Employment w/ limited language skills

Any takers???

Hi!
I think this is such a specialized question that it will be hard for many to answer you. However, having married into a family filled with teachers, what I hear is that the demands are the same for private as for public teachers, since both are fully state supported. What you can probably do, however, is to bring your current teaching certificate and a recommendation from your US place of employment. This will certainly help. The issue in the last couple of years is that with the EU becoming more harmonious, those of us from outside the EU seem to have a harder time in most EU countries. Your lack of Danish will certainly also be an issue, although not insurmountable. You should, however, take advantage of the free language training available to all immigrants! Select a time of day when you will only get by using Danish, and stick to it. You will never be an expert, but it is really the only way, in any country that you intend to live in full time, to thrive.
Best wishes!
BillinCPH

Thanks, Bill!  Very helpful post. 

Danish was my first language but I quickly forgot when I moved back to the States as a child.  Every time I go back to Denmark for just a week or two, I'm always quick to pick up on the language so I do think classes, perhaps combined with language software, and eventually (hopefully!) immersion, will bring me back up to speed rather quickly.

I'm just concerned that my permit will arrive this summer and I'll have little time to acclimate myself or my language skills enough to find/land a teaching position.

Your post gives me hope, though, and I appreciate your willingness to take the time to respond.

Thanks!

Best wishes -- and whatever happens on the job front, you are sure to be happy with your decision to come "home" to DK. It is not an easy transition for us Americans, but with an open mind and a group of friends/family, you will quickly acclimate and really enjoy the genuine care that the average Dane shows for others.

Well, looks like I was able to retain/regain citizenship.  My question now, for all you people on the ground, is what advice would you have, if any, with regards to finding a teaching position?  Again, for a US certified teacher with very limited language skills.

Thanks.

If you want to teach in non-International private schools of various kinds where danish is the main language, you will have to speak danish at a fairly high level and, for primary and early secondary education 1-10, have a danish teacher's education. Gymnasium teachers are university-educated.

Teachers unions are the gate-keepers at all levels.

International schools are your best opportunity as a teacher unless you speak danish (or Arabic).  Teaching of English requires a danish foreign language education(s).

The purpose of Social Democracy was to protect danish industry and workers from outside competition and competition in general.  The practice lives on, long after Social Democracy died. It has been replaced by the concept of "Danish Democracy", the protective aspect of which is still surviving.

Here is a great link for jobs in Denmark that are listed in English and in most cases do not require knowledge of the Danish language. It is developed by the EU and directed at youth, but should work for anyone:

http://europa.eu/youth/working/finding_ … dk_en.html

Most of the positions I saw were in the IT or pharma fields, but I did not search deeply.

Thanks for the responses, both of you.  Greatly appreciate you taking the time to help me out. 

I've done a little digging since my post and found that a person in my situation, a certified teacher with limited language skills, would need to apply for an assessment of recognition of international qualification through the Danish Agency for International Education.  According to the Agency, language skills are not a requirement but it would be up to the headmasters of schools whether my language skills are sufficient and/or necessary.

So that's pretty much that.  Wanted to share that information just incase someone else comes along with similar circumstances.

Thanks again for the help.