How To Become An ESL Teacher In Ontario? (2023)

The job of an ESL teacher is to teach the English language to students of every age whose original language isn’t English. Apart from teaching them how to speak English, they also teach them how to write it.

To get a job role, you will need to have met at least 100 hours of either TESL/TEFL training, a 20-hour internship under a licensed and certified ESL teacher. A Bachelor’s degree in any relevant field is also required.

There are numerous job roles for ESL teachers in schools in Ontario as they help carry out activities that spur the children to rehearse both writing and speaking English.

How To Become An ESL Teacher In Ontario

If you’re interested in becoming an ESL teacher in Ontario, below are some useful tips on how you can achieve that:

1. Obtain A Bachelor’s Degree

The lowest requirement needed to become an ESL teacher in Ontario is earning a bachelor’s degree. Training programs for ESL teachers are open to welcome candidates with whatever type of bachelor’s degree they have.

However, you proceed along with a pertinent one, for example, education, English, and all other relevant ones giving you a befitting foundation to go after your ESL training.

2. Think About Training In Another Language

Although not all schools demand the ESL teacher to be grounded in a second language, it can be useful if you plan to relocate to another country. There might be the opportunity to learn another language at your university. You can do this alongside trying to obtain a master’s degree. 

If this isn’t so in your university, you can enroll in online courses. Apart from this, knowing another language can make you more understand what your prospective students face.

3. Be Involved In ESL Training

ESL training programs are many, so you have the liberty to choose from several programs, depending on the type of work you want to go after. To be an ESL teacher in Ontario, you might need the following certificates;

• Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) certificate
• Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) certificate
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate

Each of these programs had its requirements and duration. It also had various aspects of ESL teaching. Some ESL programs will need you to go for an internship whereby you practice under a certified ESL teacher on how to teach.

4. Acquire A License Or Certificate

After you have completed the ESL training and enrolled, the next step is to acquire a license or certificate, and you might also have to register formally with an organization. 

In a case whereby you’re based in Ontario and obtain a TESL certificate, you must pay for belonging to their association. Once you receive your license or certification, you become free to practice as an ESL teacher independently.

5. Deliberate On Going For A Master’s Degree

In cases whereby you might want to work in a more advanced education setting like universities, a master’s degree will come in handy. Even if you’re not looking forward to getting a job in higher education, it can still increase your chances of securing a career as an ESL teacher. With a higher qualification as a master’s degree, you can also bargain for a higher salary. Obtaining a master’s degree generally takes two years.

Job Market Of An ESL Teacher

The majority of the ESL teaching jobs can be found in privately-owned language schools. These schools are where students across the globe meet, and ESL lessons are offered. The teaching period is usually between three weeks to a year.

The demand for ESL teachers is usually the highest in Canada out of all the countries that speak English, and Ontario is not left out, the state economic life is also favorable making your work and life experience great.

The below gives a detailed explanation of the responsibilities of an ESL teacher.

• They help prepare a comprehensive lesson structure for the upcoming semester for substitute teachers.
• Carry out activities that spur the children to rehearse both writing and speaking English
• Produce a secure environment where the students are at ease to talk and inquire about things.
• Their lessons are not extended to give the children enough time to talk.
• They handle the classroom in a way that produces desired results.
• They carry out tests and examinations for evaluation of the student’s advancement.
• They convey information about the students to their parents and the principal to ensure that they’re aware of their progress.
• Make use of ESL teaching policies to create lessons that produce desired results.

How Much Does An ESL Teacher Earn In Ontario?

An estimation of the salary paid to ESL teachers in Ontario for each year is $53,210; however, this pay changes depending on where you’re based, level of expertise, degree of education, and the type of ESL teaching you practice. For instance, there’s a probability that your pay becomes higher when you teach students privately rather than teaching in a school.

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Working Conditions Of An ESL Teacher in Ontario

The working conditions of ESL teachers in Ontario are usually all-around. A larger percentage of ESL teachers work in a classroom, although the number of students they teach and the hours used to teach them is different.

For instance, an ESL teacher specializing in teaching adults might only be teaching a few students, probably in the evenings or at the end of the week. In the case of an ESL teacher working with students in high school, there is usually a higher number of students to teach.

Some ESL teachers gather the required skills of being an ESL teacher in Canada but then relocate to other countries to teach physically or virtually. As an ESL teacher looking forward to having more power over your schedule, the best option is to teach students privately. You can do this by gathering students and then teaching them either physically or virtually.