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What does an english as a second language instructor do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted expert
David McMahan Ph.D.

An English As A Second Language Instructor, or ESL instructor, is responsible for teaching English to students whose native or primary language is not English. Their duties consist of planning, preparing, and delivering lessons to a wide range of classes.

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English as a second language instructor responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real english as a second language instructor resumes:

  • Distribute marketing materials to community organizations and businesses and lead community outreach strategy on behalf of ESOL department regarding various programs/schedules/opportunities.
  • Prepare class and syllabus materials and draw up lesson plans for adult students from various countries
  • Develop syllabus, structure classes and administer grades.
  • Design and implement developmentally appropriate lesson plans in English grammar and phonics.
  • Create and update ESL website and ensure its availability for different language needs of international students.
  • Work on one-to-one with students to analyze language ability and design tailor language activities for them specifically.
  • Design and implement lessons in the areas of grammar, composition, reading listening and speaking for intermediate-level international students
  • Distribute marketing materials to community organizations and businesses and lead community outreach strategy on behalf of ESOL department regarding various programs/schedules/opportunities.
  • Instruct classes of Thai university-level students in advance English reading, composition and conversation.

English as a second language instructor skills and personality traits

We calculated that 22% of English As A Second Language Instructors are proficient in Classroom Management, Curriculum Development, and English Language. They’re also known for soft skills such as Critical-thinking skills, Interpersonal skills, and Resourcefulness.

We break down the percentage of English As A Second Language Instructors that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Classroom Management, 22%

    Mentored new teachers on classroom management and how to organize administrative work.

  • Curriculum Development, 11%

    Participated in curriculum development and learning strategies for the ESL program

  • English Language, 11%

    Design, develop & implement lesson plans for online individualized English language instruction to international business executives including TOEFL test preparation

  • Grammar, 7%

    Provided instruction and practice activities in Reading/Vocabulary, Grammar, and Writing skills necessary for successful communication in academic environments.

  • Language Acquisition, 4%

    Instructed toward language acquisition and proficiency of the English language needed for basic skills in transition, life

  • Foreign Language, 4%

    Prepared group of Latino immigrants to pass both the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and U.S.

Most english as a second language instructors use their skills in "classroom management," "curriculum development," and "english language" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential english as a second language instructor responsibilities here:

Critical-thinking skills. One of the key soft skills for an english as a second language instructor to have is critical-thinking skills. You can see how this relates to what english as a second language instructors do because "to conduct original research and design experiments, postsecondary teachers need to analyze information logically." Additionally, an english as a second language instructor resume shows how english as a second language instructors use critical-thinking skills: "develop lesson plans and curriculum guides that foster student learning in critical-thinking. "

Interpersonal skills. Many english as a second language instructor duties rely on interpersonal skills. "postsecondary teachers need to work well with others for tasks such as instructing students and serving on committees.," so an english as a second language instructor will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways english as a second language instructor responsibilities rely on interpersonal skills: "translated from english to spanish to facilitate basic learning assisted with development of reading comprehension utilized effective instructional and interpersonal skills"

Resourcefulness. english as a second language instructors are also known for resourcefulness, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to english as a second language instructor responsibilities, because "postsecondary teachers must be able to present information in a way that students will understand." An english as a second language instructor resume example shows how resourcefulness is used in the workplace: "demonstrated resourcefulness and developed ingenuity; overcame language barriers and trying working environments. "

Speaking skills. english as a second language instructor responsibilities often require "speaking skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "postsecondary teachers need good communication skills to present lectures and provide feedback to students." This resume example shows what english as a second language instructors do with speaking skills on a typical day: "presented course content and interactive activities for both skill-focused and multi-skill courses. "

Writing skills. Another crucial skill for an english as a second language instructor to carry out their responsibilities is "writing skills." A big part of what english as a second language instructors relies on this skill, since "postsecondary teachers need strong writing ability to publish original research and analysis." How this skill relates to english as a second language instructor duties can be seen in an example from an english as a second language instructor resume snippet: "focus on test taking skills, presentations, research methods, academic writing, and american culture. "

See the full list of english as a second language instructor skills

The three companies that hire the most english as a second language instructors are:

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English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume
English As A Second Language Instructor Resume

Compare different english as a second language instructors

English as a second language instructor vs. Assistant professor of english

An assistant professor of English is a teaching professional who assists the professor in teaching courses in English language and literature. This assistant must possess oral communication skills so that they can practice with their students to increase vocabulary and syntax. The assistant professor is required to develop a curriculum related to reading and writing exercises to meet the educational needs and expectations of their students. This assistant professor must also create an essay writing course for freshmen students while focusing on peer review, revision, and instructor feedback.

