skills in resume for esl teacher

Top 12 ESL Teacher Skills to Put on Your Resume

In the dynamic field of English as a Second Language (ESL) education, showcasing a blend of specialized skills on your resume is crucial for standing out to potential employers. This article outlines the top 12 skills that ESL teachers should highlight to demonstrate their expertise and commitment to facilitating effective learning experiences.

ESL Teacher Skills

• TESOL Certification
• Classroom Management
• Lesson Planning
• Zoom Proficiency
• Google Classroom
• Language Assessment
• Cultural Sensitivity
• Interactive Whiteboards
• Moodle Navigation
• ESL Curriculum Development
• Student Engagement
• Microsoft Teams

1. TESOL Certification

TESOL Certification refers to a credential that qualifies individuals to teach English to speakers of other languages. It is widely recognized and often required for ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers to demonstrate their training and proficiency in teaching English language learners.

Why It's Important

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification is important for an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher because it provides the essential training, methodologies, and qualifications needed to teach English effectively to non-native speakers, ensuring high-quality language education and enhancing job opportunities globally.

How to Improve TESOL Certification Skills

Improving your TESOL Certification involves continuous learning and practical experience. Here are concise steps for an ESL teacher to enhance their TESOL credentials:

Engage in Continued Education : Enroll in advanced TESOL courses or specializations. Websites like Coursera and Udemy offer a range of courses designed to deepen your understanding and skills.

Gain Practical Experience : More teaching experience, especially in diverse settings, will improve your skills and understanding. Consider volunteering for organizations like TEFL Volunteer to gain more experience.

Join Professional Associations : Become a member of organizations such as TESOL International Association or Cambridge English . These platforms offer resources, networking opportunities, and professional development activities.

Attend Workshops and Conferences : Participate in workshops and conferences to stay current with the latest teaching methodologies and research. Check out events hosted by TESOL International Association and similar organizations.

Pursue Higher Education : Consider pursuing a higher degree related to TESOL, such as a Master's in TESOL or Applied Linguistics. Universities like Arizona State University offer relevant programs.

Obtain Additional Certifications : Expand your qualifications with additional certifications, such as teaching business English or young learners. Cambridge English and Trinity College London offer various certification options.

Network with Other Professionals : Networking with other ESL teachers can provide insights, advice, and opportunities. Use platforms like LinkedIn to connect with professionals in the field.

Stay Updated with Research : Regularly read journals and books on TESOL and language teaching to stay informed about the latest research and theories. Journals like ELT Journal and books from publishers like Routledge are valuable resources.

By following these steps and actively seeking opportunities for growth, you can significantly improve your TESOL Certification and effectiveness as an ESL teacher.

How to Display TESOL Certification Skills on Your Resume

2. Classroom Management

Classroom management for an ESL teacher involves organizing and controlling the classroom environment efficiently to enhance English language learning. It includes setting clear expectations, using engaging instructional strategies, and maintaining discipline to ensure effective and interactive lessons for students of varying language abilities.

Classroom management is crucial for ESL teachers to create an effective, supportive learning environment where students can focus, participate actively, and absorb language skills efficiently. It helps manage diverse abilities, maintain discipline, and maximize instructional time, facilitating smoother communication and better educational outcomes.

How to Improve Classroom Management Skills

Improving classroom management as an ESL teacher involves creating a structured, engaging, and supportive learning environment. Here are concise strategies:

Establish Clear Rules and Expectations: Set clear, simple rules for classroom behavior and communicate them effectively. Edutopia offers insights on creating rules collaboratively with students.

Build a Positive Classroom Climate: Foster a sense of community and respect. Techniques for building positive relationships can be found on Responsive Classroom .

Incorporate Engaging Teaching Methods: Use interactive activities and varied teaching styles to cater to different learning preferences. Busy Teacher provides numerous ESL teaching resources.

Implement Classroom Routines: Develop and maintain consistent routines to help students know what to expect. Teaching Channel offers videos showing effective classroom routines.

Use Positive Reinforcement: Recognize and reward positive behavior to encourage its continuation. Strategies for positive reinforcement are detailed on Positive Psychology .

Manage Classroom Disruptions Swiftly and Effectively: Address disruptions without derailing the lesson. Smart Classroom Management shares practical advice on handling disruptions.

Differentiate Instruction: Adapt lessons to meet the diverse needs of ESL learners. Insights on differentiation are available on Reading Rockets .

Engage in Continuous Professional Development: Stay informed about the latest ESL teaching strategies and classroom management techniques. TESOL International Association offers resources for ongoing teacher education.

By implementing these strategies, ESL teachers can create a positive, productive learning environment that supports all students.

How to Display Classroom Management Skills on Your Resume

3. Lesson Planning

Lesson planning for an ESL teacher involves creating a structured outline that defines the learning objectives, materials, activities, and assessment methods tailored to teach English as a Second Language to students, ensuring progress in their language skills.

Lesson planning is crucial for ESL teachers as it ensures structured and coherent instruction tailored to students' language levels and learning objectives, enabling effective teaching and facilitating language acquisition in an engaging and manageable way.

How to Improve Lesson Planning Skills

Improving lesson planning for an ESL teacher involves a strategic approach focused on student engagement, clear objectives, and adaptability. Here are concise tips with relevant resources:

Set Clear Objectives : Begin with the end in mind. Determine what you want your students to learn and achieve. TESOL International Association offers insights on aligning objectives with learning outcomes.

Incorporate Different Learning Styles : Include activities that cater to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. Edutopia provides strategies for diverse learning preferences.

Engage with Authentic Materials : Use real-life materials like news articles, videos, and songs. British Council has a range of authentic resources for various levels.

Plan for Interaction : Encourage speaking and collaboration through pair work, group discussions, and role-plays. The Cambridge Community offers practical activities for interactive learning.

Incorporate Technology : Utilize educational technology tools for interactive lessons. EdTechTeacher lists various tech tools suitable for ESL classrooms.

Differentiate Instruction : Adapt lessons to meet the needs of all students, including those who may need more support or challenge. Reading Rockets offers strategies for differentiation in literacy instruction.

Reflect and Revise : After each lesson, reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Adjust future plans accordingly. The Teaching Channel provides videos and reflection tools for teachers.

By focusing on these areas, ESL teachers can create engaging, effective, and adaptable lesson plans that meet the diverse needs of their students.

How to Display Lesson Planning Skills on Your Resume

4. Zoom Proficiency

Zoom Proficiency for an ESL Teacher refers to the ability to effectively use Zoom's features and tools to conduct engaging and interactive English language teaching sessions online.

Zoom proficiency is crucial for an ESL teacher as it enables effective delivery of online language instruction, ensures engaging and interactive lessons, and facilitates clear communication with students from diverse backgrounds, optimizing the learning experience in a virtual environment.

How to Improve Zoom Proficiency Skills

To enhance your Zoom proficiency as an ESL teacher, focus on mastering the following key areas:

Familiarize with Basic Controls : Start with understanding the basic functionalities like starting a meeting, screen sharing, and using the chat. Zoom's own Quick Start Guide is an excellent resource.

Leverage Breakout Rooms : Use Breakout Rooms for group activities or individual speaking practice. Learn how to manage these rooms effectively through Zoom's Breakout Rooms guide .

Incorporate Interactive Tools : Engage students using Zoom's whiteboard and polling features to make the lessons more interactive. The Polling and Whiteboard guide provides detailed instructions.

Ensure Secure Meetings : Understand how to use Zoom's security features to prevent unwanted interruptions. This includes using waiting rooms and password protections. Zoom's Meeting and Webinar Security Resources offer comprehensive security tips.

Explore Advanced Features : For more engaging lessons, explore advanced features like virtual backgrounds and advanced audio settings. The Advanced Features guide will help you with this.

Seek Continuous Learning : Stay updated with new features and best practices by regularly visiting the Zoom Blog , which offers insights and tips from other educators and professionals.

By focusing on these areas and continually exploring Zoom's resources, you'll enhance your proficiency and deliver more engaging and effective ESL lessons.

How to Display Zoom Proficiency Skills on Your Resume

5. Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a free web service developed by Google for schools that aims to simplify creating, distributing, and grading assignments in a paperless way. It allows teachers to share resources, assign tasks, provide feedback, and communicate with students, making it a valuable tool for ESL teachers to manage and enhance their classes digitally.

Google Classroom is important for an ESL Teacher because it streamlines the management and distribution of assignments, fosters efficient communication with students, and supports diverse, multimedia teaching resources, enhancing the overall learning experience for English language learners.

How to Improve Google Classroom Skills

Improving Google Classroom for an ESL Teacher can focus on enhancing accessibility, interaction, and resource sharing. Here are concise strategies:

Customize Accessibility : Utilize Google Classroom's accessibility features like screen readers and text-to-speech tools to aid ESL students. Learn more about accessibility features.

Interactive Assignments : Incorporate interactive assignments using Google Forms for quizzes or Google Docs for collaborative writing projects to engage ESL students. Explore Google Forms .

Diverse Multimedia Resources : Integrate multimedia resources such as videos, audio, and images into lessons and assignments to accommodate different learning styles. Use YouTube for educational videos and Google Images for visual aids.

Language Support Tools : Leverage language support tools like Google Translate for quick translations and Google Dictionary for vocabulary building within assignments and classroom materials. Discover Google Translate and Google Dictionary.

Feedback and Communication : Provide timely and personalized feedback using the comment features on assignments. Encourage student interactions through Google Classroom's stream for questions and discussions. Understand feedback tools.

Organize Resources : Use the "Classwork" tab efficiently to organize resources and assignments into topics, making it easier for ESL students to navigate. Classwork organization tips.

Implementing these strategies can create a more engaging, accessible, and effective learning environment for ESL students in Google Classroom.

