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Language teacher skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Brian O'Sullivan Ph.D.,

Diane Renée Mannone

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical language teacher skills. We ranked the top skills for language teachers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 19.3% of language teacher resumes contained classroom management as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a language teacher needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 language teacher skills for your resume and career

1. Classroom Management

Here's how language teachers use classroom management:

Execute Classroom Management Strategies and Disciplinary Program to ensure positive classroom environment, including dealing with behavioral issues.
Execute and maintain appropriate student discipline techniques and effective classroom management strategies.

2. English Language

Here's how language teachers use english language:

Developed material to help Japanese English Language teachers to aid in educational linguistics.
Facilitated English language instruction to government employees and local residents.

3. Student Learning

Here's how language teachers use student learning:

Administered informal assessments to identify student learning.
Exchange information about student learning with students, parents, and colleagues in ways that improve understanding and support academic progress.

4. Mandarin

Here's how language teachers use mandarin:

Develop instructional materials and teach Mandarin to private students of varying abilities.
Teach intermediate-to-advanced level Mandarin to 15 America-born Asian children and teenagers.

5. Learning Environment

Here's how language teachers use learning environment:

Demonstrated ability to maintain fun and exciting learning environment with different type of students.
Designed learning environments that met developmental objectives and state standards.

6. ESL

Here's how language teachers use esl:

Conferred with University Student Teacher Supervisors to address requirements for ESL certification.
Facilitated instruction in Spanish for grades 6th - 8th Developed lesson plans and instructional materials Collaborated with ESL and Special Ed.

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7. Grammar

Grammar is the system or rules of the structure of a language. The set of grammar rules helps us decide the order or arrangement of words to form a sentence forming a grammatically correct sentence. Grammar denotes the study of how a sentence of a language is constructed, its morphology, and syntax. It is also the knowledge prescribed in speaking or writing in a given language using the permissible set of constructions and avoiding those that are not permissible. This also includes the proper use of punctuation marks within a sentence.

Here's how language teachers use grammar:

Prepared lesson plans and conducted activities that target vocabulary building, correct pronunciation and grammar practice.
Reviewed materials with them every session while introducing new vocabulary words and grammar concepts.

8. Professional Development

Professional development means to have the essential training certification or education with the purpose of earning and having a successful career. Every job requires a different set of skills. However, new skills may be needed in the future. Professional development, in this regard, helps people to develop and polish the skills and become efficient workers.

Here's how language teachers use professional development:

Interpreted all business and professional development meetings for the Executive Director
Served as a panelist judge, for the Penn Language Center Professional Development Workshop for student interns.

9. Classroom Environment

Here's how language teachers use classroom environment:

Provided a structured yet nurturing classroom environment to maximize student success.
Maintain order in disruptive classroom environment.

10. Language Curriculum

Here's how language teachers use language curriculum:

Planned and implemented language curriculum in a residential educational setting for teenage boys.
Created Seneca Language Curriculum accepted by NCAA for accreditation.

11. Foreign Language

A foreign language is a language that is not the official language spoken in a given state or country. It's a language that is native to another country but can be studied in addition to one's native language as a means of fostering international relationships among countries.

Here's how language teachers use foreign language:

Promoted internationalization via foreign language and world culture education in the communities and schools.
Organized and taught seminars on history, literature, culture and traditions of the countries where the foreign languages are spoken.

12. Instructional Materials

Here's how language teachers use instructional materials:

Designed instructional materials and assessments.
Developed plans and instructional materials.

13. Curriculum Development

Here's how language teachers use curriculum development:

Assisted in curriculum development to improve students' conversational abilities.
Assisted on a variety of committees and task forces focused on curriculum development and text-book reviews.

14. Language Arts

Language art refers to the ability to master a language.

Here's how language teachers use language arts:

Employed Teach science, reading, and language arts in Spanish to native and non-native Spanish speakers.
Create curriculum for Spanish Immersion Language Arts and Social Studies courses in 8th and 6th grades.

