ESL Teaching – What is an ESL Teacher?
ESL Teaching – ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers specialize in helping non-native speakers of all ages and levels learn both the formal grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation of spoken and written English, while giving them confidence in the common usage of the language in order to communicate clearly and comfortably with native English speakers.
The globalization of business and the influx of immigrants to the U.S. have both driven the growth of English language learners and the need for educators who are skilled in teaching this unique group of learners.
According to Face the Facts USA, a Project of George Washington University, 10 percent of all public school students in the United States are English as Second Language (ESL) Learners/English Language Learners (ELLs), meaning they have limited English proficiency. However, less than 1 percent of public school teachers are English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors (or one ESL instructor for every 150 students), thereby highlighting a demand for ESL instructors in our increasingly culturally diverse world.
Amidst the creation of programs in schools across the county designed to address the needs of the students, a number of professional acronyms have emerged that have created a bit of confusion. Given the lack of cohesion nationwide regarding ESL instruction, it is quite common to find state boards of education and private industry/business utilizing one or more acronyms, often describing the same type of instruction. Presented here are the most commonly and authoritatively accepted definitions for the various terms related to teaching English to non-native speakers.
Second Head
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): The acronym TESOL is a general industry term used to describe educating English Learners. Within TESOL, the following terms are used:
- Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL): TESL involves teaching English to speakers of other languages and it most often interchanged with the term ESL teaching/teachers. TESL/ESL teachers may work for public or private PK-12 schools; private tutoring companies; companies/organizations; and colleges/universities, just to name a few.
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL): TEFL involves teaching English abroad where English is not the primary language. TEFL educators may work for international schools, international companies, international organizations/associations, and international universities, just to name a few.
- English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL): The term ESOL is generally used when describing programs outside of a PK-12 setting that are designed for ELLs who seek proficiency in social and academic language; ESOL programs, which may also be referred to as English as a Second Language programs, generally teach basic grammar, vocabulary and colloquial terms and phrases to ELLs in a community college, community program, or online program setting. However, states like Florida utilize the ESOL title to describe its academic endorsement for public school teachers and it is commonly used interchangeably with ESL and TESL.
- English Language Learner (ELL): ELL simply refers to students who are not currently proficient as English speakers and are in the process of developing their English language skills. ELL students are referred to as such in both ESL specific classes and regular content area classes that they are integrated into. ELL is a universally accepted term for English language learners in the K-12 setting, as well as among adult non-native English speakers who in the process of learning English.
It is typical for undergraduate and graduate programs and primary and secondary endorsements for ESL in public school settings to be labeled using the acronyms ESOL, ESL, ELL, TESL, and TESOL.
ESL Teaching – What is an English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher?
ESL teachers work with English Language Learners (ELLs), or those students for whom English is not their primary language. ESL teachers work with ELLs to help them acquire fluency in English, both spoken and in the written word. ESL teachers, who may work with students of all ages, from kindergarten through twelfth grade, must achieve state-specific credentials in ESL if they work in a public school setting.
ESL teachers also serve as a cultural bridge for students, linking a student’s native culture with their new cultural experience in the United States. As such, ESL teachers help students recognize the similarities between the two cultures.
However, ESL teachers should not be confused with foreign language teachers. Unlike foreign language teachers, who educate students with whom they share a common language, ESL teachers most often educate students with whom they do not share a common language. Because of this, ESL teachers are trained to offer basic explanations using repetition, demonstrations, and pictures.
Qualifying to Become an ESL Teacher
An education in ESL may be obtained through a state-approved teacher preparation program at the undergraduate or graduate level, or it may be a certification program that serves as an additional endorsement to a current teaching license at the elementary or secondary level in a public school setting.
Many states offer ESL as a primary endorsement, such as Oklahoma (English as a Second Language, P-12), Connecticut (TESOL, PK-12), and Washington D.C. (English as a Second Language) for public school teachers. Other states that do not offer ESL as a primary endorsement, offer ESL as an add-on endorsement. Among these states are Arkansas, North Dakota, and Louisiana.
Licensed educators certified in elementary education, and secondary teachers certified in language arts and English (and many times in other subjects), often pursue ESL certification, which typically includes between 15 and 18 semester hours of study, as to best meet the needs of their student population.
Requirements for ESL education and/or certification may differ for private schools and for instruction in private industry or business. TESOL certification is often required.
The Important Work of ESL Teachers
ESL instruction must generally meet specific education laws, including state and federal requirements. Although curriculum for ESL teachers may vary from state to state, all states are currently required to provide ESL learning programs that meet federal mandates for education, including the No Child Left Behind Act.
ESL teachers may work in ELL classrooms as primary educators, or they may work alongside primary teachers as auxiliary support. Providing support in typical classrooms has become commonplace for ESL teachers as many states seek to immerse ELLs in regular class settings. The ultimate goal of ESL teachers is to ensure that ELLs become fluent as to meet the same standards as native English learners.
