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Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL). Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

What you’d do

  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as how to speak and write a foreign language and the cultural aspects of areas where a particular language is used.
  • Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media.
  • Keep abreast of developments in their field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional organizations and activities.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

Skills that matter

  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Instructing
  • Learning Strategies
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Writing

How to get there

Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

Also called

  • French Professor
  • Professor
  • Spanish Instructor
  • Spanish Professor
  • Assistant Professor
  • Associate Professor

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