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Language school teacher

Also called ESOL teacher, TESOL teacher, TESOL practitioner

Language school teachers educate non-age-specific students in a language that is not their native language at a specialised school, not bound by a level of education. They focus less on the academic aspect of language teaching, as opposed to language teachers in secondary or higher education, but instead on the theory and practice that will be most helpful to their students in real-life situations since most choose instruction for either business, immigration or leisure reasons. They organise their classes using a variety of lesson materials, work interactively with the group, and assess and evaluate their individual progress through assignments and examinations, putting emphasis on active language skills such as writing and speaking.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects21 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Teaching professionalsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,700 (Hungary) to €9,900 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Teaching professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually a degree9 in 10 have a degree.Teaching professionalsWill AI change it?LittleLevel 2 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Other language teachers · ILO

What you'd do

Other language teachers · ILO
  • Assessing the level of ability and the extent of language difficulties of students, and establishing students' needs and learning goals
  • Planning, preparing and delivering lessons and workshops for groups and individuals with content and rate of progression adapted to students‚Äô abilities and needs
  • Designing and producing teaching materials and adapting existing materials
  • Assessing students' progress
  • Assisting students in classroom settings where subjects are taught in a language other than the students‚Äô native language
  • Providing assistance to other teachers by designing special teaching programmes for students still learning the main language of instruction
  • Assigning and correcting work, and preparing and grading exams
  • Assessing, recording and reporting on students‚Äô progress
Encourage students to acknowledge their achievementsAdapt teaching to student's capabilitiesShow consideration for student's situationManage student relationshipsAssist students in their learning+ 15 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Lots of contact with people, mostly with colleagues
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Varied tasks, little repetition
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as teaching professionals in the EU
9.04m10.91m10.66m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
2,551,000 replacing leavers 253,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Teaching professionals21
All jobs29
Right now
8 of 27 countries report a shortage of other language teachers, 6 a surplus.
Other language teachers · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,700 a month (Hungary) to €9,900 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually a degree

A degree in education science is the usual route.

Highest qualification of teaching professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 88%Vocational 5%General secondary 5%Basic schooling 1%
Fields that teach it
Education science · Teacher training without subject specialisation
Vocational route, EU
Fewer than 1 in 10 trainees in this field
Education graduates in a matching job
74% in the EU

823 institutions in the EU offer education bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.34 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 8 tasks
Assigning and correcting work, and preparing and grading exams0.52
Designing and producing teaching materials and adapting existing materials0.50
Assessing, recording and reporting on students’ progress0.34
Assessing students' progress0.32
Assessing the level of ability and the extent of language difficulties of students, and establishing students' needs and learning goals0.29
Providing assistance to other teachers by designing special teaching programmes for students still learning the main language of instruction0.27
Planning, preparing and delivering lessons and workshops for groups and individuals with content and rate of progression adapted to students’ abilities and needs0.26
Assisting students in classroom settings where subjects are taught in a language other than the students’ native language0.23

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for other language teachers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).