If you are an English assistant in France or planning on teaching English in France, you might be interested in reading more about the lecteur d’anglais program in France.

We recently did a live on this topic but unfortunately it go deleted from my instagram profile.

To cut it short, I got a phone call immediately after the live, and my live disappeared forever! I couldn’t save it. I know a lot of you had loved to go over it again. So sorry!

Here are the key points / highlights of my chat with Somrita who was two times Maitre de langues.

Who is a lecteur / maitre d’anglais?

Instead of teaching in a school, a lecteur teaches university level students. It could be about teaching Business English, legal English, technical English, Media related English – depends on where you’re applying.

Requirements:

Lecteur/Lectrice d’Anglais

– Native or near-native proficieny in English
– Completed one year of a Master’s degree/ M1

Maître de Langue Requirements:

– Native or near-native proficiency in English
– Master’s degree/M2

Working hours: As per LegiFrance website : https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000000867627/

Les lecteurs de langue étrangère assurent un service annuel en présence des étudiants de 300 heures de travaux pratiques. Leur service peut comporter des travaux dirigés sans que leur nombre d’heures annuelles de travaux dirigés puisse être supérieur à 100.

Les maîtres de langue étrangère assurent un service annuel en présence des étudiants de 288 heures de travaux pratiques ou 192 heures de travaux dirigés ou toute combinaison équivalente. Leur service peut comporter, à titre exceptionnel, des cours si les besoins du service le justifient.

Les maîtres de langue étrangère assurent également les tâches liées à leur activité d’enseignement et participent notamment au contrôle des connaissances et aux examens. L’exécution de ces tâches ne donne lieu ni à une rémunération supplémentaire ni à une réduction des obligations de service fixées à l’alinéa précédent.

Pour le décompte du service annuel des lecteurs de langue étrangère et des maîtres de langue étrangère, une heure de travaux dirigés équivaut à une heure et demie de travaux pratiques, et une heure de cours à une heure et demie de travaux dirigés.

Can I apply for the lecteur in France post from anywhere around the world?

Oh yes! If you’re in India or any other part of the world and wondering if it’s possible to apply for the program – the answer is YES ! Lecteur/Maitre d’anglais program does not require you to have your working papers in France unless mentioned otherwise. Which is a great news!

Is there an age criteria?

There is no age limit criteria to apply for the post (unless specifically mentioned in the advert).

What are the kinds of questions one can expect at the interview or before the interview?

You could be asked a range of interview questions including:

  • Audio/video recordings in French and English as a pre-selection
    • How do you handle a class where most of the students are almost your age?
    • Can you give us an idea of the activities you would plan for a 40 min long business English class?
    • What is a successful lesson according to you?
    • What is the importance of teamwork within an educational institution?

Some of the interviewers could be French nationals so be prepared to speak in French!

Can we expect to get an accommodation?

Rarely. They might have hostels for students but not necessarily for lecteurs. You will have to check with the University.

What is the salary of a lecteur or maitre d’anglais in France? How many hours do you teach ?

The salary for a lecteur is slightly less than that of a maitre.

One can expect to earn about 1200 euros net (as a lecteur) and about 1500 euros net (as a Maitre).
They work almost the same number of hours.

Is it a requirement to have a masters degree to become a lecteur in France?

For a lecteur position it’s not always obligatory but a bachelors is something they definitely look for. Some universities require a lecteur to be in the first year of their masters though.

Who plans the content for the classes?

It’s the lecteur or Maitre who is responsible for creating their own content and lesson plans based on the modules they have been hired to teach.

Where can I find information about the vacancies or the program?

Here are some websites that can be consulted:

  • ielangues – not up-to-date at the moment
  • saesfrance.org – broken link due to a server issue
  • prettymorningsinfrance.com – if you are new here, I do post any English teaching job openings that I find on my instagram
  • On youtube
  • On this blog by Emily

Tips/tricks to draft a letter de motivation?

  • Keep it direct and expand your teaching strategies if you have a previous experience
  • Definitely mention your strengths that will help you ace in your teaching position
  • No longer than 500 words/ divide it in paragraphs

Let me know if I have forgotten any questions!

I would appreciate your comments here so others can see the responses too ! 🙂