More Information About ESL/Bilingual/TESOL

• ESL, bilingual, and TESOL professionals all work to help their students speak the English language proficiently.
• TESOL teachers are able to work in any country where learning English is a commodity.
• ESL, Bilingual, and TESOL teachers must have a solid grasp of how the English language is structured and used to communicate.

What does an ESL teacher do?

ESL stands for English as a Second Language. An ESL teacher is a specialized educator who works exclusively with students from different cultures, speaking languages other than English. They work with students to improve their English language skills, so they can be successful in an English speaking education system. Sometimes an ESL teacher will also speak another languages, but this is not required to work an a teacher of ESL.

An ESL teacher has many different opportunities for jobs from which to choose. In a world traveling by boat and plane to countries of different culture and tongue, there is a great need for people to become bilingual. ESL teachers allow immigrant students to make English their second, or maybe their third or fourth language. There is a great need for ESL teachers, especially in areas where immigration is happening at a rapid rate. Most ESL teachers work in elementary or secondary schools and teach children who are brought to an English speaking country by their parents. However, many adult immigrants also need to learn to speak English, so there are also many opportunities for ESL teachers to work in a community college or university as well.

Generally, an ESL teacher needs to have two things a basic teaching certification and a specialized ESL certification. This means that most ESL teachers have a bachelor's degree. Some have a bachelor's in ESL or another language, but the types of degrees for ESL teachers ranges broadly.

ESL professionals can work in schools or as private tutors. Private tutor salaries are very hard to estimate because the vary so much by location. An ESL teacher working in a school makes about the same salary as any other certified teacher. They can start out making between $26,000 and $36,000 a year and can increase their salary to above $70,000 a year, with experience and added education. It depends on the location as to whether or not a private tutor would make more or less than a school teacher.

• University of Phoenix - Education Founded in 1976, University of Phoenix Online is the largest private university in the United States offering Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees in Education. The University of Phoenix also meets individual requirements set by state education departments which means a degree earned at the University of Phoenix is guaranteed to be honored in all states in the U.S. ( More Info )
• Grand Canyon University Online Founded in 1949 as a private, non-denominational Christian university, Grand Canyon University emphasizes individual attention and staff support. Students learn professional essentials for success in Education careers—all with the convenience of flexible online classes. ( More Info )
• Western Governors University Western Governors University emphasizes mastery of essential skills and knowledge in your field, basing progress toward your online degree on passing rigorous assessments (such as tests, projects, assignments, etc.) instead of accumulating credit hours. We call it competency-based learning. WGU offers Bachelors and Masters degree programs in Healthcare, Business, MBA, IT and Education. ( More Info )
• Jones International University Founded in 1993, Jones-International University is the first regionally accredited online university providing quality education for busy adults. JIU offers customized degree programs for a Bachelor Degree in Business or an MBA, Masters in Education, and Masters in Business Communication. ( More Info )
• Ashford University (Graduate) Founded in 1918, Ashford University (Graduate) specializes in Teacher Education and Organizational Leadership. Students choose from Master degrees in business, psychology, criminal justice, and teaching. The accelerated classes will offer you a swift path to program completion for a degree in MBA or Master of Arts in Teaching/Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology. ( More Info )
• Dominican University Dominican University online offers a series of Masters in Education programs designed for working teachers who wish to advance their careers and increase their pay. The programs offered are MAED's in Elementary Education, English as a Second Language and Reading. The Master's programs can be taken whenever and wherever the students want to, so long as an Internet connection is available. ( More Info )
• Northcentral University Northcentral University is an accredited online university that offers students graduate degrees in programs including business and technology management, education and psychology. ( More Info )
• Brandman University Founded in 1958, Brandman University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificates, and credentials in education, psychology, and healthcare. ( More Info )