The Challenges and Opportunities that Await New ESL Teachers
The U.S. Department of State, through their publication, Count Me In- Developing Inclusive International Schools, recognizes that many teachers may lack confidence in teaching ESL students. However, the publication pointed out that effective language teaching for both ESL and other students focuses on “meaning-making,” rather than on recall of vocabulary words and that a positive classroom environment is one that supports true interaction and collaboration between teacher, student, and parent.
It is therefore up to ESL teachers to ensure that favorable conditions surround the acquisition of a second language. ESL teachers, aware of student needs, can circumvent negative student experiences and allow all students to benefit from rich language experiences. It can therefore be said that some of the most important goals of ESL teachers involve:
- Providing environments that are orchestrated to provide opportunities for making meaning, rather than simply recalling new vocabulary or other facts
- Providing a supportive environment where appropriate cognitive challenges exist and conditions that produce threat and anxiety are reduced
- Providing comprehensive input, which includes conveying a message in language that is pitched just beyond what the ELL students can produce themselves
The Department of State publication states that based on the fact that language acquisition in both first and second languages tends to be similar, all students will benefit from an effective language program that is “rich in opportunities to construct personal meaning from course content.”
ESL Teaching – According to the publication, should:
- Expect and respect a silent period in beginning ELL students
- Allow students time to process questions and answers
- Develop non-verbal ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge (charades, role playing, interactive games, drawings, etc.)
- Try to take time to address new students on a one-on-one basis each day
- Utilize assigned peers (buddies) for new ESL students
- Encourage students to discuss academic topics at home in their native language
- Find ways to value ELL’s home culture and language
- Use instructional methodologies that are active and focus on learning by doing and higher-level thinking processes
- Focus on the transmission of meaning and the development of concepts, rather than correct grammatical form
- Implement consistent and valued teaching and learning strategies
ESL Teaching – Career Guide
- Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD): Used in the US to describe English language learners.
- English Language Learners (ELL): Refers to learners typically found in K-12 environments.
- English Language Teaching or Training (ELT): Mostly used in the UK; same meaning as ESL.
- (Teaching) English for Academic Purposes (TEAP or EAP): Teaching students how to write formally, give presentations, and perform academically in English.
- (Teaching) English as a Foreign Language (TEFL or EFL): Teaching English in a non-English-speaking country.
- Teaching English as a New Language (TENL or ENL): Used in some states instead of ESL.
- (Teaching) English as a Second Language (TESL or ESL): Teaching English in a country that is primarily English-speaking.
- (Teaching) English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL or ESOL): Acronym created in part to be more inclusive than ESL, which assumes English is the second language, when in fact, English may be the third or fourth language.
- (Teaching) English for Specific Purposes (TESP or ESP): Teaching of English that is related to a certain industry such as technology or business.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): An English language test required of international students who want to study abroad in a country where English is spoken.
ESL students can be found in all age ranges, from children to adults. This guide provides further information on what ESL teachers do, how to become one, and the industry’s salary and job outlook.
ESL Teaching – Job Description
An ESL teacher is responsible for providing lessons and support to students who are learning English as a second language. Often ESL teachers use a real-life context to help students grasp the complexities of the language. ESL teachers must be adaptable, creative, and sensitive to the cultural differences expected when working with students from different cultures. Sometimes, those who teach English as a second language also act as mentors, advisors, and liaisons to students and families who are just getting established in a new environment. In the public school system, ESL teachers may work with students of all grade levels (K-12), often pulling ESL students out of the regular classroom to a designated area, where they work with them in small groups or one-on-one to improve their English skills. Depending on the size of the school, these small groups may comprise English language learners of different ages and grade levels who all need assistance with their English language skills.
ESL Teaching – Requirements & Common Tasks
Teachers of ESL plan and deliver lessons and assess students on their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. They might teach an entire class or, more commonly in the public school system, teach students in small groups. ESL teachers organize activities and administer and grade tests. They may work with children or adult students of varied ages from diverse backgrounds. Some adult students may have been highly educated in their native country, while others may have little formal education. A flexible teaching style that adapts to varied student needs is a valuable skill for an ESL teacher. Excellent communication skills are also important.
Besides instructing students in the subject of English, ESL teachers must prepare lesson plans, complete related paperwork, and stay informed with changing teaching methods and standards. Because of the increasing use of technology in the classroom, ESL teachers need proficiency in computers and various classroom technologies. As with most teachers, teachers of English as a second language often spend nights and weekends grading papers, planning their lessons, conducting activities, and meeting with parents and other school faculty. Teachers of adult learners specifically may be required to teach classes outside of regular working hours, since adult students often work during the day.
