How To Write an English Teacher Resume
To advance your career as an English teacher, you need to craft an eye-catching resume that encapsulates the strongest aspects of your career in education. Demonstrate your ability to teach thought-provoking literature, improve reading comprehension, and engage students with course material. Highlight your background in developing curriculums and using differentiated instruction to drive academic growth. This guide provides various expert tips and insights to help translate your teaching experience into an accomplishment-driven resume.
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
1. Write a brief summary of your English teacher qualifications
Lead off your resume with a strong summary of qualifications to draw the reader in and entice them to read further. Start with an opening sentence that lists your title, years of experience, and three to four skills that match the job description. Showcase your proven track record of success in developing engaging courses and tailoring instruction to student needs. Emphasize the value you bring to academic institutions, faculty, and students. Demonstrate your ability to create safe and inclusive learning environments for students of all academic backgrounds.
Senior-Level Profile Example
An English professor with over 10 years of experience providing instruction in Irish literature, Modernist literature, and postmodernist literary theory. A strong history of designing engaging curricula and courses to improve the accessibility of complex texts. Adept at providing coaching and mentorship to students to drive academic growth.
Entry-Level Profile Example
An English teacher with entry-level experience, specializing in adult learning, curriculum development, and lesson planning. A strong background in delivering compelling lessons to adult learners and English as a Second Language (ESL) students to drive literacy rates and improve grammar skills.
2. Create a powerful list of your English teacher experiences
The professional experience section serves as the core of your resume and needs to showcase your strongest career achievements within education. Feature the types of materials you were teaching and the grade level of your students. Highlight the teaching methodologies you used to engage students and drive academic growth. Incorporate metrics and academic data to enhance the impact of your accomplishments, such as an increase in test score averages or GPAs.
Leadership skills are essential for educators in both secondary education and at the college level. Your ability to communicate effectively with parents, students, and faculty administration is critical in achieving success as a teaching professional. Showcase examples from your career that demonstrate your interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence in addition to your teaching experience.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Tenure English Professor, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA | September 2016 – present
- Teach courses analyzing the literary works of Jorge Luis Borges and John Barth as the bridge between modernist and postmodernist literature, including “Night-Sea Journey,” “The Literature of Exhaustion,” “Labyrinths,” and “Ficciones”
- Provide academic advising and coaching to students, deliver guidance for selecting research topics, and write recommendations for graduate school applications
- Achieve a 95% positive rating on professor evaluations from students
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
English Teacher, San Diego Literacy Center, San Diego, CA | May 2021 – present
- Develop English courses and curriculum for classes of about 25 adult learners and ESL students and tailor lesson plans to the needs of individual students
- Utilize rubrics and performance criteria to assess student literacy and improve standardized test scores by 20% by incorporating group learning and tutoring services
- Coordinate with adult learners to identify additional academic and career development resources, including job fairs and career consulting
3. Include education and certifications relevant to English teachers
In addition to your college degrees, you’ll also need to feature your teaching certifications to secure job opportunities and advance your career in education. These requirements vary according to your state and grade level of the classes you’ll be teaching, so ensure you have the exact credentials for the position. For example, a single-subject certification will allow you to teach students grades 7 to 12 in most states, but you’ll likely need a multi-subject credential for elementary teacher jobs.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example
- Bachelor of Education (B.E.) English
- Temple University, Philadelphia, PA | 2016
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Single Subject Teaching Certification, English, State of New York, 2016
4. Include a list of skills and proficiencies related to English teachers
To generate interviews during the job search, you must comply with applicant tracking systems (ATS). Start by carefully reviewing each job posting and incorporating keywords and qualifications that match the job description. Include a mix of teaching and interpersonal skills to show hiring managers you’re a dynamic and well-rounded candidate. Provide examples of you using these skills throughout your career in addition to a bulleted list.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Academic advising | Adult learning |
| Creative writing | Curriculum design |
| Curriculum development | Differentiated instruction |
| Education | Education technology |
| E-learning | English teaching |
| Instruction | Language arts |
| Lesson planning | Postsecondary education |
| Program management | Secondary education |
| Teaching | Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) |
| Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) | Tutoring |
| Literature | Literary theory |
How To Pick the Best English Teacher Resume Template
Selecting the ideal resume template can be a difficult task for job seekers. With such a wide range of options available, it can be hard to identify a format that truly works to your advantage.
