ESL Teacher

ESL stands for “English as a second language.” Teaching ESL involves teaching the English language to students whose first language isn’t English. There are numerous job options for ESL teachers. You can teach students of any age (young children or adults) and teach either in person or online.

Some ESL teachers work in traditional classroom settings at schools or universities. Others teach at special English language centers, through online ESL platforms, or independently. ESL tutors, on the other hand, teach students one-on-one through private lessons, either in person or virtually.

ESL teaching generally refers to teaching based in an English-speaking country. This is what distinguishes ESL from EFL (English as a foreign language) teaching, which typically takes place in foreign countries where English is not the primary language.

ESL teachers working in public or private schools need the same credentials as any other teacher, including a bachelor’s degree or higher education, a teaching license, and a teaching certificate. By contrast, you don’t technically need a degree or any credentials at all to teach ESL at a language school, independently, or online through an ESL teaching platform.

ESL teaching is a diverse profession with plenty of different career routes. Nevertheless, there are a few things you’ll need to achieve real success (and high earnings) as an ESL teacher.

Native English language abilities

The only real requirement for being an ESL teacher is that you’re a native English speaker. As long as you grew up in an English speaking country with English as your first language, you’re good to go.

That’s not to say that being a native English speaker is all it takes to be a good ESL teacher. However, it’s the ingrained and intangible language skills you get from growing up as an English speaker that is most valuable to a lot of learners.

ESL certification

You don’t technically need a certification to teach ESL. However, getting formal training in ESL teaching will give you foundational knowledge in both English language principles and teaching that you wouldn’t have otherwise.

Teaching skills

Even if you’re a native English speaker and you’ve got a certification in ESL, that’s not a guarantee that you’ll be a good ESL teacher. You need certain teaching skills and character traits—including communication, classroom management, and organizational skills—for your students to be engaged in class and actually achieve target learning outcomes.

ESL teaching isn’t for everyone. If you pursue this career, be prepared for the following drawbacks and obstacles:

• Language barriers: Because you’ll be teaching nonnative English speakers, you may struggle to communicate with your students at times, which can be frustrating.
• Credentials often required: Even though you don’t technically need to have any formal qualifications to become an ESL teacher, your job options will be limited without proper training and certification.
• Limited earning potential: ESL teaching isn’t the highest-paying job out there. Unless you get a teaching degree and work at a college or university, there’ll be a relatively low limit to how much you can earn.
• High competition: Despite high demand for ESL teachers, there’s a lot of competition in this line of work. Unless you teach EFL, it may be tough to land teaching jobs.

Despite the challenges, there are plenty of benefits to ESL teaching that continue to draw new teachers to the profession each year:

• Learn about different cultures: You’ll be teaching students who grew up in different countries or cultural settings. This offers a unique opportunity to get to understand other cultures.
• Positive impact on others: You’ll get the satisfaction of knowing you’ve equipped your students with language skills that can help them achieve their personal goals and access new opportunities.
• Career development: Having ESL teaching experience and credentials can help you land jobs in other fields by providing evidence of core skills like communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Flexible job options: There are so many different options for ESL teachers, including remote jobs and part-time work, making it a practical side hustle or career option for people with various lifestyles.

Like other educational fields, ESL teaching is continually evolving to better meet the needs of students. Here’s an overview of what you can expect if you become an ESL teacher:

• Translanguaging: ESL classrooms are increasingly incorporating translanguaging, where teachers and educational activities support students’ use of both English and their primary language.
• Online teaching: There’s been a continued rise in the prevalence and use of online English teaching platforms, allowing teachers to connect with more students and work more flexibly.
• Use of AI: A report by Oxford University Press revealed that 36% of English language teachers use AI, claiming that it’s particularly helpful for content preparation, assessment, and personalization.

These trends and statistics show that ESL education is increasingly moving toward digital learning. They also hint at a demand for bilingual or multilingual teachers in ESL classrooms.