An English teacher teaches the English language to students of all grades, from elementary school to high school ones. The job is similar to that of other language teachers, and usually combines an equal amount of raw grammar and technical knowledge, and literature reading/analyzing. English teachers sometimes specialize in one of those two areas, with the latter (English literature teachers) being a very popular occupation in the educational sector in recent years. English teachers prepare exercises and tasks for the students to work on at home or in class, and work to help students not only build theoretical knowledge of the language, but also good experience in its use.
Becoming an English teacher requires a degree related to the language, in most cases a Master’s degree – and some high-ranking schools even require Doctorates from candidates for the position. As with any teaching job, a nice and relaxed personality is a must, but one must also be confident and stern, as well as respectful enough to ensure that students will follow their advice and behave properly.
The salary for English teachers lies more or less in the same range as salaries for other types of teaching positions, and the median for 2009 was $64,000. The average annual salary can be between $54,000 – $71,000, and in some very rare cases it goes up to $80,000. English teachers working at private schools and colleges have the potential to earn substantially more, though precise figures can’t really be calculated in those cases due to the huge gap between the lowest and highest paying schools.