Affordable ESL/Bilingual and TESOL Degree & Schools Online
Bilingual, TESOL and ESL EDUCATORS
ESL is an acronym for English as a Second Language. A teacher who is ESL certified works with non-English speaking students to teach them English as their Second Language. This teaching role is not restricted to native English speakers, but having English as your native tongue is a major advantage.
The Bilingual Education certifies teachers with the ability to utilize the student’s native language along with English as a medium of instruction in the school curriculum. To become ESL/Bilingual/TESOL certified apart from the academic work set out in the program, it is required that the candidate display at least some of the following characteristics:
- Display the ability to align the teaching and learning skills garnered from the program to meet the assessment standards of the program.
- Display knowledge and respect for the language and cultural needs of students learning English.
- Display the ability to design effective instruction which actively engages students to be successful learners.
Types of Degree Programs
The ESL/Bilingual/TESOL program is designed to train English speakers to be better able to teach English to non-English speakers. It gives the teacher a good command of English, how it is structured and how to use it for effective communication. The ESL/Bilingual/TESOL courses come in three levels. Students can pursue a diploma, Bachelors or Masters depending on your level of development.
Diploma - The diploma program is designed for teachers who want to teach English as a Second Language and people with no teaching experience at all. It is offered in-class and online. However, in the online setting there is no teaching practice component. The course entails at least:
- 35 hours of instructor-led teacher training
- 5 hours of creative lesson planning, preparation and presentation.
- 20 hours of reading and examinations.
- 60 hours of your chosen area of specialization.
Bachelor – The Bachelor’s degree program is targeted to certified teachers who wish to specialize or attain their ESL/Bilingual/TESOL certification. In this program, students may cover areas such as:
- Foundation of Bilingual & ESL education
- Bilingual and multiculturalism issues and their perspectives.
- Acquisition of English as a second language
- Teaching English as a second language, its strategies and recourses
- Curriculum and assessment for Bilingual & ESL classrooms
Master - The Master’s program is made for professionals who already have attained a Bachelor’s degree in ESL/Bilingual/TESOL Education. Some of the target areas in this course are:
- Fundamentals of Bilingual & ESL education
- Engaging students in learning
- Assessing language and content learning in Bilingual/ESL classrooms
- Instructional methods and material for Bilingual education
- Teaching reading and other language arts in Bilingual education
- Advanced workshop and mentorship in Bilingual/ESL education
Careers for ESL/Bilingual/TESOL Certified Teachers
ESL/Bilingual/TESOL certified teachers are in high demand worldwide. Teachers are required to travel to foreign countries to impart their skills and are needed in their home countries to teach immigrants who wish to learn English. These positions in the teaching profession range from elementary to university level. They may be acquired based on your level of qualification and specialization. As a result, salaries may range from a low of around $26,000 to $70,000 per annum.
Top schools for ESL/Bilingual/TESOL certification
Due to the worldwide demand for ESL/Bilingual/TESOL certified teachers, several schools offer this program in-class and online. Some of the schools are:
- TESOL International
- Western Governors University
- Grand Canyon University Online
















