Adult Literacy and Remedial Teacher

What an Adult Literacy and Remedial Teacher Does

Adult literacy and remedial teachers work with students to achieve a number of different learning goals. They often help students supplement their current education by teaching them basic academic concepts in standard subject areas. They also work with students who aim to earn the General Education Development certificate. Or they can also help non-traditional learners, such as adults or those whose native language is not English, gain literacy and other forms of academic competency in order to improve their job opportunities. The trend recently has been for adult literacy and remedial teachers to work increasingly with non-native speakers of English, such as adult immigrants or children of immigrants. They use a variety of methods in order to help their students. Based on their student's particular learning objects, adult literacy and remedial teachers try to teach them effective study skills, worthwhile language acquisition methods, and test-taking strategies. A general goal that these teachers have is for their students to use their education to become stable and self-sufficient members of their respective communities.

How to Become an Adult Literacy and Remedial Teacher

To become an adult literacy and remedial teacher you must, at the least, have a bachelor's degree in education; however, many states will also require that you be a licensed teacher and perhaps have a license especially in adult or remedial education. Some states will also require that you have a master's degree in adult education. Many of these programs allow you to take classes on teaching adult students and non-native speakers of English, how to make use of technology in your courses, and how to interact with members of a variety of different cultures. In addition to these practical courses, the programs provide you courses on language-acquisition theory and other pedagogical matters. Once you have sufficient educational background and the proper certification, you will need to gain experience as a teacher. Often your degree and certification programs will give you some professional experience, such as shadowing a certified teacher or visiting remedial classrooms. Other schools may allow you to work with little experience, but will enroll you in some sort of mentorship program to help you in your first few years on the job.

Career Outlook for Adult Literacy and Remedial Teachers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 98,000 jobs in 2008 held by adult literacy and remedial teachers, and this number is expected to grow through 2018 by about 15 percent. Opportunities for those interested in this occupation should be relatively good due to the increasing demands of a more diverse student body, rising immigration numbers, the slower economic situation, and the growth of the non-traditional student population. Interestingly, the Bureau notes that many of those jobs in 2008 were funded by government initiatives, though these teachers may also have worked for the educational services industry. Adult literacy and remedial teachers earned in 2008 a median hourly wage of $22.26, with the top ten percent receiving as much as $38.95 an hour. Keep in mind that many of these teachers work part-time in addition to holding full-time jobs within the education system. Note that full-time positions as adult educators and remedial teachers with benefits are available, but these will be harder to find.