If you’ve seen these acronyms, but didn’t really know what they meant, pull up a chair – you’re about to learn something new. ESL stands for English as a Second Language. TESOL stands for Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages. Both the ESL and TESOL educator help students learn the English language. Becoming an ESL/TESOL teacher is a great opportunity for who has a natural knack for explaining the intricacies of English.
Students of an ESL/TESOL teacher aren’t expected to master the English language the way that a writing student or literature student it. The goal of ESL/TESOL education isn’t as demanding as the task of mastering English. Instead, the goal is to simply speak and write English good enough to effectively communicate with natural English speakers.
Since some many immigrants enter the United States every year, the ESL/TESOL teacher is in a prime position. ESL/TESOL teachers can teach in a traditional classroom or via tutoring.
To work as an ESL/TESOL teacher, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree at the very least. With additional education, you can expand your teaching options and educate students beyond the grade school if so desired. With a master’s degree or TESOL certification, you can take everything you’ve learned about language theory, phonetics, and psycholinguistics into any learning environment. For ideas, see our article about higher education and the master degree in education.
A lot of foreigners want to learn English before coming to America for example, so some ESL/TESOL teachers relocate overseas and teach the language from remote areas.
As an ESL/TESOL student teacher, you’ll learn about cultural differences and how those differences shape a student’s experiences in this country. You’ll additionally learn how to incorporate general social studies subjects into your lessons, as they can significantly help students put the English language into context with the world around them. Of course, you’ll also learn how to communicate with your students in their native tongue.
You should be aware that ESL/TESOL teachers don’t earn that much. ESL/TESOL is offered as a separate school program, and to be honest, it just isn’t adequately funded.
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