How to Display Google Classroom Skills on Your Resume

6. Language Assessment

Language assessment is the systematic evaluation of an individual's language skills and proficiency, particularly in the context of learning English as a Second Language (ESL). It involves testing reading, writing, listening, and speaking abilities to inform instruction and monitor learner progress.

Language assessment is crucial for an ESL teacher as it enables the identification of students' language proficiency levels, guiding personalized instruction, tracking progress, and adjusting teaching strategies to meet individual learning needs effectively.

How to Improve Language Assessment Skills

Improving language assessment for ESL teachers involves several focused strategies to accurately gauge students' language abilities and guide their development. Here are concise steps with external resources:

Diversify Assessment Methods : Use a mix of formative and summative assessments, including oral presentations, written assignments, and interactive tasks. This approach caters to different learning styles and provides a comprehensive picture of student abilities. Cambridge Assessment English offers resources on various assessment types.

Incorporate Technology : Utilize language learning apps and online platforms for interactive assessments. Tools like Kahoot! and Quizlet make learning engaging and allow for easy tracking of progress.

Align with Learning Objectives : Ensure assessments are directly linked to your learning goals and course objectives. This alignment enhances the validity of your evaluations. The TESOL International Association provides guidelines on setting clear learning objectives.

Use Authentic Materials : Incorporate real-life materials such as news articles, videos, and podcasts in assessments. This approach not only makes assessments more engaging but also prepares students for real-world language use. Breaking News English is a useful resource for current materials.

Provide Constructive Feedback : Offer timely and specific feedback that guides students on how to improve. Highlight strengths and provide actionable advice for areas needing improvement. The British Council has tips on giving effective feedback.

Continuous Professional Development : Stay updated with the latest assessment strategies and tools by engaging in professional development opportunities. Online platforms like Coursera and EdX offer courses on language assessment and teaching methodologies.

By implementing these strategies, ESL teachers can enhance the effectiveness of their language assessments, leading to better learning outcomes and a more accurate understanding of each student's language abilities.

How to Display Language Assessment Skills on Your Resume

7. Cultural Sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity, for an ESL teacher, involves understanding, respecting, and effectively responding to the diverse cultural backgrounds and linguistic nuances of students, ensuring an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

Cultural sensitivity is crucial for ESL teachers as it fosters a respectful and inclusive learning environment, enhances student engagement by acknowledging and valuing diverse backgrounds, and improves communication effectiveness, thereby facilitating more effective teaching and learning outcomes.

How to Improve Cultural Sensitivity Skills

Improving cultural sensitivity, especially for an ESL teacher, involves actively learning about and respecting the diverse backgrounds of your students. Here are concise steps with inline linking to resources that can help:

Educate Yourself : Continuously learn about the cultures of your students. The National Education Association offers resources on understanding cultural diversity in the classroom.

Listen Actively : Show genuine interest in your students' perspectives and experiences. This Harvard Business Review article on effective listening can be a good resource.

Reflect on Your Biases : Acknowledge and work on your own biases. Project Implicit by Harvard University offers tests to help recognize personal biases.

Incorporate Inclusive Materials : Use teaching materials that reflect a variety of cultures. The British Council discusses how to promote diversity in ELT materials.

Foster an Inclusive Environment : Create a classroom atmosphere where all students feel valued and included. Edutopia provides strategies for creating an inclusive classroom environment.

By following these steps and utilizing the linked resources, ESL teachers can significantly improve their cultural sensitivity, leading to a more inclusive and effective teaching environment.

How to Display Cultural Sensitivity Skills on Your Resume

8. Interactive Whiteboards

Interactive whiteboards are digital displays that connect to a computer and projector, allowing teachers, including ESL instructors, to interact with teaching materials directly on the screen using a pen, stylus, or finger. They facilitate interactive learning and engagement through multimedia content, enhancing the teaching and learning experience in language education.

Interactive whiteboards are important for ESL teachers as they offer dynamic, visual, and engaging teaching tools that cater to various learning styles, facilitate interactive learning experiences, and enable easy access to a wide range of multimedia resources to enhance language acquisition.

How to Improve Interactive Whiteboards Skills

Improving interactive whiteboards (IWBs) for ESL teachers involves enhancing interactivity, content accessibility, and student engagement. Here are concise strategies:

Incorporate Multimodal Resources : Use IWBs to display videos, audio clips, and interactive games catering to diverse learning styles. British Council offers resources tailored for ESL learners.

Interactive Lessons : Design lessons that encourage students to physically interact with the whiteboard. Tools like Kahoot! make learning fun and engaging through quizzes and games.

Real-time Feedback : Utilize software that allows for real-time feedback and annotations during lessons, enhancing comprehension and retention. Check out SMART Learning Suite for interactive lesson delivery and assessment tools.

Collaborative Learning : Facilitate group activities using the IWB to foster collaboration. Websites like Padlet can be integrated into lessons for joint student projects and presentations.

Accessibility Features : Ensure the content is accessible to all students by using text-to-speech features and visual aids. BookWidgets provides customizable widgets that support diverse learning needs.

By integrating these strategies, ESL teachers can effectively leverage IWBs to create a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.

How to Display Interactive Whiteboards Skills on Your Resume

9. Moodle Navigation

Moodle Navigation is a user-friendly interface within the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) that allows ESL teachers to efficiently organize and access courses, resources, and activities, enabling effective management of online language learning environments.

Moodle navigation is crucial for an ESL teacher as it ensures efficient access to course materials, assignments, and resources, enabling effective teaching and learning management for students with diverse language needs.

How to Improve Moodle Navigation Skills

To improve Moodle navigation for ESL teachers, focus on simplifying the user interface and organizing resources effectively:

Customize the Dashboard : Streamline the dashboard to display only essential courses and resources for easier access. Moodle Dashboard Customization

Use Block Navigation : Utilize the Navigation and Administration blocks to create a clear path to frequently used sections. Navigation Block

Organize Course Content : Structure your courses with clear labels and in a logical order. Group similar resources using the "Folder" resource. Organizing Course Content

Employ Activity Completion : Set up activity completion to guide students through the course content step by step. Activity Completion

Create a Course Index : Develop a course index with hyperlinked topics at the beginning of your course or as a pinned forum discussion. Using Labels

Implement User Tours : Create guided tours for new users to help them navigate through the essential parts of the site. User Tours

Add External Links : Use the URL resource to add external links directly into your course sections for easy access. Adding External Links

By applying these strategies, you can significantly enhance navigation in Moodle, making it more user-friendly for both you and your ESL students.

How to Display Moodle Navigation Skills on Your Resume

10. ESL Curriculum Development

ESL Curriculum Development involves designing, organizing, and planning instructional materials and activities tailored to the specific language learning needs, proficiency levels, and cultural backgrounds of English as a Second Language (ESL) students, aimed at enhancing their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in English.

ESL Curriculum Development is crucial for ESL teachers as it provides a structured and coherent framework tailored to meet the specific linguistic needs and cultural backgrounds of English language learners, ensuring effective instruction and facilitating significant, measurable progress in their language acquisition journey.

How to Improve ESL Curriculum Development Skills

Improving ESL Curriculum Development involves a focused approach on integrating real-world communication, cultural competencies, and differentiated learning strategies. Here are concise steps for an ESL teacher:

Needs Analysis : Start by understanding your learners' backgrounds, goals, and proficiency levels. TESOL International Association offers resources on conducting effective needs assessments.

Incorporate Authentic Materials : Use real-life materials like news articles, podcasts, and videos to make learning relevant. Websites like BBC Learning English provide a wealth of authentic content.

Focus on Cultural Competence : Integrate cultural insights and intercultural communication skills into your curriculum. Cultura is a great platform for cultural exchange.

Differentiated Instruction : Adapt your teaching methods to meet the diverse needs of your learners. Edutopia has practical tips on implementing differentiated instruction.

Skill Integration : Design activities that integrate speaking, listening, reading, and writing, reflecting real-world use of language. The Cambridge English site provides integrated skill activities.

Feedback and Assessment : Use both formative and summative assessments to guide and improve learning outcomes. Kahoot! can make assessments engaging and informative.

Professional Development : Continuously seek out professional development opportunities to enhance your curriculum development skills. Coursera offers courses on ESL teaching and curriculum development.

Technology Integration : Incorporate digital tools and platforms to enhance learning. Quizlet for vocabulary and Padlet for collaborative projects are useful tools.

By focusing on these areas, you can create a more effective, engaging, and comprehensive ESL curriculum that meets the needs of your learners.

How to Display ESL Curriculum Development Skills on Your Resume

11. Student Engagement

Student engagement for an ESL teacher refers to actively involving English language learners in the learning process through interactive and participatory methods, fostering their motivation, participation, and investment in their own language acquisition journey.

Student engagement is crucial for ESL teachers as it fosters active learning, improves language acquisition by increasing exposure to and practice with the language, and enhances motivation and confidence among students, leading to more effective and enduring learning outcomes.

How to Improve Student Engagement Skills

Improving student engagement, particularly for an ESL teacher, involves creating an interactive, supportive, and culturally responsive learning environment. Here are concise strategies:

Interactive Lessons : Use games and technology to make learning more interactive. Tools like Kahoot or Quizlet can turn review sessions into fun, competitive games.

Real-world Connections : Connect lessons to students' real-life interests and experiences. This makes the learning material more relevant and engaging.

Group Work : Encourage collaborative learning. Group projects or peer teaching allows students to learn from each other, practicing language skills in a less formal setting.

Feedback and Support : Provide constructive feedback in a supportive manner. Personalized feedback helps students understand their progress and areas for improvement.

Cultural Inclusivity : Incorporate multicultural content into your lessons. This respects and acknowledges the diverse backgrounds of your students, making them feel valued and engaged.

By implementing these strategies, ESL teachers can create a dynamic learning environment that fosters student engagement and encourages active participation.

