Job Guide

To become an ESL teacher you usually have to study primary or secondary education at university with a major in ESL. Alternatively, you can undertake a postgraduate qualification (e.g. a Graduate Diploma of Education) specialising in teaching ESL after completing a degree in teaching or education or in a relevant area (e.g. a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English).

Most universities in NSW offer degrees in teaching or education. To get into the courses below you usually need to gain your HSC/ACT Year 12. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English and mathematics are normally required. Entry to postgraduate courses usually requires a relevant bachelor degree. Contact the universities you are interested in for more information as requirements may change.

A Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is also available through Open Universities Australia. See www.open.edu.au for more information.

Teachers in TAFE institutes require experience in designing and delivering TESOL programs to adults (currently 800 hours for full-time teachers and 200 hours for part-time teachers). A Certificate IV in Training and Assessment may also be required to teach at a TAFE institute. See the separate profile for Technical and Further Education Lecturer for full details.

Degree Courses:

Macquarie University - North Ryde Campus:

• Bachelor of Arts with Diploma of Education, specialising in ESL, 4 years full time or equivalent

University of New South Wales - Kensington Campus:

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education (Secondary), majoring in literacy/ESL, 4 years full time

University of Sydney - Camperdown/Darlington Campus:

• Bachelor of Education (Primary Education), specialising in TESOL, 4 years full time
• Bachelor of Education (Secondary: Humanities and Social Sciences)/Bachelor of Arts, majoring in TESOL, 5 years full time

Additional Information:

In order to be employed as a school teacher in NSW, you must meet the NSW Institute of Teachers accreditation requirements and pay the institute an annual fee. Teaching in government schools in NSW and the ACT requires registration with the Department of Education and Training in that state/territory. Contact the relevant Department for further information.

Practical placements are usually required in education courses. To undertake practical placements in NSW schools, you must sign a Prohibited Employment Declaration and obtain a Working with Children Check issued by the NSW Commission for Children and Young People. In the ACT, the Commissioner for Children and Young People is in the process of introducing safety checks for people who work with children. A police clearance is required before commencing the practical component of teaching courses.

Teachers are required by mandatory reporting laws to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect.