Ell Courses

ELL stands for English language learners, and this term refers to students who come from non-English speaking homes and are learning English despite it not being their first and primary language. These ELL students often have basic English communication skills but may struggle to bring their speaking, writing, and grammar abilities up to the level required to participate fully in the classroom. As ELL learners are a fast-growing portion of the student population in America, learning how to engage these students is important for today’s teaching professionals.

Teaching English as a second language effectively requires an awareness of the needs of these students and taking steps to accommodate them in lesson planning, assessments, and classroom content such as visual learning with graphic aids. ELL students can also benefit from engagement strategies that involve their families and communities and include creative extracurricular activities. Reaching these students and helping them take their education to a new level with improved English language proficiency can be challenging but also incredibly rewarding work.‎

ELL teaching skills are increasingly essential for teachers at almost every level, as communities across the country become more diverse and include more and more children and young adults from immigrant households. In addition to being a rewarding career, becoming a teacher offers above-average pay. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in education, training, and library occupations earned a median annual wage of $50,790 in 2019, and this data includes teachers at every level from kindergarten to high school and beyond.‎

Certainly! Coursera offers plenty of opportunities to learn about teaching, including individual courses and Specializations spanning multiple courses about ELL and English as a second language. You can learn about the latest language acquisition theories, creative classroom strategies, ELL lesson planning, and other important topics from top-ranked schools like Arizona State University. And because you can view course materials and complete assignments on a flexible schedule, you can add these valuable skills while continuing your current work in teaching or as an addition to your existing education curriculum.‎

The kind of people best suited for roles in ELL are passionate about language learning and enjoy teaching others to listen, speak, read, and write in English. Many people who choose to work with English language learners are curious about other cultures and understand that students learn English at different speeds. They tend to be patient and adaptable, willing to adjust lessons and provide language support for students with varying proficiency levels. It is not necessary to speak a language other than English to teach English language learners.‎

Common career paths for someone in ELL include teaching English language learners in public and private schools, community outreach programs, and tutoring programs. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you may decide to offer private language lessons or tutoring for children and adults. People with experience in ELL may work in the United States or abroad with children and adults of all ages.‎

If you’re interested in ELL, you may also consider studying related topics like cross-cultural communication and learning theories. Courses in lesson planning, teaching methods, and linguistics may also be beneficial. Learning a new language for yourself can enhance your ability to teach English. It can help you better understand the challenges of learning another language and may give you insight you can apply when teaching English to others.‎

Before starting to learn ELL, it may be beneficial to have strong communication skills and a solid understanding of the English language. Previous coursework or work experience in education can be helpful. You may take classes in teaching methods, education pedagogy, or learning theories. Alternatively, you may have experience working in a classroom as a teacher, classroom assistant, or tutor. That experience can help prepare you for the tasks needed to select appropriate lessons and modify them for ELL students and how to assess learners’ progress.‎