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Language teacher: To be or not to be
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Language teacher: To be or not to be

S. Mason
Babel, Vol.45(1), pp.14-21
2010
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Abstract

The success of languages education in Australia depends on a dedicated force of proficient and qualified teachers. The reality, however, is that we are losing our teachers at an alarming rate. While teacher attrition across Australia has been widely researched, little investigation has been conducted specifically into the post-graduation employment patterns of qualified languages educators. In this paper, interviews with a range of educators provide insights into what influences graduate teachers' decisions to start, leave, or not even begin a career in languages education. The cohorts presented include those teachers who are currently engaged in teaching languages, those who are currently teaching other subject areas, and those who have never taken up employment as language teachers. While most other studies of this type focus on why teachers remain in the system, or leave altogether, this article provides a unique perspective from teachers who have left languages education for other teaching areas.

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