The key is prioritizing structure, organization, and readability above all other considerations. Limited visual appeal is perfectly acceptable, but don’t overdo it, as overly decorative fonts, flashy colors, and bulky graphics can often distract the reader from your content.
English Teacher Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Robert Maddinson
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Your Street, New York, NY 12345
Profile
A High School English Teacher with five years of experience specializing in secondary education, curriculum development, lesson plan implementation, and education technology. A proven track record of tailoring instruction to the needs of individual students. Adept at planning engaging activities to enhance student engagement and drive the development of critical thinking skills.
Professional Experience
English Teacher, Brooklyn High School, New York, NY
September 2018 – Present
- Teach English courses to 25-30 freshman, sophomores, and seniors and coordinated with the English department and faculty to develop curriculum
- Develop curriculum for an AP English course on the modernist novels of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf and provide additional resources to improve engagement with the text, resulting in an 80% passing rate across 30 students for college credits
- Plan lessons to aid students in understanding contextual themes and historical significance of complex novels and short stories, including assigning research papers comparing and contrasting film adaptations with the source material
English Teacher, Manhattan High School, New York, NY
September 2016 – June 2018
- Taught five English courses to classes of 20+ sophomore and junior high school students and planned engaging lessons to drive student appreciation for literature, including Slaughterhouse Five, Crime and Punishment, and The Crucible
- Utilized differentiated instruction to guide students in grasping Shakespearian language, including group learning activities and attending live theater performances
Education
Bachelor’s of Education (B.E.) English
Columbia University, New York, NY September 2012 – May 2016
Key Skills
- English Language Arts
- Curriculum Development
- Differentiated Instruction
- Student Engagement
- Literature
Certifications
- Single Subject Teaching Certification, English, State of New York, 2016
Frequently Asked Questions: English Teacher Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for English teacher resumes?-
Even as an English teacher with strong writing skills, you may run short on action verbs during resume-building. Oftentimes there’s only a limited number of verbs you can use to accurately convey your accomplishments and responsibilities. Resume writing is a unique form of writing with a language structure you may be unfamiliar with. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of action verbs you can use to build your professional experience section and enhance the impact of your bullet points:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyzed | Communicated |
| Coordinated | Created |
| Delivered | Designed |
| Developed | Drove |
| Educated | Enhanced |
| Evaluated | Identified |
| Implemented | Improved |
| Led | Managed |
| Mentored | Oversaw |
| Partnered | Performed |
| Planned | Provided |
| Supported | Taught |
How do you align your resume with an English teacher job description?-
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that teachers who specialize in adult learners and ESL students had annual salaries of $58,590 in 2022, whereas median income for high school teachers was $62,360. The highest salary for this industry was $74,280 for English teachers at the college level. With below-average growth indicators, it’s important to align your resume with the job description to differentiate yourself from the competition during the job search.
For example, if an academic institution has a strong reputation for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), you could highlight committees you served on or emphasize your ability to create safe and inclusive learning environments. If you’re pursuing an ESL role, highlight your knowledge of cutting-edge teaching methods, such as communicative language teaching (CTL) or content and language integrated learning (CLIL).
What is the best English teacher resume format?-
Reverse chronological is the ideal resume format for English teachers. This approach places your most recent and relevant teaching experience first while illustrating your career progression. Functional resumes should be avoided, even at the entry level, as this type of format won’t differentiate you from the competition during the job hunt. If you lack hands-on experience, you can feature your academic projects and skills above the work history, but provide detailed bullet points to tell your story.
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Including a matching cover letter can help bolster your odds of landing the interview, especially when pursuing teaching positions. This is an excellent opportunity for you to tell potential employers more about who you are as a professional and why you’re the ideal fit for their academic institution. In the middle paragraphs, mention something specific about the organization’s mission statement, reputation, or teaching modalities and why this draws you to apply for the position. For more insights, visit our teacher cover letter guide.
