English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher--Career Q&A: Professional Advice and Insight

What is it like to be a English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher? In this Career Q&A video interview, Anne McDowell talks about her career path, what she does on the job, and the keys to success teaching English as a second language. She also offers candid advice on breaking into the profession as well as insight into the industry’s biggest challenges and how the field may change in the next ten years.

Length: 22 minutes

ORDER CODE: FFM-BVL133145

ISBN: 978-1-64023-592-2

Copyright date: ©2017

Closed Captioned

ESL Teachers: Main Duties and Responsibilities (01:30)
Anne McDowell teaches at an Intensive English Program (IEP) at the University of Pennsylvania to students who have already graduated high school, but need to improve their language skills. While some of her students are post-doctorates most take her course to prepare for the TOEFL.

ESL Teachers: Career Beginnings (02:44)
Because the Peace Corps instilled a six-month waiting period, McDowell accepted a two-year assignment as a bilingual educator in Los Angeles for "Teach for America." She joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania to pay for her master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL).

ESL Teachers: Keys for Success (01:44)
Successful ESL teachers need to love culture and learning new languages to relate to their students. McDowell emphasizes how teachers need to adapt to different ethnicities because population cultures change when teaching an intensive English program.

ESL Teachers: Education and Certificate Requirements (01:49)
Certifications vary depending on state and grade level. Frequently, one can apply for a two-year emergency certification where no experience is required initially, but applicants must take classes in addition to learning on the job. In order to teach IEP at a university, professors should have lived overseas, speak another language, and have a master's degree.

ESL Teachers: Workplace Atmosphere (02:32)
McDowell enjoys her co-workers because they are educated, well traveled, and challenging. ESL teachers typically work 35-45 hour a week. There are many opportunities for teachers to use their master's degrees to work overseas in Asia or the Middle East.

ESL Teachers: Advice for Aspiring Pros (01:28)
ESL teachers should be interested in cultural anthropology and travel. McDowell suggests that teachers think of their students as loved ones when forming lesson plans because it keeps teachers focused and motivated.

ESL Teachers: Day on the Job (03:32)
McDowell begins her class with a review of the previous day's work, and then warms up her students with a light-hearted interactive exercise before beginning her lecture. If her students do not respond to the material she presented, she asks for advice from her co-workers. Afterward, she gives feedback to her students and prepares for her next class.

ESL Teachers: Goals, Products and Services (01:26)
ESL instructors teach students how to speak, write, and communicate in English; curriculum varies depending on age levels. McDowell's co-workers discovered that only a handful of students interact daily with the MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) they created.

ESL Teachers: Industry Challenges (02:57)
Many teachers worry they will lose students due to the current political climate. McDowell explains how the ethnicities of her students change every five to seven years. Her employer explores emerging markets and online technology for ESL; recently she taught an entire class from China.

ESL Teachers: Looking at the Future (01:47)
Every five to ten years, the ethnicity of her students changes. In the future, McDowell believes distance learning will be more prevalent and is looking forward to tackling new technology.