How to Display Student Engagement Skills on Your Resume

12. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a digital platform that facilitates online collaboration and communication, offering tools like video meetings, chat, and file sharing, designed to enhance teaching and learning experiences.

Microsoft Teams is important for an ESL teacher because it provides a versatile platform for conducting virtual classes, facilitating real-time communication and collaboration with students, and organizing teaching materials and assignments efficiently, all in one place.

How to Improve Microsoft Teams Skills

To enhance Microsoft Teams for an ESL Teacher, consider the following concise strategies:

Leverage Breakout Rooms : Utilize breakout rooms for small group activities or individual speaking practice, allowing for focused interaction and personalized feedback.

Use Immersive Reader : Implement the Immersive Reader feature for reading comprehension and vocabulary building, making texts more accessible for ESL learners.

Incorporate Quizzes with Forms : Create interactive quizzes using Microsoft Forms for language practice and assessment, offering instant feedback and engagement.

Assignments and Feedback : Utilize the Assignments feature for structured language tasks and provide personalized feedback to guide student improvement.

Interactive Whiteboard : Use the Whiteboard during live sessions for collaborative exercises, such as brainstorming or live corrections.

Encourage Use of Channels : Create topic-specific channels for students to practice language skills through discussions, enhancing peer learning.

Incorporate Multimedia Resources : Share videos, podcasts, and articles relevant to the learning material in channels or tabs to enrich the learning experience.

By adopting these strategies, ESL teachers can create a more interactive, engaging, and supportive learning environment within Microsoft Teams.

How to Display Microsoft Teams Skills on Your Resume

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16 ESL Teacher Skills for Your Career and Resume

Learn about the most important ESL Teacher skills, how you can utilize them in the workplace, and what to list on your resume.

ESL teachers work with students who are learning English as a second language. They help students improve their language skills so that they can better communicate in English. ESL teachers need to have a variety of skills to be successful in their jobs. If you’re interested in becoming an ESL teacher, learning about the necessary skills can help you determine if this is the right career for you.

ESL Lesson Planning

Tesol certification, cultural awareness, classroom management, esl curriculum development, organization, esl classroom materials, esl technology, flexibility, esl teaching methods, professional development, communication, esl assessment.

ESL teachers often need to plan lessons that are appropriate for their students’ levels of English fluency. For example, a beginner ESL student may need more time to complete an assignment than an advanced ESL student. An ESL teacher with strong lesson planning skills can create plans that address the needs of all their students and help them improve their language skills.

TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. It’s a certification that ESL teachers can earn, and it demonstrates your knowledge of how to teach non-native speakers. Having this credential shows potential employers that you have the skills necessary to be an effective ESL teacher.

TESOL certification also allows you to apply for positions with specific requirements. For example, some school districts require their ESL teachers to hold TESOL certification before they hire them.

Cultural awareness is the ability to understand and appreciate different cultures. ESL teachers often work with students from diverse backgrounds, so it’s important for them to be culturally aware. This can help them relate to their students better and make more informed decisions in the classroom. For example, an ESL teacher who is culturally aware may know that some cultures have a tendency to be more quiet than others when listening to a lecture.

Classroom management is the ability to maintain order in a classroom. ESL teachers often need strong classroom management skills because they may instruct large groups of students who speak different languages and have varying levels of understanding. For example, an ESL teacher might need to redirect students’ attention back to the lesson when some students are talking or playing around. They also might need to enforce rules about behavior and punctuality.

ESL teachers often develop curriculum for their classes, which requires them to have knowledge of the subject matter and how to present it in an engaging way. Curriculum development involves creating lesson plans that include activities students can use to learn new information and practice skills they already know. It also includes designing assessments that measure student progress and help you determine what your students need to work on next.

Organization is the ability to keep track of various tasks and responsibilities. As an ESL teacher, you may have many duties that require organization, such as preparing lesson plans, keeping student records and updating your own professional development. Having strong organizational skills can help you manage your time effectively and ensure all your responsibilities are met.

ESL teachers often use classroom materials to help their students learn English. For example, they may create lesson plans that include reading books in English or watching movies in English so students can practice conversing with others in English. They also need to know how to use the classroom resources effectively and be able to explain them to their students.

Leadership is the ability to motivate and guide others. ESL teachers often need leadership skills because they are in charge of a classroom full of students, all of whom may have different learning styles and abilities. Strong leaders can help their students succeed by providing them with guidance and support. Leadership also allows ESL teachers to be effective managers of their time and resources.

Creativity is the ability to think of new and innovative ideas. ESL teachers often use creativity when planning lessons, as they may need to come up with creative ways to explain complex topics or teach students through different methods. Creativity can also be useful for coming up with fun activities that keep students engaged in class.

ESL teachers often use technology in the classroom to help students learn English. For example, you may use online resources or software programs to teach grammar and vocabulary. You also might use digital tools like whiteboards or computer applications to conduct presentations or create lesson plans. Knowing how to use technology can make it easier for you to plan your lessons and communicate with students and colleagues.

Flexibility is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. ESL teachers often need flexibility because their work schedules can change frequently and they may be asked to teach different subjects or grade levels at any time. Flexibility also allows you to adjust your teaching style when necessary, such as if a student has special needs that require more individualized attention.

ESL teachers use a variety of teaching methods to instruct their students. They may teach in small groups, large groups or one-on-one settings. Some ESL instructors use visual aids and technology to help students understand the material better. Other ESL teachers rely on conversation and practice to help students improve their language skills. Regardless of your preferred method, it’s important for you to be able to adapt your style to meet the needs of each student.

Professional development is the process by which an ESL teacher can improve their skills and knowledge in order to become a more effective instructor. Professional development may include taking courses, attending workshops or conferences, reading books on teaching methods and strategies, observing other teachers and receiving feedback from students and colleagues.

Communication is the ability to convey information clearly. ESL teachers often need excellent communication skills because they must explain complex topics in a way that their students can understand them. For example, an ESL teacher might have to explain grammar rules or teach new vocabulary words. Effective communication involves conveying your message in a way that others can understand it.

ESL teachers need to be able to assess their students’ language skills and determine what level of English they should be learning. This is important because it allows ESL instructors to create lesson plans that are challenging but also achievable for each student in the class. It’s also important for ESL teachers to know how to evaluate their students’ progress so they can provide them with feedback on how well they’re doing and encourage them to continue improving.

Patience is the ability to remain calm and composed in stressful situations. ESL teachers often need patience when working with students who are learning English as a second language. Patience can help you maintain composure during class, which can make it easier for you to teach effectively. It’s also important to be patient with your own learning process. You may find that some aspects of teaching ESL take time to master.

How Can I Learn These ESL Teacher Skills?

There are a few ways that you can learn the necessary ESL Teacher skills. One way is to take an ESL Teacher training course. This will give you the opportunity to learn about different ESL teaching methods, how to develop ESL curriculum, and how to assess ESL students. Another way to learn these skills is to observe experienced ESL teachers in action. This will give you a chance to see how they manage their classrooms and develop their lessons. Finally, you can read books and articles about ESL teaching. This will help you to learn about different approaches to teaching ESL and to understand the challenges that ESL teachers face.

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3 ESL Teacher Resume Examples & Templates [Edit Free]

ESL Teacher Resume

Modern esl teacher resume, professional esl teacher resume.

• ESL Teacher Resume Writing 101

Anyone learning English can benefit from a helpful teacher to guide the way. That’s where you do your best work overseeing classes and facilitating practical lessons that help students catch on quickly. 

You help students become fluent in English, but can you make your AI cover letter and resume flow with your top skills?

It’s enough that you’re a teaching expert, you don’t also have to be proficient at creating resumes . We’ve done the work for you by putting together some ESL teacher resume examples that you can use as templates to showcase your skills . 

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Copy this text for your ESL teacher resume!

Carrie Tanada Elementary English As A Second Language (ESL) Teacher [email protected] (123) 456-7890 Brooklyn, NY

WORK EXPERIENCE ESL Teacher Global Community Charter School January 2015 – current New York, NY – Used scientifically-backed ESL methods to promote English language development 11% above average – Led 32 students, on average, to master objectives through tailored oral and written assignments – Created, administered, and graded tests, essays, and quizzes, returning all assessments within 4 days of completion

ESL Teacher Classical Charter Schools June 2012 – January 2015 New York, NY – Generated 50+ games and activities, increasing student engagement and attendance rates by 14% – Covered all 3 essential elements of language learning: oral, written, and English comprehension – Built up core competencies of students, improving standardized test scores by 18%, on average

Special Education Teacher Varsity Tutors April 2011 – June 2012 Pittsburgh, PA – Worked one-on-one with 8 students experiencing learning, emotional, or mental disabilities – Developed monthly individualized educational plans (IEPs) for 50+ students – Monitored student progress collaboratively with students, parents, and faculty, improving the follow-through of care plans and standardized test scores by 22%, on average

Assistant Special Education Teacher Imani Christian Academy January 2011 – April 2011 Pittburgh, PA – Collaborated with head special education instructors to craft unique IEPs for 45+ students – Assessed 10 students, under the guidance of the lead teacher, for signs of individualized teaching needs – Created daily unit and lesson plans for 6 subjects

SKILLS – Classroom Management – Grammar – Lesson Planning – Cultural Awareness – Critical Thinking – Language Arts

EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts Liberal Arts University of Pittsburgh 2007 – 2011

CERTIFICATIONS – TESOL Certification & – Certified ESL Instructor

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What Matters Most: Your ESL Teacher Skills & Work Experience

Many who are studying English are at key transitions in their life. Therefore, having the right skills to help is essential for ESL teachers. 

When choosing skills, consider what you help your students learn, like pronunciation, literacy, and reading. You can apply those aspects to find many of the top industry ESL instructor skills while mixing in some core competencies the organization is seeking in the job description . 

