Carol Said:

Spanish or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages?

We Answered:

I don't think it will make any real difference. Most teaching jobs abroad ask for a degree for visa purposes and then a TEFL certificate to show you can teach English.

I would recommend that you take whichever course appeals to you most; both will be fine for TEFL.

Don Said:

It seems that a lucrative career in America today would be to teach English to speakers of other languages?

We Answered:

Lucrative money-wise or lucrative feeling good about yourself? Teaching is not something to do because it is "lucrative," it is something you do to help others be the best they can possibly be.

Teaching English would be a great career and very rewarding, just not financially. A lot of places offer free language classes and I'm sure you could donate time to help with that. Or, you could get your teaching certificate and then actually teach an ESL (English as a Second Language) class to students daily to help with language skills.

Violet Said:

Urgent: How can we teach english to speakers of other languages using english without a translator?

We Answered:

Picture cards perhaps? Pictures of objects or animals...like of apples, cows, etc...are pretty much universal. If you get the big flashcard style ones that are made for kids learning to speak they should have big pictures on them with the english word written above or below the picture. Maybe that'll help.

If you choose to make your own, you could do them on the computer and print them on card stock. If you're willing to invest the money in it, you could split the class into pairs and give each pair a set of these cards so they can practice with eachother.

Good luck!

Tracy Said:

Do you know of any good Master's programs in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages ( TESOL )?

We Answered:

I went to the University of South Florida for my MA. A LOT of work and I can't say I enjoyed it, but it was well worth the effort.

Honestly, though, for something like TESOL, it doesn't matter too much where you go as far as getting jobs. As long as the school is accredited, you'll have no problem teaching abroad.

That being said, go some place local and cheap (my reasoning for going to USF). It's only 2 years and you won't have much time to enjoy any new surroundings anyway. Don't go into debt at an expensive school or city.

Violet Said:

Are there a demading job market for those with degrees in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages?

We Answered:

There are! Whether it will be easy or a little more difficult to find a job depends on where you live now. If you're in an area where there happens to be a higher population of non English-speaking families, then your quest for your desired job will be right at your finger tips. However, if you live in a primarily English- speaking area, you might have to go outside the area in which you live. For example, if you happen to be in certain areas of Texas or New Mexico, the demand for Spanish-speaking teachers is growing exponentially year by year! Whereas if you live in certain areas of Connecticut, the demand is much-much lower. Look around and talk to people...you may be surprised!

Kristin Said:

How can I get credentials for teaching English to the speakers of other languages?

We Answered:

If you are going to work at the community college level, your masters is all you need to get in. There is no specific ESL credential other than what you already have. For working with non-credit courses, you wouldn't even need that much.

I suggest you just look at the websites of some community colleges and check under "employment opportunities." That will make you feel better. The link below is representative of what you will find.