Program Advisor Spotlight: Lesley Clear, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Lesley Clear, Ph.D., Lecturer, UCI School of Education

Why should an individual consider a career in TESOL?

Teaching English as a second or foreign language provides a dynamic teaching experience and potentially diverse teaching contexts. When teaching ESL/EFL, we are uniquely positioned to teach students from all over the world — both in our home countries as teachers to individuals coming to study or stay in a new country as well as in the opportunity for us to pursue teaching internationally.

A career in TESOL provides an endless learning experience for teachers as well as opportunities to share skills and knowledge that will enhance the lives of our learners.

What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of working in this field?

The most rewarding aspect of teaching in this field is the opportunity to tailor our teaching methods to the needs, interests and goals of those who are learning English as a second or foreign language.

Helping students to achieve their goals — whether it be to meet their needs of living in a new country and culture, or to pursue advanced degrees in various subject areas, or to come know other peoples and cultures while travelling the world — whatever their purposes for studying the language, we can develop curricula that will bring their dreams to fruition.

Describe a “day in the life” of this profession.

This is perhaps the most exciting aspect of teaching this particular academic discipline — no two teachers in this field will have the same kind of day!

You may be teaching in a US University a group of visiting engineers from the UAE, or a group of business professionals from Chile who want to know how best to communicate with American peers in their fields; or you may be teaching in an adult education program in the States a group of immigrants from Mexico, China, Vietnam, Russia and Saudi Arabia who need to know how to navigate life in a new country and culture while developing English language skills; or you may be teaching in South Korea helping to prepare adolescents for passing standardized tests to gain access to college at home or in English speaking countries; etc.

The circumstances of our teaching in this field mean that there is no typical day for all educators — the possibilities and opportunities are endless!

How do you feel the UCI DCE TESOL certificate program can benefit those interested in this career path?

Because of their extensive experience and diverse backgrounds, the program developers and staff of UCI DCE’s TESOL certificate program are uniquely qualified to prepare a course of study that meets the wide-ranging needs of program participants and prepares learners to pursue varied teaching paths in this profession.

All instructors in the program are passionate about this field as a result of years of experience as ESL/EFL educators and they are eager to share that passion and knowledge with their students.

Learn more about the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate Program.