If we compare the average english as a second language instructor annual salary with that of an assistant professor of english, we find that assistant professors of english typically earn a $4,765 higher salary than english as a second language instructors make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both english as a second language instructor and assistant professor of english positions are skilled in curriculum development, english language, and grammar.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between english as a second language instructors and assistant professor of english. For instance, english as a second language instructor responsibilities require skills such as "classroom management," "language acquisition," "learning styles," and "vocabulary." Whereas a assistant professor of english is skilled in "fiction," "human resources," "poetry," and "film studies." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Assistant professors of english tend to make the most money working in the education industry, where they earn an average salary of $65,669. In contrast, english as a second language instructors make the biggest average salary, $54,635, in the retail industry.The education levels that assistant professors of english earn slightly differ from english as a second language instructors. In particular, assistant professors of english are 6.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an english as a second language instructor. Additionally, they're 11.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

English as a second language instructor vs. Adjunct professor of english

An adjunct professor of English is someone who mentors new adjunct professors in providing answers to questions. Adjunct professors help in students' transition to college. The professors optimize student learning through effective, distinct, and creative writing and English approaches. They create syllabi every semester and back student learning in various ways for individual learning styles. Their job is to use conflict resolution and classroom management skills. Also, they organize and enforce professional development plans.

On average, adjunct professors of english earn a $2,432 higher salary than english as a second language instructors a year.A few skills overlap for english as a second language instructors and adjunct professors of english. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "classroom management," "curriculum development," and "learning styles. "

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, english as a second language instructor responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "english language," "grammar," "language acquisition," and "foreign language." Meanwhile, an adjunct professor of english has duties that require skills in areas such as "student learning," "learning outcomes," "literature courses," and "esl." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Average education levels between the two professions vary. Adjunct professors of english tend to reach higher levels of education than english as a second language instructors. In fact, they're 15.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 11.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for english as a second language instructors in the next 3-5 years?

David McMahan Ph.D.David McMahan Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College

Technology is moving so fast that it is unpredictable. One of the most important skills you can have is working with a several thousand years old technology: writing. If you're a good writer, it opens up possibilities that aren't there for those who can't write.

English as a second language instructor vs. Instructor of spanish

A Spanish Instructor specializes in teaching the Spanish language in a classroom or one-on-one setting. Their responsibilities typically include preparing lesson plans according to the students' needs and capacity, researching and creating learning materials, facilitating discussions, conducting quizzes and examinations, organizing activities to enhance their language skills, grading the students' performances, and assisting students as necessary. Spanish Instructors monitor the students' progress while maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone.

On average scale, instructors of spanish bring in higher salaries than english as a second language instructors. In fact, they earn a $2,155 higher salary per year.english as a second language instructors and instructors of spanish both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "classroom management," "curriculum development," and "language acquisition," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from english as a second language instructor resumes include skills like "english language," "grammar," "vocabulary," and "classroom environment," whereas an instructor of spanish is more likely to list skills in "literature," "student learning," "spanish language courses," and "language learning. "

Instructors of spanish earn the best pay in the manufacturing industry, where they command an average salary of $61,981. English as a second language instructors earn the highest pay from the retail industry, with an average salary of $54,635.instructors of spanish typically earn higher educational levels compared to english as a second language instructors. Specifically, they're 7.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

English as a second language instructor vs. Conversational english teacher

Conversational english teachers typically earn higher pay than english as a second language instructors. On average, conversational english teachers earn a $1,029 higher salary per year.While their salaries may vary, english as a second language instructors and conversational english teachers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "classroom management," "foreign language," and "syllabus. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between english as a second language instructors and conversational english teachers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an english as a second language instructor might have more use for skills like "curriculum development," "english language," "grammar," and "language acquisition." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of conversational english teachers require skills like "classroom curriculum," "sentence structure," "esl," and "private lessons. "

The average resume of conversational english teachers showed that they earn lower levels of education compared to english as a second language instructors. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 8.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 1.3%.

Types of english as a second language instructor

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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