How to become a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Also called: English as a Second Language Teacher
Teaches English to students whose first language is a language other than English.
Main tasks
- Assesses the needs of individual students in the context of English language acquisition
- Teaches students in a range of settings, either individually or in groups
- Teaches students English language skills using a variety of methods, including lecture and visual demonstration
- Provides assistance and advice to other teachers of students for whom English is an additional language
- Designs and produces teaching materials, and adapts existing materials
- Prepares course outlines and goals
- Assigns lessons, corrects homework, and prepares and grades exams
- Analyses, provides feedback and reports on student outcomes
Ways in
- University: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 37 universities in Australia
- University: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 38 universities in Australia
- TAFE and VET: Graduate Diploma of Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Leadership (TAE80213)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $123,032 a year
- About 4,200 people work in this job group now, and about 4,800 are projected by 2035. (+14.1%)
- Many tasks in this job could be automated by AI. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as high.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages?
Ways in include: Education & Teaching degrees; Arts & Humanities degrees; Graduate Diploma of Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Leadership.
How much does a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $123,032 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 14% by 2035, from about 4,200 to about 4,800 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages?
Usually. 92% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages?
Many tasks in this job could be automated by AI. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as high.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04