New Hampshire ESL Teacher Job Description and Certification Requirements

New Hampshire’s foreign-born community may be relatively small, but it’s an important part of this state’s economic vitality. In fact, according to the American Immigration Council, immigrants account for 18 percent of all computer and math scientists in the state and 11 percent of all production workers.

As of 2018, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that New Hampshire English language learners (ELLs) accounted for 2.9 percent of all public school students (PreK-12) – a steady increase, year over year, a generation ago when they comprised just 1.3 percent of all students.

These steps will show you exactly how to earn TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification and become an ESL teacher in New Hampshire:

	Earn a Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Qualify to Become an ESL Teacher in New Hampshire
	Pass the Appropriate Praxis Exams
	Complete Your Teaching Requirements and Electronic Portfolio
	Consider Earning a Master’s in ESL as Part of Maintaining and Renewing Your New Hampshire Teaching License and ESOL Endorsement
	Learn More About ESL Teacher Salary Expectations and Jobs in New Hampshire

Step 1. Earn a Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Qualify to Become an ESL Teacher in New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, you can earn an English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) K-12 endorsement alongside an elementary, secondary, or special education license. If you’re new to the field of education and you don’t yet have a bachelor’s degree, learning how to become an ESL teacher in New Hampshire involves completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree within an approved teacher education program and then choosing ESOL as a focus.

Both Plymouth State University and Saint Anselm College offer ESOL minors. Plymouth State University’s TESOL minor includes 19 credits, as well as two semesters of a foreign language, while the ESOL minor at Saint Anselm College can be added to an elementary education major.

Already a certified teacher in New Hampshire and want to add an ESOL endorsement?

If you’re already a certified teacher in New Hampshire, you can add an ESOL endorsement by completing an undergraduate certificate, graduate certificate, or master’s in ESL.

Already have a bachelor’s degree in another field?

Your bachelor’s degree in another field may qualify you for a master’s degree leading to an initial teaching license. Many schools that offer bachelor’s level teaching certificate programs also offer master’s options that include all of the coursework and practical experiences necessary to become certified as a New Hampshire educator.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree, but it is not in education, you can take part in two programs to obtain ESL teacher licensure. One of these programs is known as the Teacher Education Conversion Program. In it, you can take the follow courses to learn both pedagogy and the specifics of teaching ESL:

• Cross-cultural education: professional learning community
• Curriculum & design and assessment in ESOL
• Foundations of education
• Introduction to exceptionalities
• Instructional technology
• Introduction to linguistics
• Legal issues in education
• Language, reading, and literacy in ESOL
• Supporting students with challenging behavior

Step 2. Pass the Appropriate Praxis Exams

Once you have completed all of your education and ESL coursework, you must take and pass the appropriate Praxis exams related to your teaching license, along with the Praxis II – English to Speakers of Other Languages exam.

This examination includes the following areas of assessment:

• Foundations of Linguistics 18%
• Foundations of Language Learning 22%
• Planning and Implementing Instruction 23%
• Assessment and Evaluation 15%
• Culture 11%
• Professionalism and Advocacy 11%

Step 3. Complete Your Teaching Requirements and Electronic Portfolio

After you have passed the Praxis II content exam, you need to get extensive supervised teaching experience. New Hampshire requires a minimum of 360 documented hours.

Since your ESL certification is for K-12, you need to spend at least 10 hours working with each of these types of students to ensure that you are qualified to teach ESOL at every grade level:

• K-4
• 5-8
• 9-12

For your ESOL minor, you will complete five semesters of clinical experiences. You will take one course that involves 30 hours of participating in a classroom. Then, you will take a course on Inclusion, Equity and Diversity. This is followed by supervised student teaching.

You will start in a Bridge Experience for one semester and will spend at least six visits equaling ten hours. For the next semester, you will be a full time student teacher for 13-15 weeks. You will teach each grade level in a variety of school settings ranging from parochial to urban.

As part of the Teacher Conversion Program, you will take either 12 credits of supervised student teaching or 7 credits of a practicum. Both of these have a component of materials and methods in ESOL education.

In all of New Hampshire’s ESOL programs, your final step will be completing your teaching portfolio to demonstrate that you have mastered the techniques of ESL teaching. You must then get it approved by the education faculty.

Step 4. Consider Earning a Master’s in ESL as Part of Maintaining and Renewing Your New Hampshire Teaching License and ESOL Endorsement

Step 5. Learn More About ESL Teacher Salary Expectations and Jobs in New Hampshire

As of May 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the following salaries for educators in New Hampshire:

Elementary School

Early Career (25^th percentile): $48,380
Median: $60,060
Experienced (90^th percentile): $81,830

Middle School

Early Career (25^th percentile): $48,980
Median: $60,970
Experienced (90^th percentile): $83,470

High School

Early Career (25^th percentile): $50,130
Median: $62,170
Experienced (90^th percentile): $82,440

BLS stats also reveal what ESL teachers are earning in some of New Hampshire’s largest metro areas, as of May 2020:

Dover (Elementary School)

Early Career (25^th percentile): $51,120
Median: $62,670
Experienced (90^th percentile): $94,970

Manchester (Middle School)

Early Career (25^th percentile): $48,330
Median: $60,560
Experienced (90^th percentile): $84,740

Portsmouth (High School)

Early Career (25^th percentile): $53,490
Median: $65,260
Experienced (90^th percentile): $85,720

Now that you are a licensed ESL teacher, you will want to stay abreast of developments in the field. The New Hampshire Department of Education has a number of ESOL resources online.

Another way to do this is to join NNETESOL—the Northern New England Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Its annual conference offers professional development hours and the opportunity to engage with other ESL speakers. It also offers professional training that is specific to ESL standards in New Hampshire.

May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market trends for elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, and secondary school teachers represent state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed June 2021.

Student population data from the National Center for Education Statistics represents English language learners (ELL) enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in the fall of 2018.

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