Here are some of the most popular ESL teacher skills in 2024. 

9 most popular ESL teacher skills

• Bilingual or Multilingual
• Learning Plans
• Adult Instruction
• Grammar & Composition
• Differentiated Learning
• Microsoft Office
• Linguistics
• Essay Grading

Sample ESL teacher work experience bullet points

An effective teacher knows how to put key skills to use in the classroom environment. Let’s look at how you can show your prior experiences have equipped you to succeed as a language instructor. 

Organizations and your students will be concerned about the results you can give them. Examples that include metrics for grades, the number of students who have seen success from your lessons, or information retention will all go a long way in showing your abilities. 

Hiring managers want to pick up on your core competencies as an instructor, so remembering to keep examples short and simple is key here.  

Here are a few samples:

• Prepared after-school assistance for 15 students who needed additional study time, improving grades by 37%.    
• Used PowerPoint and OBS Studio screen capture to create audio and visual resources that students could study at home for 57% better information retention.  
• Provided clear and friendly instruction while helping with any student struggles to achieve 98% positive feedback on post-course surveys.       
• Taught students common words and phrases that would be used on job sites to help lessons translate into real-world experience 75% more effectively.   

Top 5 Tips for Your ESL Teacher Resume

• As an English instructor, your use of the language will be paramount to your student’s success. Therefore, hiring managers will want to ensure you submit an accurate resume free of grammatical errors. 
• Think about how you would organize instructional information for your students. It would likely have clear headers, bullet points, and an easy-to-read font. Your resume template should be formatted similarly to clearly showcase your linguistics teaching skills to hiring managers.       
• You know from your time instructing that short sentences are clear and easier to understand. The same can be said for your resume. One sentence about how you use differentiated learning for 86% more positive outcomes on final exams can go a long way.              
• Effective teachers have high levels of knowledge and can relate well to their students. Your examples should showcase both, such as how you take feedback about information students are struggling to grasp and implement new lesson plans to improve essay scores by 67%.              
• ESL instruction is always evolving with new technology that can be used to facilitate learning and linguistics requirements for citizenships. Listing your most recent experiences first will be the most relevant to your ability to instruct over Zoom and help students pass current citizenship exams.           

A resume summary is beneficial for instructors with ten or more years of experience. You could write a couple of sentences about how you’ve helped 545 ESL students pass citizenship exams and land jobs after taking lessons from you over your 12-year career.  

Aim for a one-page resume with highly relevant information about your ESL instruction skills. Focusing on what the organization is looking for can help you decide what to include. For instance, if you’ll be working with primarily Spanish-speaking students, your bilingual skills in Spanish would be ideal to list.  

A bachelor’s degree in education, English, or other related subjects is required for the job, so you should list it. Your education provides a well-rounded overview of your abilities to provide effective instruction to students.     

• ESL Teacher Resume Example

Resume Examples

• Common Tasks & Responsibilities
• Top Hard & Soft Skills
• Action Verbs & Keywords
• Resume FAQs
• Similar Resumes

Common Responsibilities Listed on ESL Teacher Resumes:

• Planning and delivering lessons to students of all ages and levels
• Developing and implementing engaging lesson plans
• Assessing student progress and providing feedback
• Creating and administering tests and assessments
• Developing and utilizing a variety of teaching materials and resources
• Maintaining student records and progress reports
• Providing guidance and support to students
• Participating in professional development activities
• Collaborating with other teachers and staff members
• Attending parent-teacher conferences
• Organizing extracurricular activities
• Promoting a positive learning environment

Speed up your resume creation process with the AI-Powered Resume Builder . Generate tailored achievements in seconds for every role you apply to.

ESL Teacher Resume Example:

• Developed and implemented engaging lesson plans that resulted in a 25% increase in student participation and a 10% improvement in overall student performance.
• Created and administered tests and assessments to accurately assess student progress, leading to a 15% increase in average test scores.
• Collaborated with other teachers and staff members to organize extracurricular activities, fostering a positive learning environment and promoting cultural exchange among students.
• Planned and delivered lessons to students of all ages and levels, adapting teaching methods to meet individual learning needs and achieving a 20% increase in student satisfaction.
• Assessed student progress and provided constructive feedback, resulting in a 10% improvement in student confidence and a 5% increase in student retention.
• Participated in professional development activities to stay updated with the latest teaching techniques and methodologies, enhancing teaching effectiveness and student engagement.
• Maintained student records and progress reports, ensuring accurate documentation and facilitating effective communication with parents and school administration.
• Provided guidance and support to students, addressing individual learning challenges and promoting a growth mindset, resulting in a 15% increase in student motivation and self-confidence.
• Attended parent-teacher conferences to discuss student progress and address any concerns, fostering positive relationships with parents and improving overall parent satisfaction.
• Lesson planning and implementation
• Student assessment and feedback
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Extracurricular activity organization
• Adaptable teaching methods
• Professional development and continuous learning
• Record keeping and reporting
• Student guidance and support
• Parent-teacher communication
• Cultural sensitivity and inclusivity
• Promoting a growth mindset among students
• Knowledge of latest teaching techniques and methodologies
• Ability to increase student participation and performance
• Ability to improve student confidence and retention
• Ability to foster positive learning environment
• Ability to handle individual learning challenges
• Ability to build positive relationships with parents
• Proficiency in English language instruction for non-native speakers.

Top Skills & Keywords for ESL Teacher Resumes:

Hard skills.

• Lesson Planning
• Curriculum Development
• Classroom Management
• Assessment and Evaluation
• Differentiated Instruction
• Language Teaching Methodologies
• Phonetics and Pronunciation
• Grammar Instruction
• Vocabulary Development
• Reading and Writing Instruction
• Technology Integration in ESL Instruction
• Cultural Competence and Sensitivity

Soft Skills

• Communication and Presentation Skills
• Patience and Empathy
• Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Time Management and Organization
• Creativity and Innovation
• Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
• Active Listening and Feedback Incorporation
• Interpersonal Skills and Relationship Building
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Emotional Intelligence and Empathy

Resume Action Verbs for ESL Teachers:

• Facilitated
• Collaborated
• Implemented
• Demonstrated

Generate Your Resume Summary

Resume FAQs for ESL Teachers:

How long should i make my esl teacher resume, what is the best way to format a esl teacher resume, which keywords are important to highlight in a esl teacher resume, how should i write my resume if i have no experience as a esl teacher, compare your esl teacher resume to a job description:.

• Identify opportunities to further tailor your resume to the ESL Teacher job
• Improve your keyword usage to align your experience and skills with the position
• Uncover and address potential gaps in your resume that may be important to the hiring manager

Complete the steps below to generate your free resume analysis.

Related Resumes for ESL Teachers:

English teacher, elementary school teacher, high school teacher, substitute teacher, teacher assistant, special education teacher, spanish teacher, kindergarten teacher.

• • Managing classes of 12-20 students
• • Developing reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in students aged 6-10
• • Planning and teaching between 2 and 5 classes daily
• • Creating teaching materials for core and extracurricular activities
• • Grading homework and assignments
• • Planning and leading 1 parent-teacher meeting every 3 months
• • Developed lesson plans that fit with the curriculum of the IB program
• • Taught English literature classes to students aged 16-18
• • Worked with an average of 20 students
• • Contributed to raising grades by at least 12% by running extracurricular sessions
• • Scheduled 2 oral and written exams per school year
• • Graded homework, assignments, and exams

5 English Teacher Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your English teacher resume must highlight your command of literature and language. It should showcase your ability to inspire and engage students in the learning process. Ensure that your resume reflects your experience with curriculum development and classroom management. Demonstrating your proficiency in these areas will strengthen your application.

All resume examples in this guide

High School English Teacher

Middle School English Teacher

Secondary English Teacher

English Teacher Abroad

English Teacher resume example

Resume Guide

English teacher resume example, how to format an english teacher resume, how to write your english teacher resume experience, how to list your hard skills and soft skills on your resume, how to list your certifications and education on your resume, how to write your english teacher resume summary or objective, additional sections for a english teacher resume, key takeaways.

Language teaching is hard and you know it!

It encompasses so much more than grammar and vocabulary. It’s also about literature, history and culture. And depending on your students, there are a myriad of teaching approaches you can take.

So, how do you build an outstanding English teacher resume that will appeal to principals?

We’ve prepared a complete guide that will instruct you on how to:

• Ace the writing process by following one of our example teacher resumes
• Decipher job ads and accentuate the right English teacher skills
• Get picked for a job interview among the sea of other candidates

…with many practical tips and sample sections to help you along the way!

Explore these relevant teacher resumes:

Why not start with a sample resume to kickstart the writing process?

This resume works for a few simple reasons:

• The summary includes the applicant’s personal teaching philosophy.
• The experience entries provide important details, such as class sizes, scope of work and overall performance.
• The achievements prove the candidate is ambitious and goal-oriented.
• The Strengths section elaborates on what motivates Joel to pursue teaching as a career.

As you’re aware, formatting is crucial for all written work - be it an essay or an application. Some pieces are more freeform than others.

Yet, when it comes to resumes… It can mean the difference between getting an interview and having your resume thrown into the pile of rejected applicants.

Good formatting will aid you in:

• Passing the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) tests set to review candidates before a person looks at your resume
• Arranging your experience and qualifications in a way that will make you stand out
• Proving that you’ve carefully reviewed the job ad requirements, including formatting rules, before submitting your application

So, to build an impeccable English teacher resume, you must:

• Choose a resume format which best reflects your credentials, skills and expertise. Are you a tenured professional? Then opt for the reverse-chronological resume format .
• Include a portfolio with some of your selected works or teaching materials in the resume header
• Pay particular attention to how you structure your experience and education sections
• Be succinct and to the point: If you have lots of relevant information to share, you can spread your resume to two pages.
• Remember to check whether there are any filetype requirements in the job ad. While some principals accept Word MS resumes , we suggest sticking to PDFs to preserve the design.

