How to become an adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor
Official title: Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Also called: Adult Basic Education Instructor (ABE Instructor), Adult Basic Education Teacher (ABE Teacher), Adult Education Instructor, Adult Education Teacher, ESL Instructor (English as a Second Language Instructor), ESL Teacher (English as a Second Language Teacher), ESOL Teacher (English for Speakers of Other Languages Teacher), GED Instructor (General Educational Development Instructor), GED Teacher (General Educational Development Teacher), Teacher
Teach or instruct out-of-school youths and adults in basic education, literacy, or English as a Second Language classes, or in classes for earning a high school equivalency credential.
Main tasks
- Observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress and make suggestions for improvement.
- Observe students to determine qualifications, limitations, abilities, interests, and other individual characteristics.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs, abilities, and interests.
- Prepare students for further education by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
- Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
How to become one
Adult basic and secondary education and ESL teachers who work in public schools typically need at least a bachelor's degree and a license or certification.
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- College: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
- College: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
- Licence: A licence is required in 42 states.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $61,540 a year The middle half earn $49,100 to $77,690.
- About 41,100 people work in this job now, and about 35,400 are projected by 2035. (-13.9%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
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Questions people ask
How do I become an adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor?
Adult basic and secondary education and ESL teachers who work in public schools typically need at least a bachelor's degree and a license or certification.
How much does an adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $61,540 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $49,100 to $77,690.
Is an adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor a growing career in the US?
Employment is projected to fall 14% by 2035, from about 41,100 to about 35,400 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become an adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor?
Usually. 61% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of an adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.