Adult Basic and Secondary Education and ESL Teachers
Additional Information
Duties
Adult educators in elementary, middle, and high school regularly do the following:
- Educate students on how to plan and teach high school equivalency classes.
- Adapt the teaching methods to each student's strengths and weaknesses.
- Students should learn common workplace English terms and phrases to help them find work.
- Students with disabilities should be assessed.
- Progress is tracked.
- Help students study more effectively.
- Involve students in community resources like job placement programs.
Students are tested for academic and skill levels before being admitted to these programs. Teachers or another team member may assess students. Teachers create education plans after assessing students' goals and test results.
Teachers must regularly evaluate their students in order to determine their readiness for the next educational level. Teachers, on the other hand, can regularly conduct informal assessments of their students' progress.
The students in adult basic and secondary education, as well as ESL classes, are diverse (ESL). Educators must therefore use a variety of methods to meet the diverse needs of their students. They may work with children in groups or one-on-one.
Adult basic and secondary education and ESL teachers provide three types of instruction:
Adult basic education (ABE) programs teach basic reading, writing, and math skills. This program requires students to be at least 16 years old and master these skills to advance in their careers. Teachers help students prepare for college and work. Students may learn to write a résumé.
Adult secondary education students are preparing for the high school equivalency exam. Several programs combine high school equivalency and career certification for students.
The equivalency test has four sections: language arts, math, science, and social studies. Teachers help students improve their communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills so they can succeed in college.
These seminars teach students to read, write, and speak English, also known as ESL (ESL). These sessions are for newcomers or non-English speakers. ESL teachers frequently work with students from diverse backgrounds. Given the challenges of communicating with students who do not share the same mother tongue, ESL teachers must be creative in the classroom.
Many ESL instructors place a high priority on helping their students learn useful language for the workplace and daily life. They could also focus on preparing students for the citizenship exam.
Education
A bachelor's degree is usually required for most public schools, adult basic and secondary education and ESL instructors. Several community organizations prefer a master's degree in adult education or graduate courses in ESL (ESL).
Adult education programs prepare potential instructors to teach adults with learning disabilities and students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Adult educators can specialize in adult education, secondary education, or English as a Second Language.
ESL teachers should research prospective linguistics and how people learn a second language. Speaking a second language isn't required, but it can help.
Teacher education students learn how to communicate with students of various abilities and backgrounds. Most programs allow student-teachers to work alongside a mentor and gain classroom experience. Discover your state's teacher preparation programs at Teach.org.
Professional development programs for adult basic and secondary education and ESL instructors are available (ESL).
Certification and Licensing
English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers in public schools must be certified. Several states offer adult education certification. Some states require elementary or secondary education credentials.
A bachelor's degree is often required to teach ESL, adult basic, and secondary education. For more information, contact your state's adult education director. For more information, contact the US Department of Education.
Important traits
Communication ability adult education and ESL teachers must collaborate with other educators and administrators. Teachers must also explain complex concepts in a way that students can grasp and remember.
Culture savvy. Teachers deal with students from diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. They must be sensitive to their students' issues.
Patience. Being a teacher is challenging enough. Teachers must be patient with students who struggle to grasp concepts.
Resourcefulness. To keep students interested in the material, teachers must be flexible and creative. They may need to modify their teaching methods to meet the needs of their students.
Pay
In May 2020, the median yearly salary for teachers of adult basic and secondary education and ESL was $55,350. If half of the people in a profession make more than the median wage, and half earn less, we say that the median wage is too high or too low. Between the bottom 10% and the top 10% of earners, there was a wide range of incomes.
Job Projections
Adult basic and secondary education and English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors are expected to lose 5% of their jobs between 2020 and 2030.