Opportunities in Adult Education
First steps:
Community College (Non-Credit Program):
In order to teach ESL to adults at the community college level in non-credit ESL courses, educators are required to have a bachelor’s degree in TESOL or a bachelor’s degree in an education-related subject and a TESOL Certificate. Community College (Credit Program):
To teach ESL to adults at the community college level in credit ESL courses, the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing requires educators to hold a master’s degree in one of the following: TESOL, applied linguistics with TESOL emphasis, linguistics with TESOL emphasis, English with TESOL emphasis, or education with TESOL emphasis. Many universities (both in California and online) offer graduate programs in these fields. Click the button below to browse these programs through the Gradschools.com directory. |
Public Adult Schools and Other Adult Education Centers:
To teach classes organized specifically for adults in a public adult school that is not a community college or university, an educator must earn a Designated Subjects Adult Education Teaching Credential. No bachelor’s degree is required. To learn more about the requirements of the Designated Subjects Adult Education Teaching Credential from the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
Universities (University of California or California State University):
To teach ESL courses full-time or part-time at UCs and CSUs, educators are required to have a Master's in TESOL, English, Linguistics, or Applied Linguistics.
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Additional Adult Education Teaching Options
Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL):
The Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) (2010) defines VESL as “courses or programs [to] serve postsecondary students whose native language is not English, whose primary residence is inside the United States, and whose purpose for training is to enhance their professional/job-related skills and opportunities” (1). All VESL programs must adhere to the educational standards outlined by ACCET. To learn more about these standards click the button below.
VESL Programs often focus on a variety of skills with the intention of helping students gain the knowledge of English necessary to put them on a specific career path. Some of the skills practiced in these programs might include taking phone messages, interacting with customers, filling out resumes and paperwork, and interviewing. VESL programs also often teach the vocabulary particular to a certain profession (such as healthcare or childcare) as exemplified in the videos by Pasadena City College below.
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Many VESL programs teach students the English associated with specific career paths.
Resources for educators interested in teaching VESL courses
Teaching Strategies
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Curriculum Development
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Corporate ESL Teacher:
Many large corporations look to employ ESL educators in their headquarters or main offices in order to teach other staff members and employs the English knowledge necessary for and specific to their company's success. Those interested in corporate ESL teaching "can expect to teach a complete range of students of differing ages, levels and job descriptions within a company, ranging from security staff, to managers at executive level" ("8 Tips," n.d.). Corporate ESL teachers often enjoy higher pay than educators in traditional school settings or language-learning organizations. In order to pursue this career, a bachelor's degree is required, a TESOL Certificate and ESL classroom experience are preferred.
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Many corporations look to employ ESL teachers to teach their employees the vocabulary associated with business, much like in this video by Learn English with Rebecca (2013).
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