Foreign Languages Teacher

Teaching foreign languages has always been a rewarding career, and talented linguists are more in demand than ever before. Modern foreign languages (MFL) is now part of the English Baccalaureate, and the number of children taking a modern foreign language at GCSE will be almost a third higher next year than it was in 2011, and it is forecast to grow further after that.

The main languages taught in schools are French, German and Spanish. Others include Italian, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, Urdu and Bengali. There is a shortage of MFLteachers and there is demand for high-calibre talent to take on the challenge. Choosing this path is not just about teaching vocabulary and pronunciation, it requires the commitment to developing real cultural awareness.

Becoming a modern foreign languages teacher can provide a career full of creativity and offers challenges with big rewards.If you’re a top graduateand want to specialise in teaching a foreign language at secondary level, you could receive a £20,000* tax-free training bursary, but only if you apply to start this year.

You will also benefit from a competitive starting salary, excellent training, and great chances for career progression once you have qualified – with the job security of knowing that good MFL teachers are always essential.

Starting salaries in teaching are high compared to average graduate starting salaries and rise quickly after. Teachers begin on an average starting salary of £23,010, and see their salaries rise by an average of around 30 per cent after their first four years in the job.

If you are ambitious and want to progress in your career, then teaching a foreign language is the profession for you - teachers are twice as likely to be in management positions 3.5 years into their career, compared to fellow graduates.

To become a modern foreign languages teacher in England you need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS), and you can do this by successfully completing an initial teacher training (ITT) course. There are a number of teacher training options available, so that you can choose the one which most suits your own personal needs. To find out more about the different routes, please visit our website atwww.education.gov.uk/teachroutes

If you’re ready to apply, please visit our website, where you can also access a range of application tips and online support tools, such as our application form assistant and interactive interview preparation, at www.education.gov.uk/teachapply

There is also a comprehensive programme of support available from the Teaching Agency to help you, providing guidance all the way through the application process. If you think you might be interested in teaching, and you want to find out more about the career, teacher training or the application process, sign up with the Teaching Agency at www.education.gov.uk/teachregister

You may also be interested in our new enhanced service, Premier Plus, which is currently available for high quality linguists and MFL graduates, and will give you access to exclusive benefits including personalised advice from a named adviser – sign up at www.education.gov.uk/teachpremierplus

If you would like to speak to someone about teaching a foreign language or teacher training, or you want to ask us a question about getting into teaching, contact us on:

The Teaching Line - freephone 0800 389 2500
Facebook - www.facebook.com/getintoteaching
Twitter - www.twitter.com/getintoteaching