Spanish Teacher Education

Illinois State's award-winning and nationally recognized Spanish Teacher Education major prepares graduates for K-12 teaching, while offering a dynamic interdisciplinary approach for exploring the diverse Spanish-speaking world.

Language coursework prepares students to achieve Advanced-Low or higher proficiency, an endeavor supported by study abroad programs in Chile, Panama, and Spain. Award-winning co-curricular activities, carried out by the Spanish Club and the Sigma Delta Pi (National Collegiate Spanish Honor Society), also help students develop their speaking skills and learn more about Spanish-speaking communities.

Our graduates are sought after by school districts across the state and find Spanish teaching positions upon graduation at high rates.

Why Study Spanish Teacher Education?

K-12 Spanish teachers are needed across the state, and Illinois State's program is contacted every year by school districts across the state who need Spanish teachers in their schools.

The hands-on experiences during pedagogy coursework prepare Spanish teacher candidates to succeed in their future teaching career, while reaching a variety of diverse learners. The skills developed during coursework and clinical experiences make graduates of this program ready to meet the challenges of teaching in the 21st century and in a variety of environments.

Upon successful completion of their degree, our graduates are certified to teach K-12 Spanish in Illinois, as well as in 32 other states with reciprocity agreements.

Related Skills

• Ability to adapt to other cultures
• Good writing and speaking ability
• Understand cultural diversity, different cultural values and habits
• Critical reader
• Ability to translate carefully
• Strong interpersonal skills

Being Successful in the Field

• Research and Investigation -
  The search for specific knowledge, from controlled laboratory experimentation to detective work, from scholarly endeavors to investigative journalism.
• Organize: Information Management- The arrangement and retrieval of data and knowledge, from cataloguing to accounting, from computer programming to inventory control.
• Communicate: Communications and Persuasion -The exchange, transmission, and expression of knowledge and ideas, from sales to film news writing to illustrating, from teaching to performing.
• Emphasize: Humanitarian Service- The attention to physical, mental, or social needs of people, from medicine to social work, from labor relations to play therapy.
• Administer: Organization Management- The direction and guidance of a group in the completion of tasks and the attainment of goals, from politician to minister, from industrialist to school principal.
• Imagine: Design and Planning- The conceptualization of the future and description of a process for creating it, from the city planner to artist, proposal writer to architect.

Related Fields

Industry and Commerce

• Overseas sales representative
• Overseas manager
• Overseas researcher
• U.S.-based import/export officer or investment specialist
• Interpreter
• Translator
• Technical writer/translator

Academic and Professional

• International lawyer 
• Medical researcher 
• Health care professional
• Academic researcher 
• Librarian 
• International researcher 
• UNESCO project worker 
• Translator 
• Interpreter 
• Foreign language/Bilingual teacher 

U.S. Government

• Agency for International Development (AID)
• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS):
• U.S. Customs Service
• National Security Agency (NSA)
• Immigration/Customs official 
• Staff/Faculty at overseas U.S. school 
• Foreign Embassy staff 
• Overseas broadcast staff 
• State Department staff/ Armed forces staff 
• Translator 
• Interpreter 
• Intelligence Agent 

Arts, Media, Entertainment

• Journalist 
• Foreign/overseas correspondent 
• Film producer 
• Art dealer 
• Overseas manager 
• Translator/interpreter 

Service

• Employee of overseas non-governmental organization
• United Nations agency and project employee
• UN translator/interpreter
• Overseas medical or agricultural worker
• Peace Corps volunteer
• Missionary

Travel and Tourism

• U.S. based travel agent 
• U.S. hotel staff 
• U.S. tour guide for foreign visitors 
• Writer of tourist literature 
• International airline employee 
• International hotel staff 
• International tour guide
• Agency for International Development (AID)
• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS):
• U.S. Customs Service
• National Security Agency (NSA)

Education

Approximately 100,000 people in this country work in the field of foreign language teaching. Over two-thirds teach in Jr. & Sr. High Schools, and the rest in colleges and universities, elementary schools and commercial and government- operated language schools with the greatest number teaching Spanish. In addition, a substantial number teach English to those who speak other languages as their native tongue. The teaching of English to speakers of other languages also offers expanding opportunities for employment abroad in government, academic & volunteer programs.

Career Industry Liaison

Internship Coordinator

Applying to Illinois State

Applying by our priority deadline is encouraged for best consideration for your academic program and for scholarships. Start your application today!

Applying to Illinois State

Applying by our priority deadline is encouraged for best consideration for your academic program and for scholarships. Start your application today!

Minimum GPA

2.75

Middle 50% GPA

2.96 - 3.67

Required Courses

None

Recommended Courses

To find the course equivalencies at an Illinois community college, please review our Course Articulation Guides.

• Foreign language equivalent to Illinois State’s 115 level or higher
• Introductory-level composition (ENG 101)
• Introductory-level speech (COM 110)
• Child Growth & Development (TCH 210)

Academic Advising

Minimum GPA

2.75

Middle 50% GPA

2.96 - 3.67

Application Period

Applications are always accepted.

Application Information

Current students can use the Apply to Your Program tool on My.IllinoisState.edu.

Academic Advising