Skills for Life Teacher
What is the work like?
Skills for Life teachers (also known as basic skills teachers) teach and support adults of all ages who want to improve their skills in reading, writing and spelling (literacy), maths (numeracy) and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages).
As a Skills for Life teacher your work would typically include:
- carrying out skills assessments
- discussing individual goals with students
- designing learning programmes to suit the needs and abilities of students
- preparing teaching materials
- using a range of resources such as worksheets and computer packages
- delivering individual and group teaching sessions
- keeping records
- guiding and supporting learning support assistants and volunteers.
You would usually specialise in literacy, numeracy or ESOL, although you could teach more than one of these areas.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
To qualify as a Skills for Life teacher you will need:
- a full teaching qualification, and
- a qualification in teaching literacy, numeracy or ESOL.
Both of these must be recognised by Standards Verification UK.
Some courses combine both qualifications. This is known as the ‘initial’ route. You can choose either of the following:
- PGCE (if you have a degree) or Certificate in Education (if you do not have a degree) in literacy, numeracy or ESOL
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching English (Literacy), English ESOL or Mathematics (Numeracy) in the Lifelong Learning Sector.
If you cannot find one of these combined qualifications in your area you may be able to take both qualifications on what is known as a ‘concurrent’ route. This involves taking a separate full teaching qualification and a literacy, numeracy or ESOL qualification, but completing both at the same time.
You would complete one of the following full teaching qualifications:
- PGCE or Certificate in Education
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector.
At the same time you would also complete a Level 5 Additional Diploma in Teaching English (Literacy) English (ESOL) or Mathematics (Numeracy) in the Lifelong Learning Sector.
Both teaching qualification routes are available full-time (one year) and part-time (two years). If you want to do a part-time course and are not already working as an unqualified teacher, you may need to arrange some teaching hours, probably on a voluntary basis, so that you can be assessed. On a full-time course the course provider will arrange teaching placements.
To be accepted on any of the courses you will be expected to show your own competence in language, literacy and numeracy, and ICT – this could be assessed by previous qualifications, on-course assessments or national tests. You should contact course providers for details. You can find full lists of endorsed courses at Standards Verification UK.
To find out if you are suited to this type of teaching, you could do some voluntary work, and perhaps complete the Level 2 Certificate in Adult Learner Support before applying for a teaching course, although this is not essential.
The Skills for Life teaching qualifications are part of the qualifications for further education teaching which were introduced in September 2007. You should contact the LLUK Information and Advice Service for details of the qualifications or advice on how qualifications you already have will fit into the new framework.
If you have skills and experience but are not qualified, LLUK will also advise you on how to have your skills and experienced recognised towards becoming qualified.
What further training and development can I do?
If you already have an adult teaching qualification and want to qualify to teach literacy, ESOL or numeracy, or have a qualification in teaching literacy, ESOL or numeracy, and want to qualify in an additional specialist area, you can do one of the following qualifications:
- Level 5 Additional Diploma in Teaching English (Literacy) in the Lifelong Learning Sector
- Level 5 Additional Diploma in Teaching English (ESOL) in the Lifelong Learning Sector
- Level 5 Additional Diploma in Teaching Mathematics (Numeracy) in the Lifelong Learning Sector.
Contact the LLUK Information and Advice Service for details.
As a Skills for Life teacher you will be expected to keep your skills up to date through continuing professional development (CPD). See the LLUK website for details.
Qualifying as a Skills for Life teacher does not give you qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in schools. See the Primary and Secondary School Teacher profiles for more information.
Where can I go for more information?
St Andrew’s House
18-20 St Andrew Street
London
EC4A 3AY
Information and Advice Service: 020 7936 5798
Email: advice@lluk.org
Alternatively, you can visit our website at: www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
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What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- Skills for Life teachers can earn from around £16,000 to £25,000 a year.
- Experienced Skills for Life teachers can earn up to £30,000 or more a year.
Starting salary can depend on experience, qualifications, and where the teacher is employed.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
You could work full- or part-time positions. As a part-time teacher you may only have a temporary contract. As a full-time teacher you are likely to work up to 37 hours a week, with around 25 hours spent teaching. Evening work is common.
You could be based in a college, but as outreach and community-based classes are increasing, you could also teach in community centres, schools, libraries or prisons.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- excellent communication and listening skills
- the ability to get on well with people of all ages and backgrounds and understand their needs
- patience and tact
- creativity to devise appropriate, interesting and meaningful learning activities
- enthusiasm and the ability to motivate and encourage students.
What opportunities are there?
Demand for Skills for Life teachers is growing, as new initiatives to improve adult literacy and numeracy are constantly being developed. You could find work in colleges or adult education centres, or with private training providers and work-based training organisations.
With experience, you could be promoted to head of department, or move into training other teachers.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):
Education Guardian
Times Educational Supplement
talent.ac.uk
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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