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Career Resources

Access TESOL Career Planning Tools

Beginning Your Career

If you are considering a career in TESOL, you will find that the field offers many diverse and rewarding opportunities. Teaching English as an additional language requires skills beyond just knowing the language.

Properly trained teachers:

  • Know the latest research-based methodologies for language teaching.
  • Know how learners acquire a new language.
  • Have the patience and empathy to support students as they struggle with the language.
  • Develop specialized skills through years of dedicated practice in the classroom.

If you are interested in beginning your ELT career, the information presented here will help you get started.

Advancing Your Career

Whether you are relatively new to the field or a seasoned professional, TESOL can help you bring a new level of professionalism to your career. Investigate funding opportunities, learn how to share what you know, find out how to publish with TESOL Press, or present at a TESOL event.

English Language Professional's Resource Guide

The English Language Professional's Resource Guide is the searchable database dedicated to English language teaching professionals, helping them find degree and certificate programs, career opportunities, professional development, and much more from many different businesses and organizations.

Volunteer

New Member Welcome Program

As an experienced member, you'll be paired with a new member 4 times a year to help establish their professional networks and share resources. Guiding occurs Jan-March, April-June, July-September, and October-December.

TESOL Leadership Mentoring Program

This program partners interested members with TESOL leadership as a path to become more involved in TESOL. 

To complete the online application process, you will need the following information. You are strongly encouraged to gather this information before you begin the application. That way, you can fill out the application completely, and you will not have to go back and fill in items later.

Apply to become a mentor or mentee. 

Please explain why you would like to participate in this program and what you hope to gain from it (500 words max).

Provide the following information:

  • Employment history.
  • Post-secondary education history.
  • Relevant awards and honors.

The letter of support must explain why the applicant should be selected. Additionally, it must cite the candidate's TESOL involvement, such as in an affiliate, and/or other relevant service to the profession

You will be asked to provide a contact email address for the person completing the supporting letter. Your supporter will receive a message from awards@tesol.org at the address that you provide. The email will invite your supporter to upload a letter of recommendation directly to the application system. The email request will not be sent until you "complete and finalize" your application.  

Note: The letter of support deadline is the same as the application deadline (30 November). Applications without the letter of support will be marked as incomplete and will not be evaluated.

Please ask your supporter to watch for a message from awards@tesol.org. To ensure that they receive the message, please ask them to add awards@tesol.org to their contacts or to their spam whitelist. If your supporter does not receive the message, please contact us.

Applications are being accepted from 17 October through 30 November.

The suggestions above are offered for informational purposes only. TESOL does not warrant that this information, or the information provided by any outside entity, is comprehensive, complete, or otherwise reliable. TESOL does not provide professional career or academic counseling, legal assistance, or legal advice, and cannot intervene in disputes between an employer and an employee. TESOL hopes the information is helpful but does not intend it to substitute for professional assistance.

Volunteer

Become an Elected Leader

Get active within TESOL by joining one of our councils, communities of practice, or board of directors. TESOL can help you develop your leadership knowledge and skills. Learn how you can serve, grow, and lead in the field. 

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