15. Language

Here's how language teachers use language:

Engaged students to develop their linguistic competences with creative instructional delivery and fostered appreciation for the Italian language and culture.
Developed a customized course syllabus and outline for to improve student language motivation and integration into the local community.

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What skills help Language Teachers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on language teacher resumes?

Brian O'Sullivan Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Chair, St. Mary's College of Maryland

I hear from our alumni that hiring managers are still, as always, excited to see resumes that hint in any way at the ability to write well. It's an ability that's not common enough. For example, if an engineer can write well enough to get complex ideas across clearly to managers and clients with less engineering sophistication, that gives them a massive advantage over competitors who have similar technical skills but are not good communicators.

What soft skills should all language teachers possess?

Diane Renée Mannone

Associate Professor of English, East Los Angeles College

Working well with colleagues: collaborating, being a team player, involved in the department and campus, etc.

What hard/technical skills are most important for language teachers?

Diane Renée Mannone

Associate Professor of English, East Los Angeles College

Technical literacy and the ability to teach in myriad environments with diverse students.

What language teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Suzanne Tiemann

Professor, Park University

I think that learning is on a continuum. By advancing their degrees and graduate credit, teachers can move up the district’s salary schedule while continuing to perfect their craft.

What type of skills will young language teachers need?

Dr. Vanessa Lazo

Department Chair, Professor of Spanish, Faculty Leader of the Year 2020-2021, Austin Community College

Now more than ever, students will need adaptability, critical thinking skills, flexibility, and problem-solving skills. These skills are put into play as students learn a foreign language, regardless of the level in which they seek proficiency in any of our language courses. Beyond our department, these skills are also examined throughout the LIberal Arts curriculum. Skills that can be unique to studying a foreign language would encompass forming a worldview while comparing, contrasting, and, more importantly, connecting with cultures from around our globe.

What technical skills for a language teacher stand out to employers?

Dr. Keith Folse Ph.D.

Professor, University of Central Florida

COVID has moved many online meetings, so operating a Zoom or similar meeting flawlessly is a useful skill, one that no one valued or even knew much about just a year ago. An even more valuable skill is being able to troubleshoot problems that are likely during an online meeting. Do you have good presentation skills, and could you conduct small workshops for large companies that want to train their employees to achieve good online conferences?

The answer to this question will vary as much as the many fields and employers that exist today. What are the needs of these employers? Do large employers even know their needs? They may not, but the consumers of those employers understand what they need, so I have a little different kind of tip here.

I would recommend that students identify their targeted fields, such as education or banking, or culinary, and then find 2 or 3 Facebook groups discussing that topic now. For example, thousands of teachers in hundreds of school districts across the US are teaching online now. Some use Zoom, some use Canvas, and others use something else. I am a member of Teaching Synchronously with Zoom in Korea (500+ members) and Teaching with Canvas (70,000+ members). Ask to join these groups. Lurk. Read. Study. Know what people are unhappy about and need. This is the type of information that companies need to thrive, especially in these challenging times.

Do you want to know more?

List of language teacher skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a language teacher resume and required skills for a language teacher to have include:

Classroom Management
English Language
Student Learning
Mandarin
Learning Environment
ESL
Grammar
Professional Development
Classroom Environment
Language Curriculum
Foreign Language
Instructional Materials
Curriculum Development
Language Arts
Language
Learning Process

Spanish Language
Learning Styles
Literature
IEP
Language Classes
Syllabus
Mathematics
IB
Chinese Language
Korean Language
Public Schools
K-12
Student Performance
Bilingual Education
Standardized Testing
Japanese Language

Social Studies
Learning Strategies
Chinese Culture
Cultural Backgrounds
Arabic Language
Course Materials
Pre-K
Visual Aids
Non-Native Speakers
Team Teaching
PowerPoint
Blended Learning
III
Private Lessons
Homework Assignments
Toefl

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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