Teaching English as Second Language

ESL teachers are instrumental in helping their students assimilate into the society of their new country of residence. Students who are pursuing the major should be fluent in a second language by completion of the program – although often times it’s not a requirement. Perhaps the most common language that ESL teachers deal with is Spanish; Latin Americans are the fastest growing minority group in the country. Principles of teaching are the primary focus in the program. Training is given in linguistics, methodology, curriculum design, and assessment and evaluation. Courses may relate to grammar, pronunciation and communication skill, cross-cultural communication, reading and writing technique and socio-cultural context of language teaching. Supervised practice teaching allows for up-and-coming ESL teachers to gain hands-on experience.

Upon graduation, students can bridge the language gap at American schools by teaching English as a second language to children from foreign non-English speaking countries. Or they can work abroad and teach English in the countries where they’re familiar with the native language and culture. ESL teachers work with people of all ages – ranging from kindergarteners to the retired. Thanks to globalization, they can also find employment with companies that wish to prepare their personnel for foreign travel and living. Overall, the teaching profession is expected to grow by 13 percent through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Adult ESL employment is expected to grow at roughly the same rate.