How to Become a Spanish Teacher in Illinois
Spanish teachers educate students of all grade levels in how to speak, read, and write the language. Learn more about how to become a Spanish teacher in Illinois, including education and testing requirements.
Illinois Spanish Teacher Career Information
To become a Spanish teacher in the state of Illinois, you must first receive a professional educator license valid for teaching grades K-12 and a Spanish endorsement. Continue reading below to discover more about what is required for the license, such as degrees, coursework, experience, and exams.
<table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Education Required</b> </td><td> Bachelor's degree and state-approved teacher preparation program</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Experience Required</b> </td><td> Student teaching</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Exam Requirements</b> </td><td> Basic skills test; edTPA; ILTS Spanish subject test</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>License Renewal Period</b> </td><td> Five years</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>CEU Credits Required for Renewal</b> </td><td> 120 hours of professional development</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Average Salary (2018)</b> </td><td> $62,140 (elementary school); $63,860 (middle school); $72,370 (high school)*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026)</b> </td><td> 3.7% (elementary school); 3.8% (middle school); 3.8% (high school)**</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), **Illinois Department of Employment Security
</i></p><h3 id="section---CompleteEducationRequirements">Complete Education Requirements</h3><p>Those interested in becoming a Spanish teacher in Illinois must have at least a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and complete an approved teacher preparation program. Many prospective teachers fulfill this requirement by completing a bachelor's degree in Spanish education. This program typically includes coursework in the Spanish language, from basic skills to more advanced concepts, such as linguistics, literature, and conversation. Students will also take courses on methods specific to teaching a second language.
</p><p>As part of the education requirements for all Illinois teachers, students must complete courses that cover four areas: reading methods, reading in the content area, cross-categorical special education methods, and ESL/bilingual methods. A list of pre-approved courses at many colleges and universities is provided by the Illinois State Board of Education. Students should check with their programs to determine whether the courses they ultimately choose will fulfill this requirement.
</p><h3 id="section---GainTheRequiredExperience">Gain the Required Experience</h3><p>Prospective teachers in Illinois must demonstrate student teaching experience before applying for a license. This is typically fulfilled by completing the fieldwork experience of a teacher preparation program. The program generally includes times spent observing local classrooms as well as student teaching experience. Students develop their skills by managing and teaching their own classroom.
</p><h3 id="section---FulfillExamRequirements">Fulfill Exam Requirements</h3><p>Prospective Spanish teachers must successfully complete three exams to become licensed in Illinois. The first is a test in basic skills. Those applying before June 30, 2019 may take the four-part Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) to fulfill this requirement. After June 30, 2019, applicants may use scores from the ACT or SAT. The passing score for the ACT is 22 (writing score of 6) and the passing score for the SAT is 1110 (writing and language score of 26).
</p><p>After completing the student teaching retirement, applicants must take the teacher preparation assessment (edTPA) in World Language: Spanish. A score of 35 is needed to pass this exam.
</p><p>Prospective teachers who want to teach Spanish at any grade level must also take the ILTS Foreign Language: Spanish exam. This is a computer-based exam that includes 65 multiple choice questions and two constructed-response assignments. This exam includes an assignment where a spoken response is required. A score of 240 is needed to pass the Spanish content exam.
</p><h3 id="section---ApplyForLicense">Apply For License</h3><p>Once the above requirements are met, prospective teachers can apply for the Special K-12 Professional Educator License with an endorsement in Spanish. This license is valid for five years, and teachers must complete at least 120 hours of professional development from an approved provider to renew. The Illinois Board of Education provides a list of approved providers on its website.</p>