Degree or Certificate? Education Needed for Teaching English

If you want to teach English as a Second Language to adults or children (overseas), you have several options to get the education you need to do so. Many factors play a role in determining what kind of education will best suit your ESL career aspirations. These ideas are based on only teaching ESL, not on obtaining an administrative position (such as being an ESL program coordinator).

Overseas

Teaching overseas to adults or children requires the least amount of education in many cases. Having a Bachelor's degree in some subject is generally recommended, however. Being a native English speaker is another important prerequisite for some jobs teaching in another country. However, this is not the case with each employer.

Independent education institutions offering ESL certificates are one way to get the training you will need to become an effective ESL teacher. These training programs are offered usually in 40, 100 or 120 hour increments. Forty hours of training is the absolute minimum many overseas employers will consider when they hire ESL teachers. At least 100 hours is recommended, according to the professional organization TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages).

Online

Teaching English as a second language online requires basically the same type of education as teaching overseas. Depending on the employer, the educational requirements may differ. If you plan to teach ESL online, you can also form your own tutoring company, and you do not necessarily have to have any specific ESL training. However, your students will expect you to be familiar with English in general as well as its grammar. To teach online, you will also need strong computer and Internet skills. A high speed Internet connection and a reliable, newer computer are also necessary.

In the U.S.

Educational requirements are generally more stringent to teach English as a second language in the United States. If you want to work for your local school district's adult education program, for example, you may be required to have a certification from a college or university in teaching English as a second or foreign language. These types of certification programs are often a year to a year and a half in length and result in a certificate. You must usually have at least a Bachelor's degree in some subject to enter these programs. Master's degrees in teaching ESL or TESOL are also a good way to get your foot in the door to many ESL teaching jobs in the U.S. They can be particularly helpful if you want to teach ESL to college students in the U.S. Master's degrees in English or a linguistics-related subject may also be accepted when applying for some ESL teaching jobs in the United States.

If you only have a certificate in teaching ESL or EFL, but you also have a couple years of overseas teaching experience, you may be able to find a position at a community adult ESL program, adult education or a private ESL school in the U.S. As with online and overseas employers, the specific educational requirements may differ with each employer.

TESOL: Tips for Evaluating Independent Certificate Programs