French is a vastly popular language that is spoken all over the world. Did you know that French is the only language besides English that is spoken on five continents in the world? The French language is not only well-known but also absolutely beautiful. Therefore, it is no surprise that French is known globally as the language of love. There is something special about French linguistics that makes its world sound not only beautiful but gentle and pleasing to the ear. Some people choose to learn French because they love the country and culture, while others see an opportunity to grow and build a career by learning this language. It does not matter why you learn this language, but we can all agree that it is beautiful and more people should learn it.
One of the best ways for you to contribute to helping others learn this language is by teaching it to them just as you have learned it yourself. Learning French might not be as complicated as learning Mandarin, but it is a language that requires a lot of focus, dedication, and hard work.
If you have a French qualification or are interested in obtaining one, this article is for you. We will discuss one of your career prospects if you have a qualification in the French language. One of the most common stepping stones for people considering teaching a language is getting a job as a language assistant. In this article, we will solely concentrate on this job and what you can expect to fulfil the role of French language assistant effectively.
Have You Heard of the Term: French Language Assistant?
If you are seriously considering teaching, the term language assistant is something you would have heard by now. A language assistant is a native speaker of that specific country who assists teachers in foreign languages. To further explain this, let us take Singapore as an example. Singapore’s national language is English. A French language assistant in Singapore is someone who is a native English speaker and is equipped to help teachers teach French.
If you are a native English speaker with the ability to speak French and are qualified to teach, you are able to teach almost all over the world. The fact that English is one of the most commonly spoken languages opens up opportunities for those looking to teach French abroad.
Job Scope of a French Language Assistant
Now that you know a little bit about what a language assistant is, let’s look at some of the daily work and tasks that a language assistant needs to perform to succeed.
Perform Fun Activities with Students
As you know, a language assistant is a person who helps teachers with their students. One of the best and most fun parts about being a language assistant is having fun activities with students. As you know, French is a very popular language, and therefore it is no surprise that many parents tend to enrol their kids to learn French from a very young age. By having students from different backgrounds and learning abilities, the sky’s the limit to making and planning your activities. You get to teach your students through conversations, songs, and games.
Introduce Students to the French Culture
Another thing language assistants do is to expose and share the French culture with their students. Unlike teachers with a set lesson plan, the job of a language assistant is quite flexible. You get to teach your students about French culture and how it is intertwined with the language. Most people might not know this, but a language is moulded and shaped by the society in which it is spoken, and this includes the French language. The French language embodies the art and history of the country for thousands of years. As a teaching assistant, it will be up to you to open your student’s eyes to this beauty.
Encourage Students
Another important aspect of being a language assistant is motivating, encouraging, and helping your students in their journey to learn the French language. If French is your second language, you should be aware of how complex, challenging and daunting learning a new language can be. As a teaching assistant, you will be equipped to empathise with students who are going through their own difficulties in their journey to learning French as a second language. You are also able to guide students in preparing for their examinations and such.
Employment Period of a French Language Assistant
When people talk about French language assistants, they usually think of a young student, usually in college. But the truth is, there is no age limit to being a French language assistant. The whole point of a language assistant is to help teachers who are teaching French.
Like any other job, a language teaching assistant is a job you can hold as long as you prefer. Most people tend to use their time and opportunity as a French language assistant to acquire the qualifications and skills that will enable them to become successful French teachers. On average, people tend to stay as a language assistant for approximately three years and during their time in this role.
This role has full-time and part-time options in Singapore, and the average base salary is approximately SGD 9 to SGD 40 per hour, depending on location and experience.
Once you have completed a few years in this role and acquired the necessary knowledge and skills, which you will learn on the job, you can start to work as a French private tutor, examination officer, or even educational researcher.
Benefits of Becoming a French Language Assistant
There are many benefits to becoming a French language assistant. One essential skill that becoming a language assistant brings is confidence. As you start your journey as a French language assistant, you will be exposed to a classroom setting with teachers and students. You can use your observational skills to learn, which in turn will boost your confidence. There are other benefits of being a French language assistant, which we have listed below.
Skills
One of the advantages of being a language assistant is you will be able to build specific skills while on the job. If you are studying at a university, in Singapore, or abroad, you should jump on the opportunity to become a French language assistant if it is an option. You will immediately see improvement in your communication skills as you start. Another skill that you will be able to develop is your management skills as well. As you know, a language assistant helps a teacher by dealing with students, helping them understand the syllabus, and communicating with them. In your role, you will also learn time management and the skills needed to manage activities.
Experience
The experience you will get as a French language assistant is not something you can easily get elsewhere. This job will be an introduction and a stepping stone for people who wish to become teachers, professors or tutors. When you learn to deal with and communicate with students, you will learn how to understand them and their needs from you as a teacher. You will be able to practise your teaching methods with them as well. Overall, the experience you will get as a teaching assistant will be valuable.
Career Opportunity
One of the main reasons that students tend to take up teaching assistant jobs in their university is for future career opportunities. More often than not, people think that being a teaching assistant is the stepping stone if you aim to be a teacher, lecturer or professor. This is somewhat true. Yes, becoming a teaching assistant is the start of a path to becoming a teacher, but have you ever considered how it would look in your resume or CV, irrespective of the job you are aiming for? On the one hand, having a career as a language assistant shows future employers that you possess not only linguistic skills but also communicative and management skills. These skills are highly valuable, and having these in your resume sets you apart from the rest and demonstrates to future employees your abilities.
If you want to teach French as a tutor, Superprof is where you should be. Superprof is an online platform that connects students and tutors from all over the world. If you are passionate about teaching and guiding students, this is your opportunity to start changing lives. On Superprof, we are giving tutors the chance to teach while maintaining their flexibility. As a tutor on our site, you retain your independence as you will be the one deciding on your hours, students, and rates. Keep in mind that the more experienced and qualified you are, the better your chances of finding students are.
If you are a student who is looking to learn the French language, we have a list of tutors who are just waiting to teach you and help you achieve your goals. All you will need to do is head over to our website and search for French tutors near you. From here, you will be able to view all the tutors who are closest to you. In our dedication to helping students and tutors find the best fit, we encourage our tutors to provide their first lesson for free. This ensures that both the tutors and students on Superprof find the right fit before commencing classes.
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