Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
The occupation Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors covers people who 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. One core duty is to observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress and make suggestions for improvement. Its interest code is SAC. Social leads at 7.0 out of 7, so expect helping, teaching or caring for people, with Artistic next at 3.9. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in instructing, speaking, and reading comprehension helps most here. People who want helping, teaching or caring for people usually fit better here than those who need hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.
What they do
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.
Skills
- Instructing
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Learning Strategies
- Active Listening
- Writing
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You get energy from helping other people move forward.
- You want room to make something in your own way.
- You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
- You are comfortable relying on instructing and speaking.
May not suit you if
- You find a full day of dealing with people draining.
- You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 2.3 out of 7 here.
- You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SAC takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.
Preparation
Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
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)
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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.