The Path to Employment for the Recent TESL Graduate in Ontario
Teaching English as a Second Language has become a competitive field in the last few years.
In Ontario, ESL teachers are generally required to be certified and to have received a post-graduate education, in order to be considered for hire. Then, there is the challenge of finding work. There are many schools and private facilities that offer English as a Second Language course: the difficulty lies in getting the opportunity to teach. Most places will not hire new graduates, and those who do, tend to hire teachers only for substitute work.
What Salaries Are Offered to ESL Teachers in Ontario
There is a wide variation in salary levels, and it is not always possible to obtain a teaching position that pays a competitive rate at the outset. So at the beginning try to have more part-time work, so that there is additional income. As a teacher, you can offer English essay writing services to students. Education does play an important part here. A TESL Certificate from an accredited university is bound to carry more weight with a prospective employer than one from a community college. Overseas teaching experience is also highly sought after. A new teacher needs to carefully weigh the options at hand: whether it is more important to obtain ready employment, as opposed to waiting for that position that pays at the top end of the scale.
A private ESL school is more likely to pay at the lower end, and a community college will definitely payout at the maximum. Obviously, the competition for the higher-paying positions will be greater. In the spring and summer months, the influx of foreign students, to places like Ontario, is at its highest levels. This means that the demand for teachers will also be cyclical in nature. As well as the demand for a good professional fast essay writing service and additional lessons with tutors. It also makes the likelihood of obtaining a permanent teaching position a very scarce one.
However, the competition for work is at its greatest with the ESL classes offered through the school boards, as well as some community colleges. These classes are for landed immigrants, and Canadian citizens and this could mean a more permanent teaching position that offers good benefits; at a pay scale that is very attractive.
Some Good Interview Tips
A substitute teacher needs to be ready at a moment’s notice. A phone call can come from out-of-the-blue, requesting someone to teach the very next day. So, a new teacher needs to be well-prepared, because it could mean the opportunity to do even more teaching in the long run.
Always have an updated resume ready to show to an interviewer, even if they have already received a copy. Be prepared to provide references, and to have a copy of your certification and education certificates, as well. Original lesson plans are always sure to make a good impression. Once this stage has been passed successfully, and the opportunity to teach has been given; there are some steps to be taken to help make that teaching experience a successful one.
Preparing to Teach an ESL Class
First, make sure to be prepared. It is no good going into a classroom not knowing if the material has already been covered in a class, or worse if the material is too easy for the students.
Second, get thinking about the topic: how to present it, and what kind of materials need to be used. What grammar points are to be taught, for example, and how to integrate the grammar with a communicative activity that is cohesive and interesting at the same time. This step is very important in order to be able to teach with ease and confidence. Students rely upon a teacher to teach them correctly. They even address the teacher to get help on essays and some good advice. So, it is easy to lose credibility if a teacher appears unsure in any way.
Third, over-prepare. The teacher may be providing the material, but it may not be enough for a lesson, and that could spell disaster. Sometimes, the material may be on a topic that has already been explored at a previous level. Be ready to provide a suitable alternative, if necessary.
Finally, make sure to provide the class with an icebreaker activity at the beginning of a lesson. It will help them to relax, as well as to foster a positive expectation towards their substitute teacher. Successful substitute teaching work is critical to obtaining and, perhaps, securing future work as an ESL teacher in Ontario.
