General questions about teaching languages

BeckyW245

Hi. I'm a 6th year student who is interested in teaching Italian, German and Spanish.
I am interested in the course Modern Languages at UCD.

My first question is if anyone knows if that is recognized by teaching council? I have looked at the recognized subjects but it does not specify about this course. It is an arts degree, though.

My second question is if I would have to spend a minimum time living in each of the countries for me to be able to teach them?

Does anyone have any information about the hDip and teaching council. Which do you apply to first?

I know I'm thinking ahead, i'm just curious. Thanks in advance.

dory

I'm not sure if it's on the list but it really has to be eligible. It sounds just like the Modern Languages degree in UCC. Mine was an Arts degree under a different name too. I wrote to the Teaching Council and they said it was fine as it was an Arts degree.

As for which to apply to first - the Dip and then the TC.

I think you spend a year in one country, but I've heard of people doing half and half. From what I've seen they're not strict on that (but I could be wrong).

roe_cat

For the TC I think it's a minimum of 3 months in each country per language you want to register for.
The fact that it's an Arts degree isn't really relevant - what you need is minimum 54 credits in each subject spread over the course (Degree is usually minimum 60 credits each year for 3 years - any subject you want recognition for should be minimum 30% of this) and that has to be a mixture of language and literature.

BeckyW245

Thank you for your replies.
I am hoping anyway to go into teaching. Hopefully I will be teaching Italian, Spanish and German.
Anyone got any advice, is this a good path?

whiteandlight

I'm not sure with the languages but it is very rare to be able to qualify to teach three subjects from one BA? Someone else may be able to confirm.

There are few to no jobs in teaching, read one of the many Threads asking about it as a career. The pay is now pretty poor for new entrants and there is no job security. Go in with your eyes open to the situation!

BeckyW245

Musicmental85 wrote: »

I'm not sure with the languages but it is very rare to be able to qualify to teach three subjects from one BA? Someone else may be able to confirm.

There are few to no jobs in teaching, read one of the many Threads asking about it as a career. The pay is now pretty poor for new entrants and there is no job security. Go in with your eyes open to the situation!

International Languages allows you to study 3 languages if you wish, which is what I'm hoping to do.
Well I wouldn't be qualifying for another 4/5 yrs so hopefully things will have improved by then!

RH149

The only language there is any demand for at the moment is French....hard to get French subs anyway. I think you can only do two subjects for your final degree so you'll have to decide on two of those languages.....you would be better to have another popular subject with a language than just languages, especially when the languages you suggest are all minority languages when it come to numbers taking them in Leaving Cert.

Spending time in the target language country is more a requirement for the language degree (used to be 3 mths in UCD) than for teaching but obviously having spent time there will improve your language competency and will improve your CV for getting interviews for teaching posts.

BeckyW245

RH149 wrote: »

The only language there is any demand for at the moment is French....hard to get French subs anyway. I think you can only do two subjects for your final degree so you'll have to decide on two of those languages.....you would be better to have another popular subject with a language than just languages, especially when the languages you suggest are all minority languages when it come to numbers taking them in Leaving Cert.

Spending time in the target language country is more a requirement for the language degree (used to be 3 mths in UCD) than for teaching but obviously having spent time there will improve your language competency and will improve your CV for getting interviews for teaching posts.

It's such a pain. I did French up untill my JC and was told I couldn't keep two languages for my LC. I picked Italian over French and now can't do French in College

Hopefully things will change in 4/5/6 years when I actually become a teacher. (Maybe Italian will become popular)... such an amazing language to learn.

whiteandlight

Unfortunately I cannot see the employment situation improving for any of your languages. They are very much minority and I know of at least two schools who are considering cutting German entirely for LC now in favour of French...

Oh and RH149 that's what I meant. I was fairly sure you only take two languages to degree level so you would not be qualified in all three unless you did more modules after you finish your degree?

BeckyW245

Well only time will tell. I think schools will start bringing in Spanish a bit more and probably Chinese, they are supposed to be the next two 'BIG' world languages. As for Italian, who knows? Students who sit the italian leaving cert each year is increasing slowly but surely.

whiteandlight

It's not so much what the schools want to do unfortunately, it's that the money is not there to offer extra subjects. Regardless anyways, best of luck with it all!