How to Become an ESL Teacher
All states require that public school ESL teachers have at least a bachelor’s degree, which may be in English as a second language or a related subject. Prospective ESL teachers must complete a state-approved teacher preparation program either as part of their bachelor’s program or as a stand-alone program following graduation. A master’s degree is not usually required to be an ESL teacher, but may be pursued by those who already have a bachelor’s degree in something else or for already licensed teachers looking to specialize in ESL. Education and training with a focus on teaching, linguistics, or second-language acquisition is preferred. In public school districts, ESL teachers are required to obtain state teacher certification, commonly with an ESL, ESOL, ENL, or ELL endorsement. If you have not yet received a bachelor’s degree and are not yet a certified teacher, the typical path to this career is as follows:
Earn a bachelor’s degree in ESL or TESOL or a related subject, such as linguistics.
Complete a student teaching internship in an ESL setting as part of your program.
Take your state’s tests for teacher licensure with an endorsement in ESL.
Apply for your teaching license.
Begin applying to open positions for ESL teachers.
Those who have a bachelor’s degree in another subject but would like to teach K-12 ESL classes may be able to qualify for a license by earning a master’s degree in ESL preparing graduates to take the state board exams and leading to teacher certification. ESL degree programs include classes in subjects dealing with the history of the English language, the way that the language has changed and is still changing, and strategies on how to teach the language to people whose first language is not English. Other ESL degree coursework includes teaching reading and comprehension skills and successfully teaching students from diverse cultural backgrounds. ESL programs also instruct students on how to integrate teaching English with other subjects, such as science, mathematics, and history.
ESL Teaching – Salary and Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual salary for elementary school and high school teachers is $58,600 and $60,320 respectively.1,2 It also reports that adult literacy teachers, a category that includes adult ESL teachers, earn an average median salary of $53,630.3 The related BLS category of Adult Basic and Secondary Education and Literacy Teachers and Instructors reports a median salary of $52,100 per year.4 Wages are directly affected by job location, training, education, and experience, as well as available funding for ESL programs. Job openings for ESL teachers may be more abundant in states with larger non-native English populations, such as New York, Florida, California, and Texas. While the BLS doesn’t provide projections specifically for ESL teachers, it does estimate a 3% increase in elementary school jobs and a 4% increase in high school teacher jobs by 2028.1,2 Adult literacy teacher jobs, including those in ESL, are expected to drop by 10% through 2028, citing changes in government funding for these types of programs.
Top ESL Teaching Jobs
Types of ESL Teaching Jobs Abroad
ESL stands for English as a Second Language. There are many different types of ESL jobs available. ESL teachers use their expertise as native English speakers to teach English to students of all ability levels and ages.
There’s no better time to explore a career as an ESL teacher overseas than right now. With a projected two billion ESL students worldwide by 2020, demand for English teachers is soaring.
Every year, more than 100,000 new ESL teaching jobs open up at over 40,000 ESL schools worldwide. The booming global English language learning market offers thousands of job opportunities for native English speakers of all backgrounds and experience levels, including:
- New graduates of all majors
- Qualified ESL instructors
- Fresh teachers college graduates
- Experienced, licensed educators
ESL teachers can find ESL jobs at the following institutions worldwide:
- Public schools
- Private language schools
- International schools
- Universities and colleges
There are also plenty of online English teaching jobs for native English-speaking graduates based in North America. ESL jobs can be either full-time or part-time. The types of ESL teaching jobs available range from preschool, elementary, middle-school and high-school, up to college and adult level English teaching positions.
Types Of ESL Teaching Jobs In The US/Canada
If you’re from the US or Canada, there are a wide variety of ESL teaching jobs at public middle and high schools, teaching students of varying ages and abilities who are not currently proficient in English.
The number of ESL job vacancies in the US has grown rapidly, due in large part to the fact that ELLs (English Language Learners) have become the fastest-growing population of students in the country, growing by around 60% over the past 10 years.
According to the US Census Bureau, over 61 million people in the US currently speak a different language to English in their homes, making ESL an increasingly high-need subject in schools across the country. The US National Center for Education Statistics recently stated that “27% of all schools with bilingual/ESL teaching vacancies found them very difficult or impossible to fill, more than for many other teaching fields.”
Along with English language classes for adults, ESL teaching positions currently on offer in the US and Canada include the following:
- ESL elementary teaching jobs
- ESL middle school teaching jobs
- ESL high school teaching jobs
ESL Teacher Requirements
Education Level | ESL teachers usually need to have, at minimum, a Bachelor’s Degree, across any major. |
Certification | ESL jobs usually require an internationally-recognized TEFL or TESL certificate.
