TESOL stands for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. TESOL is an international organization founded in 1966 as an association for English language teaching professionals. There are more than 100 TESOL affiliate associations which interested individuals can go through to obtain either a TESOL certificate or advanced degree on top of a traditional teaching degree, or a certificate that qualifies them to teach in a particular state or region. A TESOL certificate is a beneficial way to obtain a job teaching English in countries around the world.

Contact the Department of Education in the state in which you plan to teach and find out what courses, certificates or degrees are required to teach in that state. Understand that A TESOL endorsement is not the same thing as an accreditation to teach in a given state and may only partially fulfill individual state requirements.

Obtain a teaching certificate or undergraduate degree and accompanying theoretical and practical coursework required by your state to become a licensed teacher in the local public school system. Select an independent TESOL certification program to add a TESOL endorsement to your existing teaching credentials.

Contact the school district, employer or international organization (if you desire to teach English abroad with a TESOL certificate) and find out if a TESOL certificate from the program(s) you are considering qualifies you to teach English in a given country or province. Select an independent TESOL certification program (or MA with TESOL emphasis from one of 300+ universities if you want to teach English at the post-secondary level) that satisfies the requirements needed to teach in the locale of your choice. Fulfill course requirements and make arrangements to begin teaching English where and with whom you desire.