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English instructor skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Diane Renée Mannone,

Diane Renée Mannone

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical english instructor skills. We ranked the top skills for english instructors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 34.9% of english instructor resumes contained kids as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an english instructor needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 english instructor skills for your resume and career

1. Kids

Here's how english instructors use kids:

Teach Japanese students (from kids to adults) English through online.
Designed and delivered seminars on best practices of kids' class instruction.

2. Curriculum Development

Here's how english instructors use curriculum development:

Researched using Internet and prepared lessons using PowerPoint presentations, evaluated students, assisted in curriculum development.
Established Global Studies Certificate; advised faculty on curriculum development and revision; assessed new courses.

3. Classroom Management

Here's how english instructors use classroom management:

Attended professional development workshops that focused on developing and achieving learning goals, IT integration, and successful classroom management.
Devised classroom management strategy that galvanized students; prepared students for and proctored State Assessments.

4. Grammar

Grammar is the system or rules of the structure of a language. The set of grammar rules helps us decide the order or arrangement of words to form a sentence forming a grammatically correct sentence. Grammar denotes the study of how a sentence of a language is constructed, its morphology, and syntax. It is also the knowledge prescribed in speaking or writing in a given language using the permissible set of constructions and avoiding those that are not permissible. This also includes the proper use of punctuation marks within a sentence.

Here's how english instructors use grammar:

Instructed advanced elementary and middle school children in English, emphasized Reading comprehension and analysis in addition to Conversation and Grammar.
Trained Turkish adults from beginners to advanced in top-quality English lessons Facilitated skills acquisition in grammar, conversation, and reading comprehension

5. Foreign Language

A foreign language is a language that is not the official language spoken in a given state or country. It's a language that is native to another country but can be studied in addition to one's native language as a means of fostering international relationships among countries.

Here's how english instructors use foreign language:

Promoted foreign language acquisition and intercultural awareness to kindergarten, elementary and junior high school students.
Advertised foreign language learning experiences.

6. English Language

Here's how english instructors use english language:

Created resources to facilitate comprehensible English language instruction; maintained a hands-on learning environment with no technology available.
Developed and implemented lesson plans to strategically increase English language communication among employees in the hospitality industry.

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7. Kindergarten

Kindergarten is an early form of education that begins when a child is about five years old. During kindergarten, children learn the basic elements of reading, writing, and mathematics in addition to colors, telling time, sharing, and similar principles. Kindergarten classes are typically overseen by a single teacher who lectures on all of the subjects listed.

Here's how english instructors use kindergarten:

Educated and instructed Korean kindergarten and elementary school students in English.
Supported growth of enrollment and development of kindergarten initiatives.

8. Professional Development

Professional development means to have the essential training certification or education with the purpose of earning and having a successful career. Every job requires a different set of skills. However, new skills may be needed in the future. Professional development, in this regard, helps people to develop and polish the skills and become efficient workers.

Here's how english instructors use professional development:

Keep abreast of developments in teaching composition and rhetoric by reading current literature, attending professional development workshops and attending conferences.
Coordinated and assisted with Professional Development sessions for fellow co-workers on the use of MyWritingLab software provided by Pearson Education.

9. Literature Courses

Here's how english instructors use literature courses:

Provided instruction in introductory comprehensive college level English, business writing, and Introduction to Literature courses
Developed and facilitated an African-American literature course for the campus.

10. Syllabus

Here's how english instructors use syllabus:

Planned and organized class syllabus and schedule for Elementary Composition and Argumentative Writing.
Designed curricula and syllabus for six introductory English courses for undergraduate students.

11. Student Learning

Here's how english instructors use student learning:

Developed and/or updated curriculum, teaching methods and assessment strategies to improve student learning based on assessment results.
Utilize interactive technology and multimedia resources in various discourses to promote student learning and comprehension of subject matter.

12. Vocabulary

Here's how english instructors use vocabulary:

Designed and taught American Literature centering on understanding the different literary periods, promoting vocabulary enhancement and literary analysis techniques.
Monitored and assessed student progress in areas of fluency, communicative ability, vocabulary, listening comprehension and mastery.

13. Course Materials

Here's how english instructors use course materials:

Collaborated with Service Learning Department and community members to offer students opportunities to translate course material into real-world experience.
Utilized a variety of technologies and instructional methodologies to deliver course material and measure student understanding.

