ESL jobs in NYC?

April 5, 2008 5:20 PM

I'm coming to New York in the fall for school. I want a part-time job teaching ESL. I have some credentials and experience, but I need pointers.

I have a TESL certificate from International House Toronto that is recognized by TESL Canada. It's a CELTA / CertTESOL equivalent (120 hours, 5 practicums). I will also be acquiring a few additional certificates this summer in teaching business English and teaching TOEFL and TOEIC preparation courses.

I have just been hired by a reputable private ESL school in Toronto, so I'll have five months experience by September. I was also a volunteer teacher of philosophy to adults for a year.

I also have a Bachelor's degree and will be pursuing a doctorate in a well-regarded university in the city.

Do you have any pointers? Where should I look, except the usual places (Craigslist, etc.)? Any schools to avoid or look out for? Any American teaching credential I should / could pursue this summer?

posted by limon to Education (1 answer total)

I'm an ESL teacher myself. What you need for pointers depends on where you want to teach. I can't give you even general advice about "American teaching credentials," because requirements vary by state and the local market in general. Here's an overview of the situation in the San Francisco Bay Area of California for an example:

K-12 and adult school: Run by the public K-12 system, so you must have a California state teaching credential. Many adult school ESL teachers also have master's degrees.

Community college: Essentially, you must have a master's degree even for part-time work.

College-level developmental English courses: Most four-year schools require PhDs for all positions, but here teachers with master's degrees (and sometimes grad students) can pick up a couple courses, on an adjunct basis.

Intensive English programs (private schools): Some schools only offer part-time work; the one nearest me only has PT positions but requires a master's and a year of post-master's experience. Others allow teachers with TESOL certifications or the equivalent to work part-time.

Corporate tutoring: These are dispatch companies, essentially, and they're often willing to hire teachers with tutoring experience and some kind of certification, on a contractor basis.

(As an aside, where I live most of the positions are part-time and don't offer health insurance. Not good. I hope NYC is better, though perhaps you'll have health insurance through your grad program.)

Anyway, I hope that wasn't too unrelated to your question and was at least a little helpful. I doubt I can be of any further help since I'm on the wrong coast, but feel free to send me a message.

Good luck!
posted by wintersweet at 8:05 PM on April 5, 2008 [1 favorite]