How to Become a Certified English Teacher

Choosing a career path can be a difficult decision. If you should decide to teach English, this guide with help you on your career path. This will also help out if you're already a professional and have decided to take on teaching English as a second career.

Things You'll Need

• A college or university that offers two majors: English and secondary education
• Access to information from the Department of Education in the state where you plan to teach

Instructions

1. Earn a double major in English and secondary education if you are in college or intend to go to college. In most states, you cannot become a certificated English teacher without earning a college degree. English classes will involve both literature and writing and the education classes will require some psychology and well as philosophies involved in teaching students.

2. Complete a pre-internship and internship if you are attending college with the intention of becoming an English teacher. Most schools require a pre-internship so you can get a feel for what teaching will be like before you are entirely commit to teaching. An internship allows you to teach under a full-time instructor, who can assist you as necessary. Both a pre-internship and internship will help you become prepared for your future career. The internship will probably be required for you to get your degree and it allows you to network and get to know people in the system prior to your job search.

3. Take any required teaching certification tests prior to graduating. Almost all states require testing but each state varies on the type and complexity of test.

4. Apply for your teaching certificate as soon as you believe you are done with your coursework. That way, if you are missing required classes or tests, it isn't too late to take them. How long your initial certificate is good for differs greatly from state to state.

5. Call the Department of Education in your state if you are a professional with a bachelor's degree who wishes to break in to teaching. If you have a degree related to English, they will let you teach provided you take several of the required classes per year until you have the criteria to apply for a permanent teaching certificate.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are attending school in a state different from where you intend to teach, make sure you find out what the requirements are for your state. The state you intend to teach may require coursework that was not required in the state from which you are earning your degree.

• If you are retiring from the military and thinking about teaching English, but don't have a college degree, states will sometimes give you a certain amount of college credit based on relevant military experience.

• Do not move from one state to another and automatically think your teaching certificate with transfer with you. Some states make it very difficult to move from one state to the next; make sure you know what is required in that state beforehand.