ACT-Houston
Houston 832-200-0552
Dallas 214-267-2222Austin 1-877-286-0024
Alternative Certification for Teachers
English as a Second Language Supplemental (Grades N/A)
Earning an alternative teaching certification for English as a second language for supplemental classes will require similar course work to traditional English language teaching but with an added focus on the conversational and real world use of English. Supplemental English as a second language classes are often provided to adult students or through city community centers, community colleges or low cost public programs. This can lead to a more informal teaching environment as well as a more difficult one.
What is Needed for Alternative Teaching Certification
To be eligible for an alternative teaching certification in English as a second language, a core group of general education requirements will be necessary such as English literature, science, history, social studies, mathematics and electives such as educational psychology, speech communication and linguistics. Teaching adult students requires skills that would be different in technique from those used with traditional students, primarily because many of these adults have likely not been in school for a number of years and will need to be re-grounded in current teaching and learning practices.
In addition to academic work, hands on experience through an internship or student teaching opportunity will provide valuable exposure to the classroom setting for potential educators. The ability to work side by side with an experienced teacher will help to develop skills that simply cannot be obtained from books.
Teaching Supplemental English as a Second Language Coursework
There are specific classes available for teaching English as a second language. Having English as a native language certainly is valuable, but the ability to teach communication skills, to manage learning frustration and to teach in a way that will afford students the ability to realize speech patterns quickly will all be necessary requirements. Courses in teaching strategies can prove to be very helpful for English language instructors.