English (ESL)

An English as a second language teacher, or ESL teacher, is a profession that involves teaching English to people that are native speakers of another language, such as Spanish, French, Chinese, or Japanese. In order to become an ESL teacher, one does not have to be a native English speaker, but they must meet certain teaching qualifications that vary by country.

In the United States, an ESL teacher must have a bachelor's degree in education, and most jobs, particularly those involving teaching children or teens, also require a teaching license. Some more advanced positions may even require a master's degree in education. While experience working with children or having prior teaching experience may be helpful in getting a job teaching English, these qualifications are not always strictly necessary.

Normal duties for an ESL teacher include creating engaging lesson plans, designing materials to use in the classroom, presenting daily or weekly lessons to students, assisting students to help meet their individual needs, keeping records of student progress and grades, and evaluating and grading assignments. Additionally, ESL teachers will often coordinate with other English and ESL teachers, as well as assistants or academic staff to help develop lessons, plan and attend meetings, and exchange information on improving courses and coursework. When teaching children, the ESL teacher may also act as a liaison between the academic facility and the families of students, by duties such as attending PTA meetings or hosting parent-teacher conferences.

Since students will already be fluent in another language going into a course, the ESL teacher will often highlight the aspects of English that make the language unique. Rules of grammar are discussed, and phonics may be taught as a heuristic device to help students spell words. The ESL teacher also must provide feedback in a positive and encouraging manner that will reinforce the learning process, and the teacher must correct students' mistakes when they occur and explain to the student how they can improve their mastery of the language.

A great first step for anyone thinking of becoming an ESL teacher is to take an aptitude test, and then research the qualifications that must be met to obtain a teaching certificate. Taking an initial test or undergoing a career assessment is often a great way to help one determine if teaching English would be an enjoyable career option.