How to become an ESL teacher | Requirements, qualifications, salary

If you are a native English speaker looking for a job opportunity, why don’t you become an ESL teacher? As an ESL teacher, you will have the option to work in your country, go abroad, or even work online. In addition, it is a job that gives a lot of freedom when it comes to deciding where you want to work. Becoming an ESL teacher can be a great job opportunity for people who love to teach and travel.

Becoming an ESL Teacher

Before you decide whether you want to be an ESL teacher or not, it will be helpful to learn about the job. A few useful details include qualifications, requirements, and relative information about the job. Read more to find all information you will need to know about the ESL teaching job.

Once you become an ESL teacher, you have the choice to choose to move to other countries that are known to have the highest paid TEFL jobs.

What is an ESL Teacher?

If you are new to the term or the concept, you might wonder about the meaning of an ESL teacher. So, what is an ESL teacher? First, you would want to know what ESL stands for.

What Does ESL mean?

ESL stands for English as a Second Language. It refers to anyone learning English whose first language is a different language.

ESL Teacher Meaning

Now that you know the meaning of ESL, you could probably guess the meaning of an ESL teacher. It is a person who teaches the English language to students whose first language is a different language. ESL teachers not only have to be qualified to teach the language, but they must also be aware of cultural differences and skillful enough to communicate with people with language barriers. It is a job that definitely requires a lot of interpersonal skills.

What Does an ESL Teacher Do?

English is the most spoken language in the world. Thus, there is a high demand for English teachers from all around the world. An ESL teacher’s job is to educate people whose first langue isn’t English. Therefore, teachers need to be adaptive, culturally responsive, and creative.

The age group of ESL students can vary from pre-schoolers to working adults who need business English. There are numerous places to work as an ESL teacher, including public schools, private schools, private tutoring, and online English schools. The classes can be one-on-one, small groups, or large groups. Find out what fits you the most. You might be more comfortable in a certain type of classroom compared to others.

What are ESL Teacher’s Responsibilities?

ESL teaching requires a lot of lesson planning. It is especially important because students all have unique learning styles and you want to make sure your class reflects those differences. So, there is an emphasis on customizing the lesson plans. It may sound like a lot of work. Fortunately, there are many online resources that can make planning easier.

List of ESL Teacher Duties

If you are considering becoming an ESL teacher, you would probably want to get a broad idea of what ESL teachers do. Here are some of the common duties of ESL teachers:

• Prepare lesson materials.
• Assign homework.
• Prepare exams.
• Keep students engaged.
• Grade students’ assessments.
• Create teaching plans.
• Individualize the lesson plan to meet special requirements for certain students.
• Research new teaching methods.
• Network with other people teaching English as a second language to get tips.

Other job duties include:

• Organizing coursework and lesson materials
• Evaluating student progress
• Following national and regional policies for teaching
• Understanding different cultures

How to Become an ESL Teacher

There are five primary steps to becoming an ESL teacher:

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree
2. Complete ESL training
3. Obtain a license
4. Choose where to work
5. Begin applying

Find out all the details about teaching English in Malta.

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

Not all English teaching jobs require a bachelor’s degree. However, a lot of employers will look for it. Even if it is not the minimum requirement for a job, you will have a better chance of getting the job if you have one. Also, If you plan to work at a public school, you are strongly recommended to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher.

A master’s degree isn’t usually required for teaching ESL, though it is helpful if you want to specialize in ESL.

2. Complete ESL training

Many employers prefer applicants with training focused on teaching, linguistics, or second-language acquisition. In addition, internship experience is a huge plus.

3. Obtain a License

If you plan to obtain a teacher license, you must look into your state’s specifications. Some licensed teachers will earn master’s degrees preparing to take board exams to teach K-12 classes.

4. Choose Where to Work

The job requirements and salary highly depend on where you choose to work. Details can vary for working in Asia, Europe, America, or even online. Some places can have stricter minimum requirements. Also, different educational institutions have unique work environments. So, it is crucial to figure out which is the best choice for you.

If you’re considering working abroad, learn more about this option.

5. Begin Applying

Look for open positions for ESL teachers and start applying!

ESL Teacher Qualifications

Below is a list of common requirements for ESL teachers:

• A college degree
• TEFL or TESOL certification
• Previous Teaching Experience
• Computer literacy

Helpful Skills for English Teachers

• Flexible teaching style
• Great communication skills
• Excellent presentation skills
• Good organizational skills
• Sound decision-making skills

Are ESL Teachers in Demand?

As a person considering becoming an ESL teacher, you might ask this question. Are ESL teachers in demand? Will it be easy to find an ESL teaching job? The short answer is YES. English is the most commonly used language all around the world. Of course, countries where the official language is English will have a smaller demand. Yet, this doesn’t mean that those countries do not have ESL jobs. If you look for teaching abroad jobs, you will be able to find a greater ESL teaching job market.

ESL Teaching Resources

Teaching ESL can be tricky even for native English speakers. Knowing a language well doesn’t make teaching the language easy. But don’t worry because there are a ton of resources out there to help you.

It is easy to find lifesaving online ESL resources to use in classrooms. Furthermore, you can join groups and pages on Facebook to share information with fellow instructors. There are resources for one-on-one lessons, group lessons, speaking, listening and writing. Also, the type of resources can include lesson ideas, games, activities, flashcards, or worksheets.

 

How much do ESL Teachers Make?

The salary for English instructors varies a lot depending on the country and the educational institution. For example, the ESL teacher salary in Canada is approximately 48,000 CAD a year. Similarly, the average salary for teachers in the USA is around 50,000 USD. 

FAQs about Becoming an ESL Teacher

Here are the most common questions that people have about becoming an English teacher.

What does ESL stand for?

ESL stands for English as a Second Language. In other words, it refers to teaching students whose first language is not English. Generally, ESL is taught by native English speakers. However, non-native English speakers can teach ESL if they are as good as the native speakers. 

What do you need to be an ESL teacher?

Some requirements include a bachelor’s degree, teaching licenses, TEFL or TESOL certification, previous teaching experience, excellent communication skills, and computer literacy.

Can I teach ESL without a degree?

Although considerable employers look for teachers with at least a bachelor’s degree, there are English teaching jobs that do not require a degree. If you are a native English speaker with a TEFL certification, that can be enough for a lot of English teaching companies.

Are ESL teachers in demand?

ESL instructors are one of the most in-demand teachers. In addition, English is one of the most spoken languages, and many people around the world perceive it as the global language. Therefore, many desire to learn English as their second language regardless of age.

How much does an ESL teacher make?

Instructors in North America make approximately 42,000 USD per year. However, salaries vary greatly depending on the location. Therefore, it is better to look it up by country.

Is there a demand for online ESL teachers?

There’s a huge demand for ESL teachers around the world, especially in Asia. These students will often learn English online at a slightly lower rate than in-person teaching. If you are willing to teach English online at a lower hourly rate, you will be able to easily find an online ESL job. It might not be good enough for a full-time job, but it will be a great side gig.

Becoming an ESL Teacher: Join the Conversation

What are your thoughts on an ESL teaching job? Would you like to teach English in your country or go abroad? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We would love to hear from you.

Last update on 2025-05-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API