ESL Teaching Certificate

Wake Tech has long been one of the largest providers of adult English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction in North Carolina. Today, we are also an industry leader in ESL teacher education.

Seven required courses cover the fundamentals of adult ESL instruction, including principles of adult ESL instruction, second language acquisition, intercultural competency, lesson planning, grammar and instructional technology.

• Courses are currently taught online
• Fully supervised practice teaching conducted at Wake Tech allows students to work alongside a veteran instructor.

What would an ESL teaching credential mean to you?

• A career change
• A ticket to see the world
• A profitable part-time income

NOTE: This is not a K–12 credential.

Requirements for enrollment

• A post-secondary degree is not required to enroll in this program. However, the ESL Teaching Certificate program courses are taught at a college level, and students should expect rigorous, graded course work. Also, post-secondary degrees are often required for employment in the field of adult ESL instruction.
• Non-native speakers are welcome to take ESL Teaching Certificate program courses. Non-native speakers are required to submit qualifying scores on the internet-based TOEFL test before being permitted to take the practicum. Qualifying scores: 20 points each on the Reading, Writing and Listening sections; 28 points on the Speaking section.
• The TOEFL test can be waived if the student receives unanimous endorsement from the course instructors.  

Orientation sessions

All orientation sessions start at 7 p.m. and are held online via Microsoft Teams.

Upcoming orientation sessions:

• Thursday, October 19
• Monday, November 13
• Tuesday, December 12

To sign up for an orientation session or to receive the orientation handouts, email Susan Ballard Shostak, ESL Teaching Certificate instructional supervisor, at [email protected].

These courses can be taken individually, for your own personal enrichment or as a part of the class series required for the ESL Teaching Certificate program.