Now that we’ve covered the basic resume writing best practices, let’s delve into the specifics. Here are the key sections your resume must contain:

The top sections on a english teacher resume:

What recruiters want to see on your resume:.

Something to always keep in mind during your writing process is to check the job description for:

While there is an overlap between the ESL and ELA roles in terms of qualifications, ultimately the curriculum and the students differ.

So, make sure your English teacher resume is adapted for each of the positions you apply for.

If you have more than seven years of experience, limit each of the entries to three bullet points. List only your most prominent accomplishments.

But, if your work history is shorter than seven years, there are a few things you can do:

• Add more bullet points to each of the entries in the experience section. Try to align your accomplishments with the job ad.
• Consider switching to the hybrid resume format , so that you can flaunt your transferable skills.
• Don’t hesitate to talk about relevant side gigs, private tutoring experience or being a substitute teacher.

Having these points in mind, take a look at the following experience section sample:

• • Maintained school graduation rates during the pandemic.
• • Developed over 392 IEPs
• • Organized special extracurricular classes.
• • Designed special learning plans.

Not very awe-inspiring, is it?

Well, the candidate has made a few crucial mistakes:

• Renaud boasts four years as an English teacher at Lincoln High School. Yet, nothing in the bullet points says that he has the experience to back it up.
• Parts of the information seems to repeat itself. Without much context to go on, there’s no clue to what the difference between ‘IEPs’ and ‘special learning plans’ is.
• At the same time, there’s unnecessary word repetition.
• Renaud says that he has ‘organized special extracurricular classes’. But offers no explanation as to what these classes were. Or why they were organized in the first place.
• Finally, the candidate doesn’t seem invested in the job, because the school’s description is poorly written. Plus, there’s no mention of its mission or values.

A far more refined version of the above sample would be:

• • Maintained school graduation rates of 95% during the pandemic by adapting ELA lessons for a blended and e-learning environment.
• • Developed over 392 IEPs over 4 years, which helped more than 150 students identify underlying learning disabilities and almost a 100 students identify their personal style of learning.
• • Organized special extracurricular classes to high school seniors on how to write a series of documents, such as resumes, cover letters, and applications, which boosted both the college acceptance rate and the in-employment rate to 97% and 88%, respectively.
• • Designed special learning plans for under-performing high-achievers to keep them engaged and support their learning process, thus decreasing the percentage of such students from 4% to 1.5%

How to quantify impact on your resume

As someone with a social sciences background, you may struggle to discuss your achievements in terms of numbers and data. Unless you have a certificate to show for it.

But being able to quantify your achievements is important, because this means you:

• Look at the big picture and how you actions affect your employer
• Speak your employers’ language (and by extension all the sponsors who have invested in the school)

So, to prove that you’re a results-oriented English teacher, take into account:

• What is the success rate of your classes?
• Do any of your students participate in prestigious competitions? Do they have any awards to show for it?
• How active are you in students’ school life? Do you organize any special events for them?
• Do you volunteer? What do you have to show for it?
• How do you promote diversity and equality at school?
• Do you accommodate students with learning disabilities? How?
• How do you foster relationships with students’ parents? Has this improved your students’ quality of life?
• Do you know other languages?
• Do you have experience teaching non-native speakers?

How do I write a english teacher resume with no experience

If you’re fresh out of college or have no experience as a teacher, there are two routes you can take. It all depends on the type of teaching job you’re pursuing.

If you’ve set your sights on an ELA role:

• List selected works that show you’re actively involved in the contemporary literary scene
• Share relevant experience, such as private tutoring or alternative school work you’ve done in the past
• Put an emphasis on your education and certificates. If possible, add any special training or masterclasses you’ve completed.

By contrast, if you’re aiming for an ESL position:

• Highlight any experience you have working with non-native English speakers.
• Mention if you know other foreign languages. Don’t forget to state your level of proficiency in each language.
• Detail any transferable skills which you can apply in an international learning environment

One of the best ways to grab principals’ attention is to showcase your versatility as a teacher.

Demonstrate that you’re a well-rounded professional. Reveal that you're not only an excellent wordsmith, but someone who can work the latest classroom technology.

To do that, simply balance out your skills section .

If most of the skills you’ve added are soft skills , emphasizing the impact of your work on others around you, throw some hard skills into the mix.

These show that you’re up-to-date with all the tools and technology currently used in schools. Keep in mind to mention your ability to work in both in-person and e-learning environments.

Similar to how you described your experiences in the work history portion of your resume, quantify your talents:

• Recall a time in the past where you were faced with a tough challenge. How did you handle it? Outline the situation.
• State the result of your actions.
• Tie the outcome to data that will support your claims.

Some of your abilities will be easier to measure than others and that’s okay.

If you can’t think of any examples or you need some inspiration on other skills you can add to your resume, check out the ones below:

Best hard skills for your english teacher resume

Best soft skills for your english teacher resume.

Being a teacher yourself, you know how important education is. After all, most positions, regardless of school, demand a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in English or a related field.

If you’re a college grad or you’re switching careers:

• List the name of your degree
• Add relevant majors and minors, particularly if you’re applying for an ESL role
• Name the issuing institution
• Provide the date of course completion
• Cite your GPA

For experienced professionals, it’s best to:

• State the name of your degree
• Name the university or college you attended
• Include the dates you obtained your degree
• Share one or two significant accomplishments during your college days, such as an important project or an award

For reference, have a look at the sample education section below:

• • Winner of the 2022 Maya Angelou Award for the Spoken Word for the poem A Letter to My Younger Self.
• • Successfully completed an internship at Barrington High School, where I was responsible for 3 junior and senior classes.

Once you cover your academic background, don’t forget to shine the spotlight on your certificates. Especially the one you’ve received from your state’s education board. Make sure you check the date of validity for each certificate you add to your resume.

Best certifications for your English teacher resume

A vital part of your resume is the short paragraph at the top, where you give a brief overview of your career.

And akin to poems, it can take many forms.

If you’ve been in the industry for a few years now, craft a captivating resume summary :

• Concentrate on key career milestones.
• List your strengths and relevant qualifications.
• Place emphasis on awards and other unique achievements.

On the other hand, if you’re just starting out, write a convincing resume objective :

• Accentuate your main skills and how they align to the job.
• Share how you will contribute to the school and its mission.
• Name any relevant qualifications and training you’ve undergone.

Take a look at the following sample resume objective. Would you say it is powerful?

Not really.

For starters, the wording is strange and vague, at best. For instance, the applicant states that they’re an award-winner, but there’s no mention of what the award is. Or how it was achieved.

Also, there is a laundry list of skills. But none of them address specific English teacher-related tools or talents.

Plus, the candidate hasn’t shared any information that proves they have the experience to back their claims.

But with a few tweaks here and there, the sample above can turn into this attention-grabbing resume objective:

One way to diversify your application and get noticed is to attach an extra section or two to your resume. If you have some extra space left, consider adding:

• Other languages you’re proficient in . If you’re an ESL teacher candidate, this one will bump your resume to the top of the pile.
• Association memberships
• Additional courses, bootcamps and training you’ve done
• Awards and prizes
• Selected works or published papers

How to put your works on a resume

If you’re aiming for an ELA position, show you’re knowledgeable about both classic and contemporary literature.

Display some of your selected works. Be it a poem or a short story, share a glimpse of your personality and creativity.

In a small section near the skills box:

• List the title of your composition, but don’t forget to name yourself as the author.
• Cite the date of publication.
• Add the name of the publishing house.
• Describe what your composition is about.

Use the example below for reference:

English Teacher resume examples

Explore additional english teacher resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Looking to build your own English Teacher resume?

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19 Skills a Teacher Should List on a Resume (A to Z List)

Examples of teaching skills needed to be successful in today’s classrooms include: leadership, communication, multitasking, patience, and reflectiveness.

When adding these skills to a teacher resume, you can list these in two categories: ‘soft skills’ and ‘hard skills’. We’ve listed which type of skill each is below.

Be sure your teaching resume highlights some of the skills listed below, and discuss how they will benefit the students in your classroom.

For content specifically about soft skills, see soft skills for teachers .

A to Z List of Skills for a Teacher Resume

1. communication.

Type: Soft Skill

Teachers need to be able to communicate in the classroom as well as with colleagues, parents, and administration.

Show prospective employers that you are able to effectively communicate with parents in-person.  Examples of communication skills include your ability to speak professionally and articulately, as well as your ability to be an empathetic listener. 

Teachers will also be required to communicate through different media formats such as Google Classroom, Canvas, Edutopia, or any other required website by your district.

Be sure you are informing prospective employers that you are savvy in communicating your class objectives, standards, and assignments in an easy-to-use media format for parents and administrators.

A teacher who has dynamic communication skills will stand out as a candidate that school districts can trust to effectively reach all members of a learning community.

You Might Also Like: Teaching Philosophy Statement Examples

2. Computer Skills

Type: Hard Skill

Technology is here to stay in education. Feature how you use technology in your classroom to make yourself stand out on a resume.

If you use a smart board, projector, online classrooms, or technology in general to drive your instruction, make this stand out on your resume.  In the real world your students will be using computer skills in any or all future job opportunities. 

For example, a student might have to access google classroom in order to access a text and assignment for the day. In math, a group might be working on a shared online document to create a graphing presentation. In Science, students could be using project-based learning to demonstrate their understanding of skills or concepts taught in your class.

A resume that doesn’t highlight a teacher’s ability to incorporate and promote computer skills in their classroom will simply be overlooked.  It is no longer a skill you can go without in the classroom.

3. Creativity

Administrators love hearing new ideas for successful lesson planning and teaching. Demonstrating how you provide a creative spin to older teaching practices is a fantastic way to stand out on your resume.

