How To Become an English Teacher
Why Become an English Teacher?
Becoming an English teacher allows you to combine your love for language and literature with your enthusiasm to work with students as well as play an integral role in the formation of young minds and how they engage with the world.
From Shakespeare’s plays to Toni Morrison’s novels, as an English teacher, you can curate an exploratory classroom environment for your students to discover new worlds, ideas and perspectives through the texts they read. In nurturing their curiosity and critical thinking, you’ll inspire students to grow as readers and writers, both fundamental skills they’ll need in any future they pursue.
If the prospect of exploring prose, poetry and numerous other forms of literature with students sounds exciting, then becoming an English teacher might be a suitable career path for you!
What Does an English Teacher Do?
At the heart of their career, English language arts teachers’ primary responsibility is to ensure students are competent readers and writers. One of the main ways teachers improve their students' literacy capabilities is by introducing their students to the world of literature. You’ll teach students how to engage with all sorts of texts from different genres, historical periods and cultural backgrounds to expand their understanding of the world around them. You’ll also demonstrate more technical aspects of working with literature, such as literary analysis and identifying literary elements and techniques.
Another major responsibility of English teachers is guiding students as they learn about the fundamentals of language and develop their written and oral communication, reading comprehension, vocabulary and grammar. This means exposing students to various forms of writing, like creative, expository and argumentative writing. This ensures they are equipped with the necessary skills to craft a thesis, give clear instructions, provide sound evidence and accurately summarize information.
You’ll build curricula and lesson plans per state standards, create fun and engaging assignments to partner with readings, assign essays and group projects and facilitate the students’ overall English language arts education.
Beyond formal instruction, English teachers are responsible for general classroom management, meeting with parents, assessing student progress and needs, supervising students outside of the classroom and helping with extracurricular activities when needed. Most importantly, teachers serve as mentors, providing encouragement and care to their students.
Requirements To Become an English Teacher
Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
The minimum education requirement to become an English teacher is to earn a bachelor’s degree. For prospective teachers interested in teaching early childhood or elementary education, most colleges and universities have specific degree programs to train students to teach children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
For those who want to teach older children and teens, typically in grades 6-12, many universities offer secondary education degree programs. Often, these education degree programs are designed following state licensure standards and provide students with a direct path toward certification.
It is also possible to become an English teacher without an undergraduate education degree. If you have earned a bachelor’s degree in English, it is common for colleges and universities to offer degree and certification programs in education for prospective teachers with a degree but in need of a formal teaching degree. These programs provide required pedagogical courses and student teaching experience and prepare students for required state-led examinations.
Obtain State Certification
Once your education requirements have been completed, you’ll need to obtain the required state certification before you start teaching.
Specific requirements to obtain certification may vary based on a combination of factors, like grade level, subject area, previous experience and state standards. In general, prospective English teachers are required to:
- hold a bachelor’s degree or higher;
- complete a student teaching experience;
- complete a state-registered preparation program;
- pass required examinations, including a subject-specific exam and state certification examination;
- pass a background check.
To discover what your state’s teaching certification requirements are, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s State Contacts directory to find important contact information for your state’s department of education.
Career Outlook for English Teachers
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, it’s estimated that 47,300 middle school teaching jobs will open annually through 2031. For high school teaching jobs, the estimation increases to 77,900 jobs annually. Both projections align with the average growth rate for all professions.
In regard to compensation, the median annual median salary for high school teachers in May 2021 was $61,820. For middle school teachers, the median salary was $61,320.
Necessary Skills for English Teachers
Literature is communal; it’s meant to build connections. In turn, working as an English teacher requires soft skills such as flexibility, patience and robust people skills that creates space for students to express themselves. English teachers must relate with their students in order to connect them to the subject matter and enhance their educational experience. Your students will come from a variety of backgrounds and, as an educator, it is your responsibility to provide a safe equitable classroom environment for all.
Within the safety of this environment, you and your students will explore and engage with prose, poetry and other types of literary texts. This exploration may uncover difficult subject matters that generate strong and sometimes opposing opinions. English teachers should be well equipped in conflict management and cultural sensitivity training. These skills will help teachers navigate challenging conversations and demonstrate how to work through differing opinions with respect.
Additionally, English teachers should have strong organizational and time management skills to keep an orderly, efficient classroom and maintain accurate student records.
Earning Your Master’s Degree To Teach
While there are several states that require high school teachers to hold a graduate degree in order to teach, most do not. However, earning a master’s degree can further develop your literary expertise and teaching skills and increase your marketability and earning potential as an English teacher.
Iona University’s Master’s in Teaching Degree
Iona University offers a master’s degree in teaching program for prospective English teachers who do not have a formal teaching education. The Master of Science in Teaching (MST) degree provides graduate students with a series of program tracks, including:
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Childhood Education
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Adolescent Education
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Childhood and Special Education
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Childhood and Early Childhood Education
Students enrolled in our MST Adolescent Education track will take courses covering secondary school instruction and assessment strategies, the foundations of special education, multicultural education, modern educational philosophies and values and more.
To ensure students are prepared for the classroom, Iona’s Adolescent Education: MST the curriculum is crafted in line with the New York State Education Department’s certification regulations, the National Council of Accreditation for Teacher Education (NCATE) standards and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) standards. This prepares students to take the New York State Teacher's Certification Examinations (NYSTCE).
Review Iona's graduate catalog to learn more about the MST Adolescent Education: English curriculum.
Start Inspiring a Generation of Readers and Writers
English teachers play an important role in the development of students’ communicative competence, literacy and how they view and engage with the world around them.
With an emphasis on in-classroom training and a well-rounded curriculum, Iona’s MST degree program prepares students to become effective and innovative English teachers and leaders in the educational field.
Find out What an Iona Education can do for you
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