ESL Associate Degree Training

Going through school has enough challenges of its own. However, those academic and social challenges are compounded when language is a barrier. There are many students who were not born or raised in America, and who also do not speak English at home. This might seem like an enormous disadvantage to their education when their teachers and peers are all working together in English. And it's true: it's incredibly difficult to learn even the simplest concepts when you cannot understand what someone else is saying.

But there is a solution to this problem. It's you. Schools understand that students who don't speak English are just as intelligent as those who do, and it's essential that ESL teachers are present in schools to work with those students for whom English is not their first language and still represents a barrier to them. When you earn your Associate's Degree in ESL education and teaching, you will become a sort of bridge for many students, bringing them from the culture and language they know into the culture and language of America. This enables their educations to thrive and their futures to be prosperous, just as much as anyone who natively speaks the language.

ESL second language education professionals are just like other teachers, except for one big difference: they frequently do not speak the same language as their students. This difference accounts for the specialized training that an ESL teacher receives as they attempt to overcome this hurdle and instruct their students both in the English language and in a variety of academic subjects. Programs that prepare ESL teachers instruct them in areas like instructional methodology, grammar, linguistics, cultural diversity, and general teaching strategies. These courses are designed to prepare instructors to understand the nature of second language acquisition, so that they can teach it at both the academic and fundamental levels.

Schools are the place where the vast majority of individuals with an Associate's Degree in ESL second language education find employment. All grade levels, from kindergarten to the end of high school, have students who are learning English. This means that an ESL degree offers a wider array of opportunity than other teacher certifications. Some ESL programs have ESL students set up in a separate classroom to learn English and academics in a more isolated setting. Other programs offer a slightly more distanced support, allowing students to attend mainstream courses but providing resources that may help them succeed.

Aside from working directly in schools for children of these ages, there is also a high demand for adult ESL educators who can teach English to recent immigrants or others who never acquired a full grasp of the language. In many other cases, private ESL instructors are needed at tutoring centers, and even on an individual basis for one-on-one language instruction. Since ESL educators possess the necessary knowledge of skills, language, and techniques for instructing English, they are in the perfect position to help many different types of people transition into speaking English with confidence.

With today's ever-increasing influx of immigrants from other countries and with today's increasing cultural diversity, effective ESL programs are a must in every community school across the nation. With an Associate's Degree in ESL second language education and teaching, you will be equipped with the latest strategies and best resources to ensure that students don't miss a thing in school, despite their language barrier. Even though school can be difficult enough academically and socially, there doesn't need to be more challenges linguistically if effective ESL teacher like you is there to provide resources students need for success.

Becoming an ESL Teacher

Enroll in School – To become an ESL teacher the first step is to enroll in a school. You’ll want to obtain your license certification. It is not necessary that you speak a second language however if you know you are going to teach ESL oversees sometimes knowing the foreign language can be beneficial. You’ll want a program so that when completed you can earn your TESOL certificate.

Licensing – Once you graduate you’ll obtain your teachers license and often you’ll start work upon graduation. Getting employed oversees is a common place where many American teachers go to work. Here you’ll typically get paid room and board to teach English to elementary children.

Salary Overview

Most ELS teachers earn a salary of $52,830 however it does depend on the school as well as county you are living in. Certain countries such as China pay premiums for good ESL teachers as they are typically more advanced and have more opportunity for employment. You can use an agency to help find ESL jobs overseas.

Courses Taken during Training

During your ESL degree training you’ll take a wide variety of English language courses all designed to help the end user learn English. Below are some of the sample courses you could take.
- Linguistics
- Cultural Classes
- Intro to Grammar
- Values, Beliefs
- International Teachings

ELS Resources:
http://www.tefl.com/
http://www.eslcafe.com/