Creativity can be highlighted in many different parts of your teaching style : how you develop unique lessons, how you informally assess students during class to drive your instruction, innovative solutions you have to common behavioral problems in your classroom, how you support students in sharing ideas and communicating, etc. 

Any way you can offer new insights for common practices in the classroom that lead to student success will highlight your ability to be creative.

For example, a teacher who uses a peer learning strategy that allows their students to read multiple examples of their classmates would showcase that you understand that exposure to multiple examples increases student understanding of writing skills. 

Provide specific examples of how your teaching practices go beyond normal expectations in a classroom setting and highlight the benefits of those examples for your students. This will prove your ability to be creative on your resume.

You Might Also Like: Teacher Vision Statement Examples

4. Cultural Competence

Diversity in education cannot be overlooked.  Your resume needs to prove you can connect with and include to a multitude of cultural backgrounds in your classroom.

An English teacher might discuss the multicultural literature they use during their lesson plans to allow their students to see themselves within the stories and topics they are discussing, for example.

Any teacher can include cultural competence by promoting and respecting dynamic cultural differences of their students in the classroom.

Your resume should highlight how you allow your students to share their personal stories and how you, as their teacher, both formally and informally recognize those differences.

One tip would be to outline how you reach out to students at the beginning of the year and allow them to share their cultures and experiences before diving into any given curriculum.

Cultural competence cannot be overlooked on your resume.  You need to prove your ability to be culturally aware, and how you encourage students to be aware and accepting of their peers’ cultural differences. 

5. Goal Setting

Goal setting for teachers involves making sure you have short-term and long-term plans, as well as knowledge of the steps required to get there.

This is required because teachers need to be able to create a coherent unit of work to get students from their prior knowledge to mastery of a topic.

Your resume should outline how you set goals for yourself and your students, the tasks you need to accomplish, how you minimize distractions, and your overall plan for accomplishing your daily activities successfully.

6. Leadership

Teachers are leaders inside the classroom and in the school community. 

In the classroom, teachers lead groups all day long . They need a leader’s negotiating skills with students while also being able to assert their authority in the classroom.

They might also train and mentor younger and less experienced teachers and help parents with child development information that can help them raise their children.

In the school community, teachers participate in school committees where they develop educational programs and school policies. will usually be more sought after than a candidate focused solely on their classroom instruction.

School districts also have many leadership positions that need to be filled outside of the classroom, including:

• school improvement plans,
• curriculum planning,
• policy and procedure development,
• behavioral programs, etc. 

Market your leadership skills on your resume by showing times when you have been a leader in and outside of the school context. Showcasing these leadership skills are sure to get you closer to securing an interview spot.   

7. Lesson Planning

Lesson planning is a skill specific to our profession. It involves the ability to lay out not just what you will teach but how you will teach it.

Many employers now ask to see samples of lesson plans appended to resumes. If this is required, make sure you list your teaching strategies and be aware of the layout of the classroom. Your lesson plan should answer questions like:

• Where is the teacher standing?
• Are the students in groups or working independently?
• What will be the pacing of the lesson?
• How will you transition into and out of phases of the lesson?
• What education theories are you relying on while executing this lesson?

8. Math Skills

Even if you are not a math teacher you can still easily highlight your math skills on a teaching resume.

Data-driven instruction is a major theme in successful classrooms.  Be sure to demonstrate how you collect data from your students in regards to skills they are working on in class. Questions you might get in an interview may include:

• How do you organize student data?
• How do you interpret data to drive your instruction for your next lesson plan or unit? 

Outlining these components on your day-to-day data collection and assessment will showcase your math skills, even if you are an English teacher.

You can even provide an example of your data collection on an anonymous student and describe how you might interpret that data to a parent or guardian so they can better understand their child’s progress in your class. 

Even if you aren’t a math or science teacher, math and data collection should still be a driving force in your teaching.  Prove this on your resume and you’ll easily showcase your math skills!

9. Multitasking

Your resume should lay out your ability to facilitate the many roles teachers play in their classroom.

In a single class, a teacher will take attendance, engage students, provide materials, introduce assignments, give directions, document behaviors, informally assess student understanding, reteach, and the list goes on!

There is no end to the amount of tasks a teacher may or may not perform in a single class period, let alone an entire day. 

Your resume needs to display your ability to handle the ever-changing needs of your students on a daily basis.  This includes both instruction and social emotional needs of your students. 

Be sure your employer knows that you understand the complexity of what happens in a classroom on a daily basis by giving examples of your ability to handle and adapt to the ever-changing environment of your classroom.

See More: 25 Examples of Multitasking

10. Patience

Teaching is the most patient of professions. Often times, you need to sit patiently with a student for a long time before they finally have the ‘light bulb’ moment they need.

A patient educator needs to be able to change up their pedagogy to match the needs of the student. For example, they should identify when a student is struggling with your teaching modalities and switch them up to a modality that is more beneficial for the student.

If you can, provide examples of past experiences where you’ve demonstrated patience and the positive outcomes that came from those experiences.  Real examples of how you can be patient in an academic setting will set you apart from other candidates.

11. Problem Solving

Being able to identify a problem, determine the cause of the problem, and initiate possible solutions to a problem are a prominent skills for any teacher and should be showcased on your resume.

Problems will appear throughout a teacher’s day. Problems with technology, problems with parents, problems with student behaviors, and student learning difficulties are all examples of issues teachers will need to face. 

‘Putting out fires’ and finding solutions for both your own problems and the problems of your students are therefore central skills. 

Showcases this to employers as a way to enhance your resume. Make sure you demonstrate you are capable of finding solutions for a variety of situations that could occur in any teacher’s day-to-day encounters.

Be sure your resume discusses your problem-solving skills with simple examples and solutions to ensure your prospective employer understands you fully acknowledge that all competent teachers can problem solve.

12. Punctuality

A classroom full of unsupervised students can lead to catastrophe. So be sure your employer is aware of your ability to be on time.

Being punctual to your classes at the start of the school day is necessary for the wellbeing of the students within the school. Teacher presence is often seen as one of the most important aspects of keeping students’ good behavior.

Beyond student supervision, you should be demonstrating to your employer that you are a candidate that they can count on to show up. Nothing is worse for administration than scrambling to find a last-minute substitute for a teacher who doesn’t show up on time to work.

Furthermore, nothing is worse for one of your colleagues than being called out of their planned period to substitute because you were a no-show! No one wants a colleague like that.

Your resume should prove you are accountable and that you will be present every day for your colleagues and your students. 

13. Reflectiveness

A reflective teacher is one who pauses at the end of the lesson and reflects on how it went. By being reflective, they can continually learn from their experiences and improve.

One way teachers show reflectiveness is to discuss how the use students’ formative assessments to plan future assessments.

Once learning is assessed teachers then need to plan their next lessons based on student mastery and determine whether they require interventions for greater understanding or enrichment opportunities for continued growth within a skill. 

One way you can accomplish this is discussing how you might incorporate reteaching strategies when students are not yet reaching mastery for a task that you previously planned to move on from.

14. Resilience

Teachers need to be able to quickly recover from difficulties in their day-to-day jobs. 

Things aren’t going to go right for you. There will always be issues that you could have solved better, and prickly parents who you need to deal with regularly.

Much like a teacher’s ability to problem solve and find solutions, teachers need to quickly bounce back after handling problems.

For instance, a teacher may receive an email in the middle of day outlining a parent complaint where their practice or skills are put down or diminished. Oftentimes, teachers must quickly adapt and continue meeting the needs of their students after facing such scrutiny.

Your resume could include a glimpse into how you might recover from such situations and your plan for growth and improvement. If you have specific examples of your previous resilience in your teaching experience, be sure to highlight these on your resume.

15. Social and Emotional Intelligence

Demonstrating your ability to be are aware of your own feelings, including your strengths and weaknesses, will prove your social and emotional intelligence.

Incorporating social emotional intelligence on your resume is simple. It can be outlined in your ability to communicate, problem solve, and self-assess your work.  

Be sure that you offer examples of both what you excel at in the classroom and what you need to work on.  When discussing what you need to improve on, be sure to include how you will make those improvements and the benefits they will have in your classroom and for your students.

Another way to include social emotional intelligence is your ability to be responsive to your students’ social emotional status within your classroom.

Provide examples for when you understood a student was struggling and provided them with resources needed to support them.

A student who may have struggled to pay attention might be struggling with hunger.  As a teacher, you were able to find them resources for free breakfast and lunch at school is a dynamite way to highlight your social emotional intelligence.

Highlighting your own social emotional intelligence and your ability to recognize social emotional cues in your students will give you an edge on your resume.

See More: Examples of High Emotional Intelligence

16. Subject-Specific Knowledge

Subject-specific knowledge is the hard skill of knowing not how to teach, but what you’re teaching .

A math teacher needs to have excellent math skills, a physics teacher must be excellent at physics, and a woodworking teacher needs excellent skills with a lathe!

One way to demonstrate excellent subject-specific knowledge is to show how you’ve used your subject-specific knowledge in your work prior to becoming a teacher.

17. Teamwork

Being a skilled team member is one of the most crucial parts of being a stellar educator. 

In order to efficiently meet the needs of diverse learners, teamwork is crucial.

Current trends in teamwork for schools include just that: teams of teachers who teach the same group of students.

One example is a school who has all core teachers (Math, Social Studies, Science, and English) overseeing the education of the same group of students.

These teachers will communicate on a daily or weekly basis on the needs of individual students including:  their success in classes, behavioral issues, social emotional needs, special education needs, etc. 

Teams of teachers should be able to observe and provide interventions for students struggling when they work together to meet student needs.  A greater impact can be made on a students’ success in the classroom when there’s a team of teachers in that student’s corner.

