I am about to graduate with a teaching degree, how do I get a real teaching job!?!?
This is the second post about getting a world language teaching job. To start see Post #1 – Land an Interview
Author – Allison Wienhold
Published – March 23, 2015 & most recently updated January 21, 2025
Step #2 – Prepare for the Spanish Teacher Interview
This is the part where my Googling came up short. How in the world was I supposed to prepare for a World Language interview!?! How do a I prepare for a Spanish teacher interview?
There are tons of articles out there are about what say, wear, and how to prepare for the general teaching questions. So I am just going to focus on the “language” portion of the interview.
For some background information, when I started looking for Spanish teacher jobs in 2012, the Spanish teacher job market was Crowded. Most people without experience did not even get considered.
So, I went to a lot of different interviews. This is why I had so many varied interview experiences. Read how to Land an Interview for more info.
I know every school is different but the following options are ways in which I have had to “prove” my Spanish ability.
Presentational Writing or Speaking in Spanish
Writing about self in Spanish
- At one particularly strange interview I was told to sit at a desk in a closet. I was handed a piece of paper where I was supposed to write in Spanish about my past, present and future.
- How to prepare – If you have been out of the classroom or academic world of writing in the target language like I was (2 years of non-Spanish graduate school), make sure to refresh yourself in the target language. Write and speak with friends, read current literature, and listen to your favorite shows or radio.
Speaking about self in Spanish
- At another Spanish teacher interview, I was told to introduce myself in Spanish to the interview panel. No one in the room even spoke Spanish. So they just wanted to “hear if I sounded like I knew what I was doing!” (I was then offered the job on the spot. They were almost too desperate to fill the position. But, we decided we did not want to move to that town.)
- How to prepare – Have something written up and practiced about yourself, school, and experience in Spanish. This help to not freeze under pressure and stand there like an idiot.
Interpersonal Speaking in Spanish at an Interview
Have a conversation in the TL
- How to prepare – If other language teachers are present and they get a chance to casually talk to you in the target language it will probably be about what language teachers are interested in, Travel! Most of us have the common passion for studying abroad, traveling with students, and experiencing the cultures we love, so be ready to talk about them.
- *In bigger districts casually chatting in Spanish with another teacher has been the most common way I have had to show my Spanish skills.
- This might also be chatting in Spanish or English with a teacher or student as they give you a tour of the school. It may not seem like an interview. But this is for Sure a big factor on if you get hired. how you interact with all students and adults at that school is a part of the bigger interview.
Interviewed in the TL
- This will probably not be the case unless you are interviewing at a dual language school or somewhere where most people speak the language you teach. Administrators do not like not understanding how the questions are answered!
- How to prepare – Mentally go through some of your answers to the the “typical” interview questions in Spanish.
Teaching a Sample Lesson in Spanish
In my area, it is quite common that language teachers are asked to prepare a short 10-20 minute lesson for current students. Administration and language teacher will observe this sample lesson. (Cue panic of what to teach? What do they know? What are they looking for?)
This is my advice for how to prepare for this lesson:
Contact the teacher in advance
- If possible, get as much information about the class you will be teaching in as possible.
- It would be helpful to know class size, technology access, level, current unit of study, topic in which they would prefer you to teach etc.
- If the teacher suggests a certain topic that they would like you to teach, USE IT. They are giving you a huge hint as to what they are looking for.
Introduce yourself to the class in Spanish
- You do not want the class to ask “What was her name?” after you leave.
- This is your chance to sell yourself to the students, as they will let the principal know what they think of each of the candidates.
Conduct the lesson in Spanish
- This is your chance to show everyone that you can teach IN the language, not just about it. ACTFL recommends 90% of class in TL, and the same should apply for this interview lesson.
- If you are not given any certain topic to cover, make it something fun, cultural, student centered, and LEVEL APPROPRIATE. Too easy of a lesson and they will not see your true ability. But, too hard and kids will shut down. The key to a good teacher is they can see right away that the level is not quite right and immediately adjust.
- Simple is better. This will likely be a very tiny amount of time. Do not try to introduce a whole verb tense. Building confidence with what they know is better. A simple weekend chat on a Monday would be perfect for upper levels.
Have fun & show your personality!
- In this short of a time period, the main goal is not learning a new grammar tense, but showing that you have a passion for teaching. This includes doing an activity in the TL that shows your interest for the subject, using good behavior management techniques, and having positive interactions with the students. Being stiff and dry does not translate well to the students, or those observing.
- I know you just want me to hand you the “perfect lesson recipe,” for a teaching interview, but unfortunately I do not have one. (If anyone does, please send it my way to share with the world!) Prove through your interactions that your heart is in the right place, and this is the school you are meant to teach at.
Teaching a Sample Lesson Without Students
In some strange cases, if students are not present, you might be presenting a lesson to a room of adults. Most in that case do not speak Spanish. In this case super novice Persona Especial interviews are a great option.
You can use my High-Frequency Verb Unit to Start Spanish 1 day 1 lesson plans. It will show how new students can acquire a language
How to decide if this Spanish Teacher Job is the Right Fit for You
*Update* Now that there is a teacher shortage, YOU are in control. Make sure to ask questions to make sure this job is the right fit for you.
- Ask – Will I have freedom in regards to curriculum? Or is there a scripted textbook to follow day by day? Maybe you want an easy script. But, if you have always been a #deptof1 a script can fee like chains.
- Is there a supportive admin &/or World Language team?
- Ask – How do you support your World Language/ Spanish teachers?
- Ask – Why did the previous teacher leave? They will likely be vague. So this might be better to ask another teacher there or do some online detective work. Is the Spanish teacher next door a witch that works well with no-one? Have there been 3 teachers in this job in 3 years since it is an overload of 500 students in this Middle School position?
Post Interview
One way to be remembered is to immediately send a thank you email or card. It shows you are grateful for the opportunity, and highly interested in the position.
Once you have interviewed the wait is actually the hardest part. Try your best to stay busy and not think about it.
If you are then told “I am sorry, you were great, but you will not get the job,” know that the right teaching position is still out there for you.
Every position will allow you the opportunity to learn and grow as an educator, and as a person.
Good Luck! – Allison
**Note: I am not an administrator or HR person, so if you have better advice please share in the comments!**
