In times where "going global" seems to be the most obvious thing to do, learning the ropes of the English language is the dire need of the day. This is especially true for those persons whose native tongue is not English. And they learn best when they learn young. Thus teachers engaged in teaching English learners have to take on the responsibility of laying down the foundation for superlative communication skills in English.
A career in teaching English learners has manifold lures. With increasing opening up of the economies, there is a huge demand for trained English teachers. So with proper credentials, you really won't have much difficulty in bagging plum jobs. Add to it the prospect of traveling, experiencing new cultures and meeting new people and a job of teaching English learners is as lucrative as any other high-profile assignment.
After you have decided to settle on a career of teaching English learners , you need to know what kind of certifications you need. There are almost an umpteen number of degrees and diplomas that you can get. But CELTA, which is the Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults and awarded by the Cambridge University, is the most famed internationally and is your passport to land a job of teaching English learners almost anywhere in the world.
The appeal of a CELTA certification further lies in the fact that it caters to people with little or no experience in teaching. Thus it is ideal for those who are intending to switch jobs to teaching English learners or for them who are looking to take a break from their existing careers.
However, qualification requirements for personnel teaching English learners vary from country to country. Thus in USA, an MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) suffices along with some kind of state licensing that requires considerable hands-on experience and language pedagogy course work.
In Britain, the credentials awarded by the UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate) and Trinity International Examinations Board of Trinity College, London are some of the most respected.
For those looking beyond the conventional classroom teaching modes, the Certificate in Teaching English to Young Learners (CertTEYL) is an option worth delving into. It is an online education course that will equip you with the basics of teaching English learners .
Once you have bagged your assignment of teaching English learners , you can be sure that your hands will be full. Your role would transcend the traditional duties of planning, preparing and providing lessons to varied age groups ranging from youngsters to teenagers, assessing oral and written assignments and conceiving and preparing study materials. As someone teaching English learners , you have to also help the young learners overcome the sway of their mother tongues.
Though English grammatical rules are easy enough to master, non-native English speakers are often confused when confronted with pronunciation of certain sounds or a unique grammatical pattern. As someone teaching English learners , it is up to you to lead your students through the intricacies of tenses, modal and phrasal verbs so that they emerge as individuals well versed in all aspects of the English language.
The job of teaching English learners is fraught with challenges and refreshingly interspersed with moments of fun, novelty and excitement.
