English Language Teaching as a Second Career

This book explores the experiences of 30 men and women who train to teach ESL as a second career. It provides portraits of these individuals as they develop as teachers and launch their new careers. A welcome addition to the growing literature on teacher development, this book will be an important resource for anyone working in TESOL.

Sarah J. Shin is Professor of Education at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, USA. She is an expert in bilingualism, heritage language education and TESOL teacher training, and the author of Bilingualism in Schools and Society (Routledge) and Developing in Two Languages (Multilingual Matters).

Sarah J. Shin is Professor of Education at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, USA. She is an expert in bilingualism, heritage language education and TESOL teacher training, and the author of Bilingualism in Schools and Society (Routledge) and Developing in Two Languages (Multilingual Matters).

Sarah Shin shines a welcome light on a vital, and largely hidden, area in the preparation of English language teachers – those who begin their TESOL training as they move towards retirement from other careers in varied professional areas. After building an immensely convincing case about the pressing need for well-trained K-12 English language teachers in diverse, pluricultural English-medium contexts such as the USA, she uses an ethnographic approach to uncover the experiences of retraining, and the skills and talents this group brings to the ELT profession. Her account makes for fascinating reading, and will be welcomed not only by those working in the ELT field, but also by a wider general audience interested in entering this field.

Liz England, Shenandoah University, USA:

Although many ESL teachers now enter the field with extraordinary experiences and knowledge in other professional areas, this is the first book to address second career teachers. With a foundation in research in teacher education and human development, this volume offers readers new information and interesting and helpful reports that will inform career path development.

G. Richard Tucker, Carnegie Mellon University, USA:

Sarah Shin makes a compelling case for the demographic changes in education and the accompanying challenges and opportunities for training a new breed of ESL teachers who bring profound real world experiences to their classrooms. A 'must-read' for teacher trainers and for baby boomers contemplating how the next chapter in their life story will be written!