Is this your passion? Do you dream of learning how to affect English students’ lives towards a love of literature, grammar and creative writing? Do you want a career that is personable, flexible and compelling? The answer should be yes – especially considering the multitude of job opportunities available for those with a love for language and a desire to teach.
This post aims to provide a detailed overview of the teaching of English, investigating everything from the common positions you can apply for to the tips and tricks you need to propel your career. Whether you are currently starting out or want to secure the next stage of your journey, this guide has you covered.
Why Choose a Career as an English Teacher?
Of course, we all know teaching isn’t a job, it’s a vocation. After all, an English teacher is more than someone who stands in front of a classroom and shares ‘important thoughts with other people’. Most of us have bigger ambitions than that. We think of ourselves not simply as transmitters of someone else’s agenda, but as teachers who intervene in the lives and minds of young people and try to do them good by encouraging the free and creative exercise of their minds and their souls. We imagine that our presence can help transform the raw potential of children into the mature and thoughtful adults of tomorrow.
However, teaching English is not merely a high-minded profession. There are several practical advantages. Here are some of them to be considered if you’re considering a career in the field:
Job is one of the few industries that is always hiring qualified professionals and the worldwide need for teaching English fluency provides job security. And, as long as you are paid in dollars, not yen or francs, online English teaching positions are available.
Flexibility: English teachers can work in public and private schools, at language institutes, in online contexts or any combination thereof.
Professional development: Teaching is a two-way street. You are sharing knowledge with your students while continually developing yourself as a worker. As long as you are in front of the classroom, you have to stay on your toes.
Types of English Teacher Jobs
Jobs of English teacher are by no means all the same. It all depends on your education, your interests and long-term plans. Here are some of the most common jobs of English teacher:
- Elementary School English Teacher
As an elementary school English teacher, you will be responsible for teaching young students the basics of the English language, such as how to read, write, and create sentences with simple grammar, on a daily basis. You will need to be patient and imaginative to make the lessons entertaining and accessible for children.
- Middle School English Teacher
In middle school there is a focus on language and literature. As a middle school English teacher, you would expose students to more challenging reading, introduce them to writing styles, and help them to improve grammar and vocabulary. In this role you would have to be firm but encouraging because students of this age group are at a critical point in the development of their education.
- High School English Teacher
High have an important role in preparing students for the academic rigors of college and beyond. The job not only entails teaching advanced literature and writing and encouraging the critical thinking needed in college, but it also means working with students one-on-one, helping them to find their own voices and perspectives. As a high-school English teacher, you might revel in rambunctious class discussions of classic novels and find a sense of satisfaction in listening to students tease out the nuances of a literary work.
- ESL (English as a Second Language) Teacher
Would you like to work with speakers of other languages? If your answer is yes, then an ESL (English as a Second Language) is teacher a good career fit. ESL teachers teach speakers of other languages English in topics such as listening, speaking, reading and writing, and it’s a deeply rewarding job because you’d be helping students overcome a language barrier and increase their opportunities for a better future.
- Online English Teacher
A huge amount of online education has resulted in a strong demand for online English teachers. Whether you live for one-to-one tuition or the opportunity to teach virtual classes to a large group, it’s easy to find platforms which match you up to students all around the world. Online English teaching allows for huge flexibility – you can choose when and where you work.
How to Land Your Dream English Teacher Job
Now you’re excited about what it might be like to be an English teacher… so how do you get that job? Here are some tips to help you stand out in a competitive market:
- Get Qualified
Then get your questions answered. First things first: are you qualified? The best path for you to become an English teacher is probably to get yourself a bachelor’s degree in English or education and then a teaching licence. If you’re hoping to be an ESL teacher, you’ll have a better chance if you get certifications like TEFL, TESOL and/or CELTA too.
- Gain Experience
Experience is also a consideration for landing the job, so if you’re just starting out, volunteering, tutoring or being a teaching assistant are ways to build your resume. Any professional experience you have that demonstrates your ability to run a classroom and interact with students is worth mentioning.
- Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter
Your resume or CV and cover letter are the way you make a first impression with prospective employers. Customise that resume or CV and cover letter to emphasise experience, skills and interests that are relevant to a teaching job, and cite specific examples of prior successes with students and in the classroom (ie, ‘I reduced class disruption by half and significantly improved student test-performance’).
- Network
Network, network, network. Networking is your second best friend when searching for jobs. Get out there! Go to education-related conferences, join professional organizations, and connect with your fellow teachers on social media sites such as LinkedIn. It’s not always about what you know, it’s about who you know.
- Prepare for the Interview
If you’ve been called in for an interview, congratulations! Get ready for action. Research the school — or company, or whatever specific kind of place you are about to work at. Study their approach to teaching. Read about their philosophy. Be in a position to articulate how your approach resonates with their values. Prepare yourself to answer the questions most often asked on job interviews. Maybe prepare a teaching demo to demonstrate your chops.
Challenges in English Teacher Jobs
It pays well to be realistic. Yes, English teacher jobs are a rewarding way to make a living, but they do have their cons. It’s important to be aware of them before you start your career as a high school teacher, so here are a few realities to consider:
- Classroom Management
A class of personalities in the classroom is manageable if you do it with patience and consistency and set clear boundaries. Classroom management is the key to a good learning environment.
- Keeping Students Engaged
As our generation is overloaded with technologically advanced forms of communication and social media, holding teenagers’ attention in real live classrooms becomes a difficult task, especially for teachers of the English language. Planning classes has become a complicated process for English teachers in modern times and requires getting creative.
One way such teachers can engage students in class is through the use of multimedia, such as videos and films. Kids today are exposed to these various forms of entertainment on daily basis, so delivering a lesson with things they are familiar with increases their chances of focus and involvement.
Another strategy that teachers can use to accommodate young learners in the classroom is placing them into groups for discussions. This style of teaching provides various benefits such as obtaining fresh ideas for the current topic, fostering meaningful discussions about grammatical rules, environmental problems, and helping students develop creative solutions to the many issues facing the world today.
Overall, in order for English teachers to plan their classes successfully in contemporary times teachers must find creative methods to consistently deliver lessons to students who are oversaturated with modern technology.
- Grading and Paperwork
The workload of presumable English teachers is immense, due to extensive marking of the students’ essays, compositions and papers. Planning and time management are very important, especially among those who have non-teaching chores apart from classroom teaching.
Conclusion
No degree is required, no gruelling year-long programmes in fieldwork, and no three-year commitments to master the language. For anyone who cares enough about language to want it to be taught properly – and for those who care about teaching – English teacher jobs in the Asia-Pacific offer one of the most challenging, most interesting and most rewarding careers there is. If you’re beginning your career and don’t know where to start, or if you’re further ahead and need some reassessment, here are a few pointers that will help to get you moving in the right direction.
And so, armed with some newfound knowledge, are you ready to start your life as an English teacher now? The classroom awaits!
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