Michigan Spanish Teacher Certification
Learn how to become a Spanish teacher in Michigan. Discover the requirements for certification, such as education and tests, so you can prepare to apply for your teaching certificate.
Michigan Spanish Teacher Career Information
Spanish teachers instruct students on how to read, write, and speak the language. They help students increase their listening, writing, and speaking abilities while also teaching students about Spanish culture. Depending on their desired teaching grade level, Spanish teachers in Michigan can choose from two main certifications: elementary (K-8) and secondary (6-12). Continue reading to learn more about the requirements.
<table border="1"><tr><td> Education Required </td><td> Bachelor's degree and state-approved teacher preparation program; reading courses</td></tr>
<tr><td> Exam Requirements </td><td> MTTC Spanish content test</td></tr>
<tr><td> Certificate Renewal Period </td><td> Five years</td></tr>
<tr><td> CEU Credits Required for Renewal </td><td> 150 hours of education-related professional development or education-related master's or higher degree</td></tr>
<tr><td> Michigan Average Salary (2018)* </td><td> $66,180 (elementary school); $64,540 (middle school); $62,950 (high school)</td></tr>
<tr><td> Michigan Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026)** </td><td> 5.6% (elementary school); 5.8% (middle school); 5.8% (high school)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), **Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives
</i></p><h3 id="section---CompleteEducationRequirements">Complete Education Requirements</h3><p>All prospective teachers must complete a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university and a state-approved teacher preparation program. Those interested in teaching Spanish should choose to major in Spanish or Spanish education. This major generally covers topics such as Spanish grammar, Spanish conversation, Spanish culture, linguistics, and Spanish literature.
</p><p>The teacher preparation program is typically a blend of coursework and fieldwork experience. Students take courses covering such education topics as human development, foreign language instruction methods, curriculum development, and classroom assessment. During the fieldwork component, students are placed in local schools as student teachers. Students learn how to apply the skills they've gained in real-world classroom settings under the supervision of certified teachers.
</p><p>Prospective teachers must also complete coursework that covers methods of reading instruction. Those planning to teach at the elementary level must complete six credit hours, while those interested in teaching at the middle or high school level must complete three credit hours. The reading coursework must be related to the content area they plan to teach.
</p><h3 id="section---FulfillExamRequirements">Fulfill Exam Requirements</h3><p>Prospective Spanish teachers must take the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Spanish content exam. This is a computer-based exam that contains 80 multiple-choice questions and two constructed-reponse questions, including a listening component. The questions cover six main Spanish subtopics: listening comprehension; reading comprehension; language structures and comparisons; cultural understanding, comparisons, and connections; language acquisition, instruction, and assessment; and writing. The minimum passing score for the Spanish exam is 220.
</p><h3 id="section---BecomeCertifiedInFirstAidCPR">Become Certified in First Aid/CPR</h3><p>All prospective teachers must take a certification course in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from an institution such as the American Red Cross. This course cannot be taken fully online. The Michigan Department of Education maintains an updated list of approved providers for this requirement.
</p><h3 id="section---ApplyForALicense">Apply for a License</h3><p>Once all above requirements are met, prospective teachers can submit their application to the Michigan Department of Education using the Michigan Online Educator Certification System. The application process requires a completed application, submission of all documentation, and payment of the application fee.
</p><h3 id="section---MeetRenewalRequirements">Meet Renewal Requirements</h3><p>The standard Spanish teaching certificate is valid for five years and has unlimited renewals. To renew this certificate, teachers must complete 150 hours of education-related professional development from a provider approved by the Michigan Department of Education. Teachers who obtain an education-related master's or higher degree from an accredited college or university can apply course credits for this degree toward renewal requirements one time.</p>