ESOL Instructor

About The Welcoming Center

The Welcoming Center (TWC) is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003. TWC

welcomes immigrants as neighbors and leaders and creates pathways to economic growth by

opening doors of opportunity for immigrants of all backgrounds, education, and skill levels.

Through four core program areas — English & Digital Skills, Work Readiness, Entrepreneurship,

and Community Leadership — TWC helps immigrants build skills, confidence, and agency to

achieve economic mobility. To date, TWC has served over 17,000 people from more than 150

countries.

Position Summary

The Instructor will provide English instruction integrated with critical workforce and life skills to

adult learners in the Philadelphia area. As part of this role, the Instructor will coordinate and

teach a range of TWC's ESOL classes out of TWC’s Center City office and other locations around

Philadelphia. Primary responsibility will be teaching leveled English classes, including Beginning

and Intermediate levels. The Instructor will also occasionally teach more specialized classes that

integrate English with digital skills training and goal-oriented content, such as English and Job

Support for Manufacturing, English for Workplace Communication, and English for

Entrepreneurship. The Instructor will work with the ESOL Program Manager to develop and refine

curriculum and train and mentor P/T ESOL Instructors. The Instructor will collaborate closely with

all members of the ESOL & Digital Skills team to support ESOL participants in meeting their

broader life and work goals and will seek to engage participants in developing and utilizing

leadership skills both within and beyond the learning space. As an integral part of the ESOL &

Digital Skills team, the Instructor will provide meaningful input into program improvement and

instructional excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Teaching & Participant Learning Support

• Teach in-person and/or online lessons using existing curriculum, making modifications as

needed. In-person class locations may be in Center City, Northeast Philadelphia, South

Philadelphia, or West/Southwest Philadelphia, as assigned.

• Provide English and digital skills instruction using strategies that are effective with

participants of various linguistic, educational, cultural competence, and ability levels.

• Use both standardized and authentic assessment methods to measure student progress.

• Submit daily lesson plans based on existing curricula.

• Develop warm, welcoming relationships with participants and provide regular feedback.

• Provide time outside of structured class time to assist participants with coursework and

learning goals.

• Work closely with the ESOL PM and other leveled English instructors to coordinate

instruction and ensure continuity between levels.

• Substitute for other classes as needed, including classes held in nearby counties.

• Collaborate regularly with staff across TWC's Work Readiness, Entrepreneurship, and

Community Leadership program areas to support participants who are engaged with

multiple programs or progressing along their pathways — sharing relevant observations

and contributing to a cohesive participant experience.

Curriculum Development

• Develop and/or refine ESOL curriculum for adult learners across various English levels.

• Propose, develop, and/or refine ESOL workshops and short-term learning opportunities

that support participants in continuous development of their work and life skills.

• Support the ESOL Program Manager and other TWC staff to develop and pilot initiatives to

enhance language learning, practice, and feedback opportunities for participants.

Training & Mentorship

• Conduct teaching observations and give feedback to other ESOL Instructors on

instructional method, content, and approach.

• Support hiring, onboarding, training, and mentorship of ESOL instructors.

• Support development and implementation of staff trainings to advance organizational

capacity to communicate effectively with adult language learners.

• Serve as a knowledge resource to colleagues across the organization on topics related to

language access, working effectively with adult English learners, and supporting

participants with limited English proficiency.

Administration & Reporting

• Coordinate with other leveled English class instructors and ESOL PM to ensure that

classes integrate curriculum content across all levels and provide clear benchmarks for

achievement.

• Support pre- and post-evaluation of ESOL activities.

• Proctor standardized assessment activities. Support review and implementation of new

assessment tools.

• Work collaboratively with volunteers who provide classroom and individual assistance to

participants.

• Refer participants as necessary to TWC participant support resources. Track participant

support activities such as laptop loans and distribution of SEPTA tickets.

• Work with Tutoring Center Coordinator to support referrals of participants to tutors, as

needed.

• Keep current enrollment, grade, attendance, and service delivery records in Salesforce

and other platforms for all class participants. Provide data to supervisor and Intake &

Participant Support team, as requested. Maintain high attention to detail, privacy, and

data integrity.

