What to do with a TESL Certificate?

By Washington Academy of Languages (WAL), language school in Seattle. Students can learn languages in fun and interesting ways, from learning conversational French to experiencing the German language through cinema.

One of the most common questions we receive regarding our Teaching English as a Second Language program is: “What can I do with a TESL Certificate?” At Washington Academy of Languages, we offer both a TESL Certificate and an ELL Endorsement. The latter is a state-regulated endorsement applied to an active Teaching Certificate. So, if a teacher would like to teach K-12 ELL in the public schools, they will need a Teaching Certificate as well as an ELL Endorsement.

TESL Certificate at the Washington Academy of Languages

The TESL Certificate, on the other hand, is offered for teachers who would like to teach ELL abroad or, where a certificate is sufficient, in the US. Our courses cover pedagogy strategies for all ages, and help our teachers build knowledge of first and second language acquisition theories. After earning the TESL Certificate, what do our teachers do?

Well, what don’t they do? We’ve had TESL-certified teachers teach all over the world! They use resources such as Education First to find job opportunities and Dave’s ESL Café to find not only jobs but also a community of English teachers who share their experiences and offer support and advice. There are public schools, private schools, American schools and evening schools, not to mention tutoring too! Sometimes, teachers combine a TESL Certificate with a Master’s Degree in another field (Education, Teaching, or Linguistics, for example) to teach in higher education here in the United States, or use the TESL Certificate to find volunteer teaching opportunities at community centers, immigrant resource centers, or places of worship.

With WAL’s graduate level certification in-hand, students should not have any difficulty finding employment abroad. Now, the only question is: “When will you start?” A new session begins in January!

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