What do 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.

Also known as:

Academic Specialist, Adult Basic Education Instructor (ABE Instructor), Adult Basic Education Teacher (ABE Teacher), Adult Basic Studies Teacher, Adult Education Instructor, Adult Education Teacher, Adult Literacy Teacher, Adult School Teacher, English Instructor, ESL Instructor (English as a Second Language Instructor), ESL Teacher (English as a Second Language Teacher), ESOL Instructor (English for Speakers of Other Languages Instructor), ESOL Teacher (English for Speakers of Other Languages Teacher), GED Instructor (General Educational Development Instructor), GED Preparation Teacher (General Educational Development Preparation Teacher), GED Teacher (General Educational Development Teacher), Instructor, Reading Teacher, Teacher

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Adult Basic and Secondary Education and Literacy Teachers and Instructors is projected to Decline 12 percent from 2022 to 2032

Projected Employment For All United States

No Data Available
  • -12.6%

    Change

    Select a state to see its job growth rate ranking
    4,200

    Job Openings

    Select a state to see its net job growth ranking

Best colleges for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors

Search

Colleges with the most graduates that become Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors

Search

Looking for colleges that offer a specific major? Use the College Match Tool to find your best-matched schools and discover your estimated Net Price!

Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Bachelor's degree  (36%)
  • Master's degree  (21%)
  • Some college, no degree  (17%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (11%)
  • Associate's degree  (8%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (5%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (2%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors

Select Type of Degree:

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Monitor student performance.
  • Evaluate student work.
  • Assess educational needs of students.
  • Develop instructional objectives.
  • Modify teaching methods or materials to accommodate student needs.
  • Encourage students.
  • Set up classroom materials or equipment.
  • Apply multiple teaching methods.
  • Plan educational activities.
  • Assign class work to students.
  • Maintain student records.
  • Establish rules or policies governing student behavior.
  • Assist students with special educational needs.
  • Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
  • Prepare tests.
  • Advise students on academic or career matters.
  • Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
  • Document lesson plans.
  • Enforce rules or policies governing student behavior.
  • Create technology-based learning materials.
  • Prepare reports detailing student activities or performance.
  • Schedule instructional activities.
  • Evaluate effectiveness of educational programs.
  • Perform student enrollment or registration activities.
  • Train staff members.
  • Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
  • Serve on institutional or departmental committees.
  • Discuss problems or issues with supervisors.
  • Select educational materials or equipment.
  • Distribute instructional or library materials.
  • Order instructional or library materials or equipment.
  • Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
  • Plan experiential learning activities.
  • Evaluate performance of educational staff.
  • Collaborate with other agencies and institutions to coordinate educational matters.
  • Promote educational institutions or programs.
  • Write grant proposals.
  • Write articles, books or other original materials in area of expertise.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.3 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

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

careeronestop logo Videos: CareerOneStop, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.