Dramatic increases in immigrant and refugee populations in the United States have produced a pressing need for well-trained English as a second language (ESL) teachers in both K-12 and adult education. A record 40.4 million foreign-born persons lived in the United States in 2011, an increase of 9.3 million since 2000 (Pew Hispanic Center, 2013). One in five US residents – 63.2 million Americans – age 5 and over speak a language other than English at home (Camarota & Ziegler, 2015). Although school districts and communities throughout the country have been striving to hire sufficient numbers of teachers who understand the language acquisition process and are able to work with students and families from diverse cultural backgrounds, the supply of ESL teachers has not kept up with the demand (Diaz & Mahadevan, 2011). A great number of English learners are being served by teachers who lack training in teaching linguistically diverse students. Nationwide, only about a quarter of the teachers who work with these students have received any substantive preparation in ESL teaching strategies and language acquisition theory (Zeichner, 2003).

Fortunately, the nation's shortage of qualified ESL teachers is being addressed in part by a growing number of well-educated Americans with valuable work experience in other careers. Being civic-minded and passionate about service, these individuals find a sense of purpose and personal fulfillment in helping students learn English. They enjoy connecting with people from different cultures and draw a great deal of satisfaction from their work in K-12 schools, community colleges and literacy organizations. Many of them say that teaching English learners provides them with opportunities for meaningful social interaction and creative thinking, which contribute to their overall mental and physical well-being.

This book tells the stories of adults who pursue opportunities to teach ESL as a second, third or fourth career. Thanks to extraordinary medical and technological advances in the modern world, people are staying healthier and living longer than ever before.