Studies & Degrees in English for Teacher Certification

Choose where you would like to study English for Teacher Certification:

We all know that English is the most commonly applied language for international communication – be it for business, travel, or learning. When learning English with the purpose of teaching the language to others, though, there are specific requirements that need to be met. First of all, you need to consider whether you wish to teach English to native speakers or to non-native students. In both cases some sort of certification is required for you to be able to teach. The requirements for becoming a certified teacher vary from country to country, but in most cases you would need to have completed a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature (or similar) and then undergo an accredited teacher certification program. In certain cases (for ESL teaching) you might not need to have a bachelor’s degree, but rather the certification itself would suffice. Gaining a teacher certification would usually involve a combination of coursework, student teaching and various tests and exams.

ESL teachers instruct students for whom English is a second language and usually they need to undergo similar training as other classroom teachers. Still, these teachers need to take extra college courses, specifically designed for teaching English to non-native speakers. They also have to get practical experience in a classroom of ESL students.

Personal Qualities

Learning English for teacher certification means that you are planning to become a teacher. This requires a patient nature and great communication skills. Other qualities are:

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Great organizational qualities
• Tolerant and understanding to others
• Awareness of cultural differences
• Creativity and enthusiasm
• Willingness to work long hours

Study Options

Students may need to take anywhere from 50 to 150 class hours to earn an ESL certification. Certification is offered by training organizations such as Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Teaching of English as an Acquired or Additional Language (TEAL), International Accreditation of TESOL Qualifying Organisations (IATQuO), and Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). Each group has unique standards and training requirements. Courses for certification include linguistic fundamentals, teaching methods and materials, cross-cultural communication, and second-language acquisition. Coursework is in teaching pronunciation, grammar fundamentals, as well as some practical experience that requires the teaching candidate to go into the field to practice the ESL teaching principles. You should make sure your certification course would be approved by the institution where you would like to practice afterwards – different regions and states have varying requirements.

Career Options

By gaining a teacher certification in English you would be able to practice in state schools, in independent and private institutions, as well as specialized language centers.  You would also be able to specialize in areas like elementary education or special needs teaching if you wish to do so. You would also be able to open your own language center or give private lessons to selected students.