Language Teaching Assistant Program
in South Australia

Assistants will be allocated a placement in government schools in South Australia. The placement may be shared across more than one school. 

Assistants will work alongside the school’s on-site language teacher/s.

The assistant will be employed by the Department for Education of South Australia for 30 weeks, on a part-time basis equivalent to 30 hours per week.

The assistant is employed as a Level 2 School Services Officer with special conditions and 16% holiday leave loading. The gross hourly rate is about $41.07 (as of April 2025). The expected total net earnings for the 30-week program are approximately $35,000. The assistant benefits from leave according to the school holidays calendar. Please note: The exact remuneration reflecting the 2026 rates will be communicated before the start of the program and specified in the contract.

The lead placement school is responsible for organising the assistant’s work contract and remuneration and will finalise this upon arrival at the school.

Accommodation is not provided.

The assistant may be expected to:

• contribute in class alongside the teacher, for example, in the research and preparation of authentic materials to support classroom activities
• work with individual or small groups of students on language learning activities
• give feedback to students and model correct language usage, such as pronunciation and idioms
• help with structured learning experiences
• support the delivery of in-class cultural activities
• help with oral exam training
• participate in the socio-educational activities of the school, for example, attend local school excursions and participate in school events
• participate in planning and professional learning with language teachers
• assist with the planning of curriculum resources to support languages programs
• provide native-speaker expertise to teachers on use of the language
• provide insight on current cultural conventions, for example pop culture
• participate in school activities which promote language and culture, for example languages day
• provide support for school-based language program initiatives, such as sister school partnerships, open night, languages club etc
• undertake background research and contribute to the development of language teaching and learning materials that require expert knowledge of the language, such as voice recordings.
• assist the Goethe-Institut with their programs and projects for German language teachers and students in South Australia.

The assistant must not be expected to:

• replace the work of an employed teacher, even if their supervising teacher is away
• complete reports or grade students for summative or formative assessments
• develop a curriculum or pedagogical program for the language.

Candidates must be a native speaker of German.

A teaching qualification is not required for this program, but experiences in a related field are of benefit.

Candidates may apply from inside or outside Australia. Candidates who are Australian or foreign citizens will be considered.

The candidate must provide a police check from their home country before receiving a placement.

If a candidate is selected from outside Australia, they may need to obtain a visa. The successful candidate may apply for a Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) Special Program stream. The Department for Education of South Australia is the sponsor of the visa and will supply the candidate with a letter of invitation. Candidates may also need to submit evidence of their financial situation and employment history. When the online component of the visa application is finalised, candidates may need to make an appointment to provide their biometrics (fingerprints). (Further details are provided at the visa application stage.)

Candidates already in Australia may be considered on the condition their visa and/or residential status provides working rights in Australia for six months with an employer (e.g. working holiday visa or similar).

Candidates will be advised how to undertake mandatory screening and training around working with children before commencing.