To be a successful when studying for a graduate or Master’s degree in TESOL, you need to have certain qualities. Some of these may be natural to you, while others may be developed if you have the right motivation. Here are ten of the most important characteristics that you need in this field.
1. Enjoy Working With People
This is essential with any type of teaching. Teaching language skills to people takes quite a bit of personal interaction, so you must enjoy working with others. Take a look at the courses we list for teaching young learners and adult education classes.
2. Patience
Not everyone learns a new language easily. You will need patience to work with people of differing abilities and experience. You must be willing to repeat lessons over and over until they sink in.
3. Enjoy Travel
While some TESOL opportunities may be in your area, many require travel. This is a great way to see other parts of the world, so this is the perfect career choice for people who love travel.
4. Attention to Detail
To earn a TESOL certificate, it’s not enough to just be fluent or a native English speaker. You must be willing to study and become an expert at English rules and grammar.
5. Allow Students to Speak
The way people learn English (or any language) is to get plenty of practice speaking it. As a teacher, you want to make sure you don’t do most of the speaking in class. You must get into the habit of letting students do most of the talking.
6. Be Respectful of Cultural Differences
When working with speakers of other languages, there are often cultural barriers. This means you have to take the time to learn about the beliefs and habits of the people you are working with. You don’t have to agree with or adopt their culture, but you should be respectful. This will help prevent misunderstandings.
7. Understand Your Students
This means taking into account the particular needs of each class. This will vary based on the age and experience of the students, as well as the specific environment. As a TESOL teacher, you may work with a wide variety of students. That’s why you will have to become skilled at teaching all kinds of people.
8. Enjoy Learning Other Languages
While it’s not essential that you speak the native language of your students, it’s often helpful for TESOL teachers to speak several languages. It helps you communicate with students, and also gives you insights into the whole process of learning languages.
9. Be a Good Planner
TESOL teachers, like all teachers, must develop lesson plans and manage their classes. The more organized you are, the easier it will be for your students to make progress. This is something you will get better at with experience.
10. Recognize Common Problems
TESOL Can be Fun and Rewarding
Being a TESOL teacher is a career that has many advantages, such as giving you the opportunity to travel and learn about new cultures. It gives you a chance to expand your own understanding of people and languages.
Now’s a great time to find out more about accredited colleges listed here such as Walden university, or online MA in TESOL courses that accept students without a GRE.
For more information on TESOL, see:
http://esl.about.com/od/esleflteachertraining/bb/bydecidetefl.htm
http://busyteacher.org/4113-5-worst-mistakes-all-beginner-esl-teachers-make.html