What Do Foreign Language Professors Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Foreign Language Professors 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. They also prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.

Other tasks include:

• 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.

We asked Foreign Language Professors how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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83% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Foreign Language Professors maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records. They 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.

A typical day for a Postsecondary Foreign Language and Literature Teacher will also include:

• Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
• Evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers.
• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media.

We asked some Foreign Language Professors a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	14% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	49% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	64% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	29% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	5% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	40% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Foreign Language Professors also maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. They may also advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Foreign Language Professors Evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers. They might also Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

In addition, they Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Participate in campus and community events.

To some Foreign Language Professors, it is also their responsibility to Write letters of recommendation for students.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Postsecondary Foreign Language and Literature Teacher, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm

http://www.cgsnet.org/

https://www.acteonline.org/

http://www.teach.org/