Earn a certificate or degree in teaching English as a second language. If you want to teach overseas, getting at least 100 hours of training will help you find a better-paying job at a reputable school. If you want to teach in the United States, it helps to have a college degree, especially a Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Teacher education requirements are more stringent in the United States than overseas. Online teaching requires a certificate in many cases, but the required number of hours of training will vary by company.
Volunteer as a teacher in your local adult education center, college or nonprofit organization where ESL classes are offered. Volunteer tutors are the backbone of many ESL programs in the United States. Gain more practical experience as a teacher before you embark on your teaching career. Classroom teachers that are very experienced or who have a higher degree in teaching English may also be willing to mentor you.
Check job postings on ESL sites such as ESL Teachers Board, your local school district's human resources page or on the websites of companies that hire teachers for online classes.
Enroll in and attend ESL classes in your community. Find them in family literacy programs through your local school district and nonprofit organizations, places of worship, private language schools, adult education centers and in colleges. Colleges offer not only academic classes but also basic, noncredit ESL courses.
Listen to English as much as possible. Watch English language lessons on the Internet at ESL Video and English Media Lab. Listen to the radio in English, and check out the Voice of America Special English and the BBC's Learning English pages. Listen to the news in English. Read the transcripts of news stories provided on websites. Watching television programs also will help you learn common English expressions.
Talk to your friends and family in English. Speak to the cashier at the grocery store in English, or go to a restaurant to order food in English. The more practical experience you have speaking English outside the classroom, the more quickly you will become a proficient English speaker. Join an online language exchange, such as My Language Exchange. Partner with someone who wants to learn your language and who speaks English as a first language. You will offer lessons and tips in your language in exchange for the same in English.