Many individuals who love languages end up working in education so that they can share their gifts with others. A foreign language teacher generally speaks multiple languages, and many schools welcome teachers whose first language was not English.

There are many routes to becoming a teacher in the United Kingdom, all of which will differ depending upon what and where an individual is interested in teaching. Becoming a teacher, then, is largely dependent upon your own abilities and circumstances.

Primary School Foreign Language Teachers

Primary school education is broad, and only trained primary school teachers are employed to teach it. Many primary school teachers specialise in teaching a foreign language within their daily lessons, but these teachers are trained at either undergraduate or postgraduate level in primary education and their foreign language teaching is usually regarded as “extra”.

There are, however, some undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that offer a specialism in a foreign language, such as at Anglia Ruskin University, Canterbury Christ Church University and Goldsmiths College, University of London. Most of these specialisms are in European languages.

Secondary School Foreign Language Teachers

Those interested in teaching foreign languages in secondary schools have many different opportunities to enter the profession. Individuals whose mother tongue is something other than English can do a Post Graduate Certificate of Education, School Centred Initial Teacher Training, Graduate Teacher Programme or Registered Teacher Programme.

For those already holding an education qualification, contacting the General Teaching Council in order to obtain a teaching reference number is important. Teachers from outside of the EEA will need to prove the equivalency of their qualifications as well as have a valid work permit and work visa before they will be able to teach.

Undergraduate and postgraduate education options also remain a route to teaching foreign languages in secondary schools. Secondary school foreign language teachers should expect to teach more than one subject.

Independent School Foreign Language Teachers

Some independent schools, which may also be referred to as public schools or sometimes private or privately-funded schools, may hire teachers specifically to teach one language. This usually holds especially true if a teacher specialises in a non-European language such as Arabic, Chinese or Japanese. Qualifications for such positions may differ, but having a recognised teaching credential will certainly never hurt a candidate’s case.

Further Education Foreign Language Teachers

Those interested in teaching foreign languages at the further education level will need a recognised qualification to do so. Initial Teacher Training has opportunities for both Associate Teacher, Learning and Skills qualifications as well as Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills qualifications. A variety of organisations offer appropriate teacher training qualifications, including Goldsmiths College, University of London, International House and the SOAS Language Centre, University of London.

Becoming a foreign language teacher in a school is an excellent idea for those who want to share their love of languages. Depending upon whether an individual wants to teach at primary, secondary or further education level, or if (s)he wants to teach in an independent school, there are different ways to obtain teaching qualifications. Individuals looking for further information should contact a local school to find out more about the qualifications required of their foreign language teachers.