Exemplifying your ability to work on a team in an educational setting is a great way to increase merit on your teaching resume.

18. Time Management

In teaching you will not be seen as a viable potential employee if you cannot demonstrate your ability to organize and plan your time.

We live in a time where the crowded curriculum means we need to leverage every moment of the day. If we don’t, we’ll never get through all the teaching we need to get done by the end of the school year.

19. Writing Skills

There’s nothing worse than a teacher who sends home a newsletter with spelling mistakes all over it. It undermines your credibility as an educator!

Your resume is the first look your potential employer has of your writing skills. Make sure it’s impeccable.

You could also explicitly discuss your writing skills. For example, you could provide examples of how you model writing in your classroom, regardless of your discipline. Writing is, after all, a general academic skill that all students need. 

Remember, your resume itself will showcase your writing skills.  Be sure you have proofread your resume and that your writing is grammatically correct, formatted efficiently, and is easy to navigate for potential employers.

Go Deeper: Writing Skills Examples

Soft Skills vs Hard Skills

Soft skills are generalizable skills that are difficult to measure whereas hard skills are specific skills required in a profession, which are generally quantifiably measurable.

1. Soft skills are skills that are general in nature and can be transferrable across different professions. They are usually not quantitatively measurable. Examples include communication and leadership skills.

Soft skills also often require use of emotional intelligence to get them done. In other words, they often involve navigating complex social situations (although not always).

2. Hard skills are skills that are specific for tasks rather than generalist. They’re usually quantifiable and relate directly to your profession. For example, creating lesson plans is a measurable skill (you produce something at the end) and one that is specifically for the teaching profession.

Common Interview Questions for Teachers

• How would you handle a disruptive student? I would answer this by highlighting the important to stay calm and patient, show concern for the student’s needs, and work together with the student, parents, and support staff to ensure the student is comfortable in the learning environment to minimize disruptive behavior going forward.
• What is your teaching style? Most teachers would answer this with reference to active learning , placing an emphasis on situated learning , or achieving differentiation (see: examples of differentiated instruction ).
• How do you plan to contribute to the learning culture at our school? Emphasize your ability to support other teachers, demonstrating high-standards to be a good role model to all students, and your enthusiasm to participate in co-curricular and extracurricular activities.

While the skills included in this article can seem overwhelming, remember that many of these skills are layered within each other and can be incorporated together in different aspects of your resume. 

Time management, patience, resilience, and problem solving are all skills that piggyback off of one another.  You likely won’t have one without touching on some of the others.

Work to group or highlight skills included in this article together.

Most importantly, remember to always make the forefront of your resume about the students.  Highlight how your skills enhance their learning.

The focus should always be on how you can increase student success in your classroom both academically and as citizens.  Teaching is really about the skills you have that make your students thrive!

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Self-Actualization Examples (Maslow's Hierarchy)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Forest Schools Philosophy & Curriculum, Explained!
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Montessori's 4 Planes of Development, Explained!
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Montessori vs Reggio Emilia vs Steiner-Waldorf vs Froebel

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Excellent Article! Thank you for sharing. Fred

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• ACADEMIC ADVICE

Mastering ESL Teacher Skills: A Comprehensive Guide to Success

• April 24, 2024

Table of Contents

What is an esl teacher, what does an esl teacher do, 1. excellent communication skills, 2. good management skills, 3. creativity, 4. adaptability, 5. flexibility, 6. computer literacy, 7. patience and empathy, 8. behavior analysis, 10. passion, the bottom line, what makes an excellent esl teacher, how do you describe an esl teacher on a resume, what is the job description of an ell teacher, what activities should an english teacher put on their resume.

English as a Second Language (ESL) is critical in connecting people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, as an ESL teacher, you hold the key to equipping your students with the necessary communication skills to flourish in an English-speaking society. To best fulfill this role, you must demonstrate a set of skills to facilitate English language learning and help your students achieve their learning goals. 

But what are the most essential ESL teacher skills? 

Join us as we uncover the necessary skills you must master to excel in an ESL classroom and empower your students through the transformative power of language and education.

An ESL teacher is an educator who provides direct support to students who don’t speak English as a first language. They may work with students of all ages and from different backgrounds. Additionally, ESL teachers deliver lessons ranging from the basics of the English language to more advanced levels. They primarily aim to help students with developing speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills in English. 

As ESL students typically reside in English-speaking countries, ESL teachers often use real-life contexts to help them better understand the language’s complexities and cultural references. 

In addition to teaching or supporting English literacy development, a day in the life of an ESL teacher involves duties such as:

• Organizing coursework and learning materials
• Working individually or in small groups with English learners
• Assessing student progress and writing reports 
• Evaluating students’ English language proficiency levels and needs
• Advocating for specific needs of English learners
• Planning events for culturally or linguistically diverse students and their families
• Providing constructive feedback on the use of language forms or other academic language demands in the classroom.

10 Essential Skills for ESL Teachers

To become a successful ESL teacher, you need to master a set of hard and soft skills, such as: 

As an ESL teacher, you’ll work with students from diverse linguistic backgrounds and with varying English proficiency levels. Therefore, you must possess excellent communication skills to articulate complex concepts to all learners accurately. 

A big part of your job as an ESL teacher is to find innovative ways to overcome language barriers and create an immersive language learning experience. Moreover, when teaching English as a second language, you also need to employ nonverbal communication strategies, such as hand gestures, eye contact, facial expression, or tone of voice, in order to effectively convey messages.

As an ESL teacher, you must set clear classroom expectations, routines, and procedures. A well-defined classroom structure creates stability and predictability for students, enabling them to carry out their tasks without hassle. Thus, it’s essential to possess organizational and classroom management skills to enhance student cooperation and teamwork. 

Additionally, you need organizational skills to create lesson plans and instructional materials. These skills ensure that teaching activities run smoothly and foster optimal student focus and engagement.

Creativity is another essential skill for ESL teachers. By being creative, you can develop new and exciting lesson plans that will capture your students’ attention and motivate them to learn. Additionally, you can customize your teaching methods to suit your students’ various needs, learning styles, and proficiency levels.

However, creativity in ESL teaching goes beyond lesson planning. You must also find creative ways to use the language to improve your students’ long-term learning and retention. Some ideas for making your lessons more creative include using storytelling, gamification, drama, and role-play.

Every student is unique and has their own preferred learning style. This is especially true for ESL learners whose previous experience and exposure to the English language significantly influence their learning needs. As an ESL teacher, it is important to be adaptable in your teaching approach and methods. This adaptability enables you to find the most suitable approach for a particular situation and achieve the best possible results for each student.

As an ESL teacher, it is common to encounter situations where the activities take too much or too little time, where students have questions about something that was not planned to be taught, or where they require more explanation or additional practice with certain concepts. In such situations, it is important to be flexible and open to change. 

By being flexible, regardless of the circumstances, you can make the necessary mid-lesson adjustments and still move towards accomplishing the outlined goals. 

As an ESL teacher, you may also need to conduct online classes, so it’s crucial to have proficiency in computer skills. Being computer-literate is also essential to keep track of student progress as well as to create lesson plans, study guides, and other materials. 

Moreover, you need to have computer skills to use digital media in the classroom, such as interactive exercises and videos, to make the lesson more engaging and entertaining.

Learning English, like any language, involves repeatedly making mistakes, asking countless questions, and listening to audio clips multiple times. Therefore, as an ESL teacher, you must be patient with your students and yourself as you help them reach their English learning goals.

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Empathy is another critical trait that complements patience and communication. During your ESL class, you will soon see how learning and speaking a different language can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking. Students can also find it challenging to understand a different way of thinking when learning English. By practicing empathy, you can better understand your students’ difficulties and adapt your teaching methods to meet their learning needs.

Observing and analyzing student behavior is another critical skill every ESL teacher should possess. By examining their behavior during class activities and interactions with others, you can identify potential challenges that might affect their learning progress. 

For instance, you can focus on non-verbal cues, engagement, and social dynamics within the classroom. This enables you to reflect on your classroom management strategies and teaching methods and tailor your lessons to support their learning progress.

Clear pronunciation and articulation are crucial when teaching students with varying backgrounds and proficiency levels. This skill helps to ensure effective communication and a better understanding of concepts. 

Proper pronunciation and articulation make every word understandable, which enables students to learn new vocabulary easily and accurately. This, in turn, fosters improved communication skills and creates an inclusive learning environment.

Last but not least, passion for teaching ESL is critical in your work. A teacher who lacks enthusiasm and dedication for their subject is unlikely to inspire students to learn. When you love what you do, your enthusiasm and genuine care will reflect in the learning environment, which can motivate students to achieve their language proficiency goals. 

Moreover,  a genuine passion for your work also serves as a source of resilience during challenging times. When faced with setbacks or rough days, this passion acts as a motivating force, driving you to persevere and maintain a positive outlook. 

From strong communication skills to patience and a passion for teaching, ESL teacher skills help enhance the learning experience and improve student outcomes. Furthermore, abilities like creativity and adaptability can help you create a supportive learning environment where your students can thrive. 

So, how do you master these skills? Well, the truth is that mastery is an ongoing pursuit that requires continuous effort and improvement. However, you can set a strong foundation through ESL certification. So, explore our TEFL course and begin the journey to becoming a capable and proficient ESL teacher. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Several qualities contribute to making you an excellent ESL teacher, such as passion for teaching, effective communication skills, creativity, adaptability, and strong classroom management skills. 

When describing an ESL teacher on a resume, emphasize relevant skills, experience, and proficiency in teaching non-native English speakers. For example:

Highly skilled and dedicated ESL teacher with a proven track record in facilitating language acquisition for diverse student populations. Experienced in creating engaging lesson plans, assessing student progress, and committed to fostering a positive learning environment through extracurricular activities. 

