TESOL

• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is a certification available to teachers who have either bachelor's or master's degrees in English or ESL that trains them to teach English to second language learners.
  
  

TEFL

• Many colleges have a special certification program called TEFL. This specialized degree certification also is available to those wishing to teach overseas. Studies in linguistics, language acquisition and language development theory are coupled with a practical internship experience before the teacher is sent overseas.
  
  

ESL Literacy

• Certification in ESL is a basic certification to teach second language learners. The focus on literacy involves study on how languages are acquired and how a person can develop reading skills.
  
  

Generalist EC-4 post-baccalaureate certificate

• In the state of Texas, this certification is offered to those who already have a bacherlor's degree. Twenty-four additional hours of coursework provide further training in teaching methods and literacy development for language learners.
  
  

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

• Many teachers of ESL earn a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. This makes them experts at designing lessons that promote language acquisition and make English learning more accessible to students. While it is possible to begin with just a bachelor's degree, a Master's of Education is recommended.