Sign language teacher
Also known as: british sign language trainer, british sign language teacher, sign language tutor, british sign language tutor, sign language educator, assistant sign language teacher
About this occupation
Sign language school teachers educate non-age-specific students in sign language. They teach sign language to both students with or without special educational needs such as deafness. They organise their classes using a variety of lesson materials, work interactively with the group, and assess and evaluate their individual progress through assignments and examinations.
Essential skills and knowledge
- assessment processes
- communication related to hearing impairment
- manage student relationships
- curriculum objectives
- apply teaching strategies
- special needs education
- hearing disability
- perform classroom management
- language teaching methods
- prepare lesson content
- sign language
- demonstrate when teaching
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary (O*NET 25-1124.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as how to speak and write a foreign language and the cultural aspects of areas where a particular language is used.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media.
- Typical education (US)
- Doctoral Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 5 of 5
- Interests
- Social, Investigative, Artistic
Top skills: Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, Learning Strategies, Instructing
US median pay: US$79,350 a year (2025), 19,830 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Foreign LanguageO*NET: Foreign LanguageExtremely important (5.0)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.4)
- HistoryO*NET: History and ArcheologyImportant (3.3)
- Divinity or PhilosophyO*NET: Philosophy and TheologyImportant (3.3)
- SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyImportant (3.1)
- GeographyO*NET: GeographyImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Doctoral Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
- Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
- History Teachers, Postsecondary
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary
- Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- Interpreters and Translators
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.