14. Teaching Methodologies

Here's how english instructors use teaching methodologies:

Created and employed communicative teaching methodologies and curriculum to ensure best practices in the learning environment.
Employed various online teaching methodologies, techniques, and concepts to ensure maximum effectiveness of training program.

15. Learning Environment

Here's how english instructors use learning environment:

Researched and implemented coursework in a hybrid learning environment utilizing an on-line learning management system such as CourseSites.com.
Provided and organized a successful learning environment by motivating and inspiring non English speaking adults.

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What skills help English Instructors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on english instructor resumes?

Diane Renée Mannone

Associate Professor of English, East Los Angeles College

The ability to teach close reading and critical thinking are vital, especially when helping students develop their unique voices, as well as the ability to construct engaging courses adaptable to all learning styles. Teaching argument is also key.

What hard/technical skills are most important for english instructors?

Diane Renée Mannone

Associate Professor of English, East Los Angeles College

Technical literacy and the ability to teach in myriad environments with diverse students.

What soft skills should all english instructors possess?

Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Rhetoric, Louisiana State University

The ability to clearly communicate ideas, theories, expectations, assignments, etc., stands as a paramount soft skill needed for writing instructors. Students already come into the classroom with high expectations concerning the level of attention they will receive in terms of instruction, so writing instructors need to develop methods to deliver information to students in a clear and easily understood manner. Clear communication also contributes to better engagement with course material. When students know what the instructor expects and what they must do, they typically engage more fully in their work. Additionally, listening to students is a second crucial soft skill writing instructors should develop. Including students in the learning process by listening to their perspectives and making small adjustments to accommodate their learning needs shows an attention to detail necessary in the modern writing classroom.

What english instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Helen Callus

Professor of Viola, Northwestern University

A gap year is a terrific way to build a resume. By looking at where there might be a lack of experience like competitions, teaching, administration, summer festival interns, assistantships - they can focus their time and build their resumes well. I also think being creative in these current times, showing that you have experience teaching remotely, making a studio, creating a website, writing an article, and doing research that could be helpful later on. You could also spend the time preparing repertoire to teach or take auditions and make your first recording and video YouTube performance.

What type of skills will young english instructors need?

Dr. Christina Fisanick

Associate Professor of English, California University of Pennsylvania

College graduates in 2021 and beyond need all of the skills that English programs have to offer: critical thinking, effective communication, creativity, and flexibility. New hires need to be able to adapt to workplace changes quickly and with aplomb, which requires critical thinking and problem solving and the ability to communicate those solutions to a diverse audience clearly and effectively. Those skills are refined and practiced regularly in English programs.

What technical skills for an english instructor stand out to employers?

Leticia Pérez Alonso Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Spanish, Jackson State University

In the past some employers appeared to be attracted to candidates who were familiar with online or distant education. Given the changing face of the academia, especially over the last year, I believe that skills to work remotely will be especially taken into consideration when hiring instructors of English language, education and literature. As I see it, an ability to develop online courses through platforms such as Canvas, Moodle or Blackboard stand out to employers of the educational sector. Along these lines, experience with video communications technologies such as Zoom will be a plus when deciding to hire an online or distance English teacher.

Additionally, specializations in English literature appear to have dropped, yet positions in rhetoric and composition are still in demand. Therefore, those English majors interested in literature might want to diversify their curriculum and receive training in areas such as technical and professional writing. They might also be interested in expanding their knowledge in second language acquisition or pedagogy to teach English to foreign speakers.

Do you want to know more?

List of english instructor skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for an english instructor resume and required skills for an english instructor to have include:

Kids
Curriculum Development
Classroom Management
Grammar
Foreign Language
English Language
Kindergarten
Professional Development
Literature Courses
Syllabus
Student Learning
Vocabulary
Course Materials
Teaching Methodologies
Learning Environment
Learning Styles

Instructional Materials
Course Content
Mathematics
Student Performance
Poetry
Blackboard
Language
Composition Courses
Public Speaking
Rhetoric
Course Curriculum
Classroom Environment
Course Objectives
ENG
Social Justice
Course Syllabi

PowerPoint
Reading Comprehension
Fiction
Drama
Sentence Structure
Writing Process
American Culture
Test Preparation
Toefl
Student Evaluations
MLA
Social Studies
Learning Process
Tokyo
Courses Taught
EFL

Updated January 8, 2025

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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English Instructor Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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