Language coordinators have varying roles depending on the setting they work in. They can oversee language classes, help non-English speaking populations, teach workers a host culture’s language, act as liaisons in hospitals, and oversee translation projects.
The role of a language coordinator varies widely depending on the setting in which he or she is working. In a college or university setting, a language coordinator is responsible for classes offered in a specific language or language group. Hospitals or other organizations that deal with the public may have language coordinators to help with non-English speaking populations. A translation agency’s language coordinator oversees translation projects in a specific language.
Language coordinators at colleges and universities can have a variety of specific roles. They can decide which courses should be offered in their language and which professors should teach them. Some can also help with hiring new teachers or teaching assistants for the language department. Universities with international programs may hire a language coordinator to work on an overseas campus.
Organizations that send people to foreign countries, such as the Peace Corps or the UN, sometimes also have language coordinators to help workers learn the language of their host culture. This person must be fluent in both English and the language of the host culture. Their job is to provide formal or informal language instruction and to provide workers with resources for independent language study.
Larger institutions, such as hospitals, may hire language coordinators to work as liaisons. In the US, these language coordinators almost always need to be fluent in both English and Spanish. They usually act as translators or look for translators for patients who are not fluent in English. This type of language coordinator can also function as a kind of public relations officer for non-English speaking communities.
Translation agencies, publishing houses, and other organizations that handle translated materials also have language coordinators on staff. The language coordinator is responsible for overseeing all translation projects in a given language. This person must have native or near-native writing skills in the assigned language. He or she can act as an editor, answer grammatical or stylistic questions about the language, and provide guidance for new translators.
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