English as a Second Language (ESL) Teachers

Less than four centuries ago, no more than a few million people spoke English. Today, it is the primary language of more than 390 million people; more than 1.5 billion people speak English as a second or third language. English is considered necessary to conduct international business, and people everywhere choose to speak English in order to communicate. However, English is considered one of the most difficult languages to learn, primarily because of its many irregularities. It has a larger vocabulary than most other languages and incorporates numerous slang terms and newly coined words and phrases.

While English has been taught in the American school systems for decades, ESL instructors have emerged to meet the needs of the increased numbers of immigrants, refugees, and children born to non-English-speaking parents.

According to the Census Bureau, the estimated foreign-born population of the United States was 44.5 million in 2017. A record 67.3 million U.S. residents (native-born, legal immigrants, and illegal immigrants) spoke a language other than English at home in 2018. Of those who speak a foreign language at home, 38 percent told the Census Bureau that they spoke English less than very well. These statistics demonstrate that a large number of immigrants need assistance learning English, which will increase the demand for ESL teachers. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the demand for placement in ESL classes has grown and there is a long waiting list for ESL classes in many parts of the country.