher).  You can find other schools in nice districts that offer other languages like Chinese or Latin.  Bilingual does not have to mean Spanish.  I worked at a school were most students were Portuguese, in another school most students were from India. It depends on the school district.  In AZ there are a lot of hispanics so they do probably want someone who speaks Spanish.

Answer 14

Hey!  All over the world there are many languages being spoken.  I am originally from the USA, but I have also taught in the country of Estonia and in China.  There are many speakers of many languages.  However, English, Chinese and Spanish are now the biggest three world languages . . . at least in terms of growth rate and future projections.  

In answer to your questions about jobs, there are jobs all over the world!  I am in China right now, and I am teaching ESL and lots of other things.  I also tutor part time.  Please contact me if you like, and I will happily share all of the information I have!  There are lots of jobs out there . . . at least for now!  :-)

Answer 15

Yes, there are jobs for teaching classes other than Spanish; however, European languages are the languages that are commonly taught.  In order to find a job teaching an Asian language, you would need to apply to affluent schools in large cities or private schools.

You can also teach private classes...there are a lot of kids who want to take these languages, but can't find them offered anywhere.  If you can't find a school that will offer the languages you want to teach, you can teach them on your own.  (The benefits aren't as good, but if this is what you want to do, there is a way to do it.)

Answer 16

Could be, or any other language. (not english)