• Support recruitment, outreach, and program administration activities for classes and

workshops.

• Participate in team meetings and ad hoc committee work for program improvement.

General

• Support ESOL team and other TWC staff on events and opportunities that promote TWC

participant engagement, leadership development, intercultural sharing, and community

building.

• Cultivate partnership opportunities that strengthen The Welcoming Center’s ESOL and

digital skills training work – including presenting at conferences, attending networking

events, and developing connections with area adult education providers, immigrant

community organizations, and advocacy groups.

• Stay informed of developments in the arenas of adult ESOL, digital literacy and digital

equity, integrated education and training (IET), language access, and immigrant

integration.

• In all duties, demonstrate a commitment to organizational core values which uplift the

skills, experiences, and aspirations of program participants and recognize their role as

agents of the change they seek.

• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and certification in teaching English to speakers of other

languages (TESOL / TEFL); a combination of education and experience will also be

considered.

• 1-2 years ESOL curriculum development experience, especially for adult learners.

• 2-3 years experience teaching adults in a community-based setting.

• Familiarity and experience with a range of adult education pedagogical approaches.

• Strong commitment to and demonstrated experience with participant-centered, asset

based, relational approaches to education and community-building.

• Excellent verbal, written, and telephone communication skills. Comfortable adapting

communication style to a diverse range of participants. Demonstrated evidence of ability

to navigate conversations which may be difficult due to language, culture, and other

circumstances which may lead to misunderstanding.

• Strong computer skills, including an understanding of cloud-based computer platforms.

Familiarity with Google Drive, Microsoft Office Suite, and digital literacy & remote learning

tools.

• Willingness to work at other locations around Philadelphia and occasionally in

surrounding counties as well as in TWC’s Center City office.

• Detail-oriented, creative thinker with strong sense of initiative and commitment to equity.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lived experience from immigrant and refugee communities and/or communities of color.

• Master’s degree or five years of progressive experience in ESOL instruction, adult

education, training, facilitation, or workforce development fields.

• Previous experience teaching digital literacy - including using internet, email, word

processing, and online job searching – especially to English Language Learners.

• Experience in other areas of TWC’s work – including work readiness, entrepreneurship, or

community engagement.

• Experience in cross-team collaboration.

• Experience using Salesforce.

• Bilingual/multilingual.

• Reliable transportation.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

Work environment:

• Operates in a professional office environment or remotely. This role routinely

uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing

cabinets.

• Dynamic, fast-paced, and sometimes ambiguous environment.

• This is a full-time / 40 hours per week position that may require occasional evening or

weekend hours. The employee will be expected to spend 10-25% of their time working out

of TWC’s satellite offices in Northeast Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, and other

locations as needed. The employee will be expected to travel from time to time for off-site

meetings and to offer occasional support to TWC programs outside of Philadelphia.

• The employee will be expected to work from TWC’s main office in Center City 3 days per

week when working in Center City and 1-2 days per week if working at satellite locations.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

• Must be able to lift 5-10 pounds at times.

• Standing for extended periods.

• Walking, sometimes over uneven surfaces or long distances.

• Climbing stairs, as needed.

• Bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching.

• Reaching overhead or at shoulder level.

• Pushing or pulling objects (carts, equipment, etc.).

• Travelling to satellite offices, as needed.

Compensation & Benefits

The Welcoming Center offers a competitive nonprofit compensation package that includes:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance (for eligible positions)

• Paid time off and holidays

• Professional development opportunities

• A mission-driven work environment committed to immigrant inclusion

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Welcoming Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in

employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual

orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic

information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

We strongly encourage applications from individuals with lived experience as immigrants or

refugees.

How to Apply

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@welcomingcenter.org with the

subject line: "ESOL Instructor.” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. No

phone calls, please.

The Welcoming Center offers a competitive nonprofit compensation package that includes:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance (for eligible positions)
• Paid time off and holidays
• Professional development opportunities
• A mission-driven work environment committed to immigrant inclusion