Elementary Bilingual Teacher Responsibilities

Elementary bilingual teachers definitely have an edge over the normal teachers, as they are proficient not only in English, but also in some other language like Spanish, French, etc. Thus, the elementary bilingual teacher responsibilities are definitely more than that of an elementary teacher, owing to his/her fluency in other languages.

Key Responsibilities of a Bilingual Elementary Teacher

There are many students who are not fluent in English, and thus find it difficult to understand and study the course curriculum in schools. Also, there is a dearth of schools which provide bilingual education. Therefore, bilingual elementary teachers are always in more demand, as they are able to integrate the students who speak English as well as those who speak other languages like Spanish, French or those who are not familiar with English. They bring together students from diverse cultures and help them to understand the course curriculum in a better way. Here is a list of key responsibilities that need to be handled by a bilingual elementary teacher:

1. To teach the subjects assigned to you in a simple, easily understandable method by designing specific plans for each of the students in the bilingual class
2. To evaluate the ability of each student in the language by evaluating his/her performance in various assessments and tests and grade them accordingly
3. To communicate the progress of the students to the principal and parents as well as their respective goals and expectations that need to be met in the bilingual educational program
4. To help the non-English students to overcome their barriers and take special efforts to immerse these students with others in the class by developing appropriate instructional lesson plans and techniques. They also engage students in various group activities to overcome their fear of English language and make them comfortable with other students, thus ensuring better interaction
5. To plan and implement different intervention programs in collaboration with the other teachers, staff members, and principal. These programs could include some new instructional strategies that emphasize the learning objectives and assessment techniques
6. To ensure that all the rules and regulations are followed and that student discipline is maintained in the class

They may make certain recommendations to improve the course curriculum. All actions must be taken to meet the mission of the school. To create differentiated learning experiences that will be applicable to various range of skills and cater to the developmental needs of various students. They are actively involved in various extracurricular activities and events organized by students that would reflect their interest. They keep a track of students' attendance, their performance by maintaining it in the form of reports and also make records related to the students' funds. Excellent time management and organization skills are also required.

Essential Skills

The basic requirement for elementary bilingual teachers is that they should be able to communicate effectively with the students and help them to be comfortable. They should teach them in such a way that they will be in a better position to understand the curriculum. They should keep themselves updated with the latest instructional and literacy techniques. They should be able to plan, design, and implement different strategies that would help in effective learning. Besides, they should be patient, create a friendly environment for students and should be able to work under stressful conditions.

Educational Requirements

A degree in education is the most basic educational requirement for elementary bilingual teachers. A post graduation is definitely welcome. To qualify as bilingual teacher, a proper certification or license is required.

Work Schedule

A bilingual teacher works in a standard work schedule. Their duty hours generally do not extend beyond forty to forty five hours per week. They may work overtime at times, due to participation in some meetings, events, extracurricular activities, etc.

Salary Details

The salary normally falls in the range of $28,000 to $32,000. Experience, educational background and skills are the key factors in determining the salary. It also depends on the size of the school.

Career Prospects

There is a huge growth for bilingual teachers even during recession, as they definitely have an edge over other teachers. It is expected to grow by 13 to 16 percent with more opportunities available in the states, as they have a large number of students who have migrated.

Thus, elementary bilingual teacher responsibilities help the students to develop themselves physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially, enabling them to develop competencies and skills that are required to function successfully.