English as a second language teacher
Teachers of English as a second language work with adults and children whose first language is not English, and who live (or are seeking to live) on a long-term or permanent basis in the UK.
They work in a range of locations providing government or voluntary sector funded courses to help learners develop linguistic and cultural competence to participate fully in British education, work and cultural environments.
The role differs from that of an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher, who delivers courses to fee-paying learners.
The abbreviation EAL (English as an additional language) is current in schools, as is ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) within adult education.
Teachers or tutors deliver classes to adults at colleges and in community and language centres. In primary and secondary schools, tuition is provided on an individual basis or support is provided in a classroom setting. Some teaching also takes place with adult migrants, one-to-one and in small groups.
Typical activities include:
Although this career is open to all graduates, the following subjects may increase your chances:
Posts in schools always require qualified teacher status (QTS). A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), or the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in Scotland, is the most common route for graduates to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS), unless your first degree included QTS.
A good first degree is usually necessary to enter postgraduate courses. For further information about obtaining QTS, refer to primary school teacher and secondary school teacher. It is essential to gain relevant experience before applying for a PGCE and to apply early. Applications are made through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) . All Scottish universities, except Paisley, recruit through the GTTR. Northern Irish universities recruit directly.
Qualifications required to teach ESOL within further, adult or community education vary according to each country within the UK.
In England all new ESOL teachers working within further, adult or community education are now required to register with the Institute for Learning (IfL) (the professional body for teachers and trainers in the learning and skills sector).
In order to gain Qualified Teacher: Learning and Skills (QTLS) status and teach English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) within adult or further education in England, you will need:
Both of these must be recognised by Standards Verification UK .
Some courses combine both the teaching and subject-specialist requirements in an integrated qualification. For further information and advice on gaining QTLS, contact Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) by email at advice@lluk.org or by telephone 020 7936 5798.
In Wales, a Standards Verification UK recognised teaching qualification is required before applying for ESOL teaching posts in Wales but there is no additional requirement for a subject-specific qualification.
In Scotland, teaching qualifications aren’t mandatory for teaching within further, adult or community education but many FE teachers complete the Teaching Qualification Further Education TQ (FE). Again, there is no requirement for ESOL teachers to complete an additional subject-specific qualification.
In Northern Ireland (from September 2009) all teachers within further, adult or community education are required to gain a PGCE (further education) or other recognised teaching qualification, with ESOL teachers also being required to complete the Queens University Certificate in the Teaching and Management of Literacy and Essential skills.
Pre-entry experience, e.g. through mainstream teaching, teaching English abroad or voluntary work, is important.
Potential candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
The National Association for the Teaching of English and Other Community Languages to Adults (NATECLA) and the National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum (NALDIC) represent those involved in teaching English as a second or additional language (ESOL/EAL). They produce regular newsletters and journals, offer conferences and training, and provide information about a range of areas, including teaching materials.
For those progressing in further education (FE), completion of a relevant advanced diploma and/or MA is important.
Traditionally, many ESOL professionals opted to follow a programme of applied linguistics. Recently, however, there has been a growth in courses offering more classroom-based training. In-service training, which can vary from one-day events to full post-qualification and postgraduate programmes, is important. This may be provided by local education authorities or by colleges and universities.
Short courses of two weeks are also run by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) for their own volunteers.
The usual entry route into further education (FE) posts is through part-time, hourly paid teaching. The first goal of many tutors in FE is to secure a permanent full-time or fractional contract; as part-time and temporary contracts are so common, this can take some years. Promotion on to higher pay scales is usually reliant on undertaking additional responsibilities, such as course development, administration, marketing and promotion, and may result in a decrease in direct involvement with learners.
In schools, there may be the opportunity to advance to a team leader's role, which involves activities such as the coordination of the work of a multicultural team and contribution to strategic development. Extra duties are usually recognised via responsibility points on your pay spine. Further advancement or specialisation may lead you into pastoral/subject leadership or into managerial roles, such as deputy head or headteacher. Again, it is likely that full-time involvement with teaching will diminish as broader responsibilities take precedence.
A limited number of advisory posts exist for specialists with substantial experience.
As some posts are reliant on external, short-term funding, they are sometimes available to qualified and experienced teachers and lecturers as secondments.
Opportunities to work with young learners exist in maintained and independent schools.
Work with adults occurs in a variety of environments, including:
In an attempt to take education out into the community, many colleges and local education authorities provide courses in a variety of venues off the main college premises, including local schools and church halls.
Some tutors may also be involved in teaching literacy and numeracy as part of basic skills provision (as part of the national strategy for improving adult literacy, numeracy and English language skills).
There is some demand for teachers in countries where English is used as an official or semi-official language, e.g. Singapore, Nigeria and Kenya. Some posts are also available abroad through voluntary agencies, such as Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) .
Demand for English as a second language (ESOL) teachers varies across the UK, depending upon the proportion of residents whose first language is not English. There are, for example, fewer opportunities in rural areas.
School and college vacancies and opportunities for community work may also be advertised in the local and regional press.
Recruitment agencies sometimes handle vacancies. Look out for agencies specialising in education posts, which advertise in the TES and The Guardian, as well as local newspapers. It is important to check job descriptions carefully.
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