Spanish Teacher

Job Description

Job Description

Salary: $60,000 - $70,000 per year

Spanish Teacher (Full-Time) Science & Arts Academy (SAA)

Location: Des Plaines, IL

Start Date: August 2026

About Science & Arts Academy (SAA)

Science & Arts Academy (SAA) is an independent JK-8 school for gifted learners, located in Des Plaines, IL. At SAA, we believe that gifted children thrive in an environment that nurtures their intellectual curiosity, encourages deep engagement, and celebrates their individuality. Our approach to language learning emphasizes authentic immersion, cultural exploration, and real-world connections, helping students develop fluency and confidence in Spanish.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a fluent Spanish teacher who understands how to create a language-rich, immersive classroom environment where gifted students can develop proficiency through meaningful, engaging experiences. Our ideal candidate is a dynamic educator who is passionate about Spanish language and culture, skilled in differentiation, and committed to designing a curriculum that challenges and inspires gifted learners.

At SAA, students enter at different proficiency levels and often grasp concepts quickly. The Spanish Teacher must be adept at adjusting instruction, offering both support and acceleration, and ensuring students are consistently engaged at an appropriate challenge level.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and implement an immersion-based Spanish curriculum for 5-8 grade students, incorporating speaking, listening, reading, and writing in meaningful contexts.

Differentiate instruction to meet the unique learning profiles of gifted students, ensuring both foundational language acquisition and advanced linguistic challenges.

Foster an interactive, student-centered learning environment where students actively engage in conversations, storytelling, role-playing, and project-based learning.

Integrate Spanish language learning with SAAs interdisciplinary themes, encouraging connections between language, culture, history, and other subjects.

Expose students to diverse Hispanic cultures through literature, music, art, and real-world applications.

Use authentic materials to bring Spanish to life, incorporating film, current events, technology, and other multimedia resources.

Encourage risk-taking in language production and create a supportive space where students feel comfortable experimenting with Spanish.

Assess student progress through a variety of formative and summative assessments, emphasizing language proficiency and real-world communication skills.

Participate in school-wide collaboration, professional development, and initiatives that enrich the academic experience for gifted learners.

Qualifications & Desired Attributes

Fluency in Spanish (native or near-native proficiency)

Bachelors or Masters degree in Spanish, Education, Linguistics, or a related fieldExperience teaching Spanish at the elementary or middle school level (experience with gifted learners is a plus)

Strong knowledge of language immersion techniques, differentiated instruction, and inquiry-based learning

Passion for cultural exploration and incorporating diverse perspectives into the curriculum

Ability to design lessons that move beyond rote memorization to foster deep, meaningful language acquisition

Commitment to creating a joyful, engaging, and intellectually stimulating classroom experience

Why Join SAA?

A collaborative, innovative faculty dedicated to gifted education

A student-centered environment where intellectual curiosity and creativity are valued

The freedom to develop a dynamic, immersive Spanish program tailored to the needs of gifted learners

Professional development opportunities that support both teaching excellence and cultural exploration

A school community that celebrates diversity, inquiry, and deep learning

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, rsum, teaching philosophy statement, and examples of past language immersion activities or curriculum projects to

SAA is committed to building a diverse and inclusive faculty and encourages applications from educators who bring a range of perspectives and experiences to our community.