A TEFL certificate can help aspiring ESL teachers qualify for English teaching jobs abroad. |
Work Experience | Previous teaching or volunteer experience is considered an asset when applying for ESL jobs. |
How To Be An Effective ESL Teacher
ESL teachers need to be organized, patient and positive, with strong listening and communication skills. Other key skills and strengths you need to possess as an ESL teacher include the following:
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- Foreign language skills. ESL teaching requires a solid understanding of the rules of grammar and spelling and the second-language acquisition process.
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- General teaching abilities. Whether you choose to teach ESL at home or abroad, it’s key to have good classroom-management and lesson-planning capabilities.
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- Digital literacy skills. Due in large part to the increasing use of technology in today’s classrooms, ESL teachers at home and overseas will need to attain a certain level of digital literacy.
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- An adaptable mindset. ESL teaching requires you to be flexible to different learning styles of your ELLs.
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- Cultural sensitivity. ESL teachers need to be culturally responsive educators who are able to meet the diverse learning needs of students from vastly different cultural backgrounds than their own.
A TEFL is one of the best ways to grow your ESL teaching skills and launch a successful English teaching career abroad. Earn your TEFL certificate online from the University of Toronto OISE.
What Does An ESL Teacher Do?
An ESL teacher teaches English to students who are not native speakers, commonly referred to as ESL students or English language learners. An ESL teacher is expected to perform similar duties to any other teacher, from creating lesson plans to performing student assessments.
How To Become An ESL Teacher
Takeaway: To qualify for ESL teaching jobs abroad, you’ll need native-level English proficiency, a bachelor’s degree in any major and an ESL teaching qualification, such as a TEFL (English as a Foreign Language) certification.
Interested in becoming an ESL teacher? Wondering what qualifications you need to land a job teaching English abroad? Read on to find out all about the education requirements and credentials you’ll need to cover.
Note: If you’re wondering whether you need teaching experience to qualify for ESL teaching jobs abroad: you don’t! Depending on where you want to teach ESL abroad, teaching experience is typically not required.
For example, Teach Away’s Explore program are now accepting applications for hundreds of ESL teaching opportunities in China for the upcoming school year from new graduates without any formal teaching experience. However, any prior experience working with children (including tutoring or coaching) is still considered a bonus and well worth including on your ESL teaching resume.
Step 1: Get your bachelor’s degree
While the demand for ESL teachers is booming worldwide, some sort of bachelor’s degree (any major) is usually considered a base requirement by ESL schools and foreign language institutions overseas. Becoming an ESL teacher without a college degree, while not impossible in less sought-after ESL destinations abroad, is becoming more and more difficult as global requirements become increasingly more stringent.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career teaching ESL in the US or Canada, then a master’s degree, while not strictly required, is also considered a strong asset for many domestic ESL teaching jobs.
Step 2: Get your ESL certification
Requirements for teaching ESL abroad
TEFL certification
If you’re a college graduate interested in teaching English as a second language overseas, you’ll need to obtain an ESL qualification that’s recognized by international employers, such as a TEFL certificate, that’s at least 100 hours in length.
A TEFL certification is the globally accepted qualification to teach English abroad to students (both children and adults) whose first language isn’t English.
There are many options available to suit different budgets and schedules, from online to in-person TEFL courses.
CELTA certification
If you’re strongly considering pursuing ESL teaching overseas as a long-term career, it may be worth considering investing in a CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) course. However, a CELTA tends to be more expensive and time-intensive than most TEFL certification programs and is not required for most ESL teaching jobs abroad.
Requirements for teaching ESL at home
TESOL/TESL certification
If your primary goal is to teach ESL students in your home country, you can choose to opt for a master’s degree program in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) or a 120-hour TESOL or TESL certification.
ESL Teacher Benefits
ESL jobs benefits may include:
- Round-trip airfare
- Accommodations or accommodations allowance
- Opportunity for overtime
- Teacher training and professional development
- Health insurance
- End-of-contract bonus
For a list of available ESL jobs, along with information on salary, benefits, and contract details, please visit the Jobs page.
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Best of all, you’ll get the flexibility to set your own schedule and work as little or as many hours as you’d like.
Top Destinations for ESL Teachers
ESL teachers are in high demand worldwide, and almost every region requires ESL instructors. ESL teachers looking for teaching jobs abroad can find English teaching positions in some of the following countries:
Teach English in Taiwan
ESL teaching jobs in public and private schools in large cities and towns throughout Taiwan offer ESL teachers a chance to advance their teaching careers in one of Asia’s most desirable teach abroad destinations.
Teach English in China
China offers amazing ESL job opportunities as demand for English language teachers continues to rise across private language schools, public schools, International Baccalaureate schools and private international schools in China.
Teach English in Saudi Arabia
Teaching English in Saudi Arabia at private international schools, ESL language institutes, universities and colleges is a great option for new and experienced ESL teachers alike.
Teach English in Mexico
One of the strongest job markets for teaching English in Latin America, Mexico is a popular for ESL teachers looking to teach abroad.