Hello All,
I am a junior English major considering a career as a teacher. I realize that the market for teachers is not very good at present due to the poor economy, and that many prospective teachers are unable to find steady work.
However, I am most interested in a career as an ESL teacher (I would obtain an ESOL Ed. M). Although I have heard that ESL education is a more in-demand field than many other teaching subjects, and that there is lots of potential for growth, I have also heard that the majority of teachers now are obtaining TESOL certification and that many administrators, when hiring, don’t know the difference between an ESOL Ed. M. and TESOL certification, so that qualified ESL professionals have a hard time finding good full-time positions.
Is this true? Or are there plenty of good positions for ESL teachers? Is the demand for ESL teachers greater than that for teachers in other subjects? Are they as respected as teachers in other subjects, with the same level of job establishment / reliability? And is the salary for an ESL teacher comparable to the salaries of other teachers, such as English, History, or Chemistry teachers? Overall, what are the job prospects for ESL teachers? Although I am open to traveling abroad as an ESL instructor for a few years, I would eventually like to settle in the United States (preferably in New York, my home state).
Lastly, does anyone know how the job market for ESL teachers is in New York City? I live on Long Island, so am thinking about working in NYC. Any advice, information, or experience of yours is greatly appreciated. I want to learn as much as I can before going ahead with my ESL education career plans.
Thank you so much! I appreciate your help and input!