English Language Learners (ELL) have increased across the country over the last 10 years going from 3.8 million students in 2000 (8.1% of the population) to 4.8 million students in 2015 according to VOA English.
While most ELL students speak Spanish in the home, Arabic comes in second – 2.4% of ELL students speak Arabic at home. Michigan leads the way with 24% ELL students who speak Arabic in the home. Chinese comes in third with 2% of ELL students speaking Chinese at home.
Teachers certified to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) is listed as a critical teacher shortage area by the Michigan Department of education. Districts across the state report shortages of ESL trained teachers.
If you have the skills and desire to teach the growing population of ELL students, now is the time to become a Michigan Teacher!