Education · 1 of 5
The path
Four years if you go straight into schools, five or six if you add a master's degree.
- 1
High school diploma
Grade 12
English, and take a second language as far as your school offers it. Having learned a language yourself is the best preparation there is.
- 2
Bachelor's degree
4 years
Education, English, linguistics or a language are the usual choices. Any major works if you add teacher preparation afterwards.
- 3
Teacher preparation and student teaching
1 to 2 years
Supervised classroom practice, either built into the degree or taken after it. Required for a public school license.
- 4
State license with an English learner endorsement
Months
Pass your state's teaching exams and add the endorsement for teaching English learners. Every state names it differently.
- 5
Optional master's degree
1 to 2 years
A master's in teaching English to speakers of other languages, or in applied linguistics. Needed for most community college jobs and it moves you up the district pay schedule.