The English Language Learner (ELL) teacher job description typically highlights the teacher’s role in teaching English to non-native speakers, assessing student progress, developing lesson plans, collaborating with colleagues, and fostering a supportive learning environment.

Your resume should include activities that demonstrate your expertise in teaching English and your ability to enhance the student’s learning experience. Some activities that look good on an English teacher’s resume include lesson planning, collaborating with colleagues, student assessment, and technology integration.

Bay Atlantic University

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• Published: 30 May 2024

Enhancing AI competence in health management: students’ experiences with ChatGPT as a learning Tool

• Lior Naamati-Schneider 1  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  598 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

167 Accesses

Metrics details

The healthcare industry has had to adapt to significant shifts caused by technological advancements, demographic changes, economic pressures, and political dynamics. These factors are reshaping the complex ecosystem in which healthcare organizations operate and have forced them to modify their operations in response to the rapidly evolving landscape. The increase in automation and the growing importance of digital and virtual environments are the key drivers necessitating this change. In the healthcare sector in particular, processes of change, including the incorporation of artificial intelligent language models like ChatGPT into daily life, necessitate a reevaluation of digital literacy skills.

This study proposes a novel pedagogical framework that integrates problem-based learning with the use of ChatGPT for undergraduate healthcare management students, while qualitatively exploring the students’ experiences with this technology through a thematic analysis of the reflective journals of 65 students.

Through the data analysis, the researcher identified five main categories: (1) Use of Literacy Skills; (2) User Experiences with ChatGPT; (3) ChatGPT Information Credibility; (4) Challenges and Barriers when Working with ChatGPT; (5) Mastering ChatGPT-Prompting Competencies . The findings show that incorporating digital tools, and particularly ChatGPT, in medical education has a positive impact on students’ digital literacy and on AI Literacy skills.

Conclusions

The results underscore the evolving nature of these skills in an AI-integrated educational environment and offer valuable insights into students’ perceptions and experiences. The study contributes to the broader discourse about the need for updated AI literacy skills in medical education from the early stages of education.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

In recent years, the healthcare sector has undergone significant shifts in both local and global contexts. These shifts are primarily attributed to demographic, technological, economic, and political factors. These changes have had a profound impact on the healthcare ecosystem, requiring organizations to adapt their operations and strategies to this evolving landscape [ 1 , 2 ]. In response, healthcare organizations have had to modify their behavior to adapt to this ever-changing reality [ 3 ]. Among the factors that have most significantly affected the healthcare system are technological advancements, automation, and the rise of digital and virtual environments. The impact of these factors gained momentum in December 2019, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Technological advances, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tools, have been central to this transformation, with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating the need for healthcare systems to adapt and innovate [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. The integration of AI in healthcare, including the deployment of chatbots like ChatGPT that utilize the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT)—a type of large language model (LLM)—underscores a shift toward digital and AI literacy in medical education and practice. [ 9 , 10 ].

The adoption of AI in healthcare, highlighted by the use of systems like ChatGPT, marks a pivotal shift towards greater digital and AI literacy in medical education and practice [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. This reflects the healthcare sector’s broader move towards technological innovation, aiming to enhance patient care and revolutionize healthcare professional training. Incorporating AI, such as ChatGPT, into educational frameworks prepares students for the complexities of modern healthcare, demonstrating AI’s potential to transform both healthcare delivery and professional skill development [ 11 , 12 ].

In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, where technological developments are occurring at an accelerated pace, there is a significant need for comprehensive research to navigate this ever-changing landscape. In particular, research into the impact of AI on healthcare is still limited, highlighting the urgent need for more focused studies on the implications for medical education and the effective training of healthcare professionals in the use of AI technologies [ 13 , 14 ]. The emergence of LLMs, such as GPT, and their applications in educational frameworks, including chatbots like ChatGPT, has increased the urgency of reassessing the skills required, with a particular focus on digital literacy. This reassessment is essential to determine the continued relevance of these skills or whether a fundamental refocusing is required. Such a re-examination is essential to ensure that the healthcare workforce is adequately prepared for the challenges and opportunities presented by the integration of AI into healthcare practice [ 11 ].

Studies [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ] have identified a significant gap in understanding how digital literacy skills—such as accessing, analyzing, evaluating, and creating digital content—play a role in effectively leveraging LLMs like GPT and their applications, including chatbots such as ChatGPT, within educational frameworks. Furthermore, the successful integration of ChatGPT into educational settings may potentially lessen the reliance on traditional digital literacy skills, prompting a reevaluation of their ongoing relevance [ 19 , 20 ]. This gap underscores the need for more research into the critical role that digital literacy skills hold in the efficient use of technologies like ChatGPT for educational aims, as highlighted by recent literature [ 15 , 17 , 18 ]. ChatGPT’s access to accurate medical information could reduce the need for individual data analysis skills [ 21 , 22 ]. Yet, concerns persist among researchers that its content generation might hinder critical thinking development, including source evaluation and idea generation [ 23 , 24 ].

This qualitative study introduces a pedagogical framework that synergizes problem-based learning with the application of ChatGPT among undergraduate healthcare management students. It aims to qualitatively examine their interactions with this technology, focusing on the transition from traditional digital literacy towards a more advanced AI literacy. This evolution in educational focus is poised to revolutionize the requisite competencies for navigating the dynamic healthcare sector of today.

The rationale behind focusing on ChatGPT stems from its notable accessibility, user-friendly design, and versatility as a comprehensive tool in healthcare settings. Its capability to simulate human-like dialogues positions it as a prime resource for educational initiatives, thereby enriching the pedagogical domain of healthcare management and clinical practices. The unrestricted access to ChatGPT, along with its wide-ranging utility in executing diverse healthcare operations, underscores its capacity to significantly contribute to and spearhead innovation within healthcare education and practices. The selection of ChatGPT, attributed to its approachability and adaptability, marks a strategic endeavor to investigate the impact of artificial intelligence amidst the shifting paradigms of healthcare requirements. Yet, despite the widespread integration of ChatGPT in healthcare, research into the long-term effects and the necessary adaptation of skills and methods remains lacking. [ 11 , 12 ].

Literature review

Ai tools in medical settings.

AI involves creating systems that mimic human cognitive functions such as perception, speech recognition, and decision-making through machine learning. It excels in analyzing data, identifying patterns, and making predictions, offering improvements over traditional data processing. AI’s applications span multiple sectors, including healthcare, at various levels from individual to global [ 25 , 26 ]. The integration of AI into healthcare enhances diagnostic, treatment, and patient care, offering advanced decision-making and predictions [ 9 , 10 , 25 , 27 ].AI technologies enhance clinical decision-making, diagnosis, and treatment by analyzing patient data through machine learning for informed decisions, offering 24/7 support via AI chatbots, and enabling remote monitoring with AI-powered devices like wearable sensors [ 9 , 28 ].

AI facilitates remote patient monitoring, minimizing in-person healthcare visits [ 29 ]. It improves service personalization, with AI assistants managing appointments and reminders, and chatbots streamlining insurance claims, easing provider workloads [ 9 ]. AI automates routine administrative tasks, freeing providers to concentrate on patient care. It streamlines operations, cuts bureaucracy, and analyzes data to improve healthcare management and predict service demand, allowing for better resource allocation. AI’s analysis of patient feedback further aids in enhancing service delivery [ 10 ]. AI integration can transform patient-caregiver dynamics, enhancing diagnosis, treatment, and self-management of health conditions [ 30 ]. While AI integration in healthcare promises significant advancements, it presents challenges, including data management issues and the need for specialized skills.

Sallam [ 14 ] highlights ChatGPT’s potential advantages in healthcare, including enhancing clinical workflows, diagnostics, and personalized medicine. However, challenges such as ethical dilemmas, interpretability issues, and content accuracy must be tackled. In healthcare education, although ChatGPT holds promise for customized learning and creating lifelike clinical scenarios, concerns about bias, plagiarism, and content quality persist. Addressing these concerns necessitates preparing healthcare professionals and students through education and training to navigate the complexities of AI. Additionally, extensive research in these domains is essential [ 6 , 9 , 14 , 31 , 32 ].

Teaching with AI and about AI: advancing education in the digital age

To be able to utilize AI tools effectively and integrate them seamlessly into their everyday work, healthcare professionals need early exposure to AI tools in their education to boost their proficiency and confidence, understanding both their potential and limitations [ 9 , 32 , 33 ]. York et al. [ 32 ] explored medical professionals’ attitudes towards AI in radiology, revealing a positive outlook on AI’s healthcare benefits but also highlighting a notable gap in AI knowledge. This emphasizes the need for enhanced AI training in medical education.

According to Sallam [ 14 ], ChatGPT and other models based on lLLMs have significantly improved healthcare education. They customize responses to student inquiries, curate relevant educational material, and tailor content to individual learning styles. For instance, ChatGPT generates personalized quiz questions, suggests resources to fill knowledge gaps, and adjusts explanations to suit diverse learning preferences. Moreover, it simplifies complex medical concepts, employs analogies and examples for clarity, and offers supplementary materials to enhance comprehension.

Breeding et al. [ 11 ] argued that in medical education, ChatGPT should be viewed as a supplementary tool rather than a substitute for traditional sources. While it offers clear and organized information, medical students still perceive evidence-based sources as more comprehensive. Eysenbach [ 33 ] engaged in a series of dialogues with ChatGPT to explore its integration into medical education. ChatGPT demonstrated proficiency in various tasks, such as grading essays, providing feedback, creating virtual patient scenarios, enhancing medical textbooks, summarizing research articles, and explaining key findings. Nevertheless, it also demonstrated a tendency to produce erroneous responses and fabricated data, including references. Such inaccuracies have the potential to generate student misconceptions, spread misinformation, and cause a decline in critical thinking skills [ 33 ]. Han et al. [ 34 ] conducted a comprehensive examination of ChatGPT’s effectiveness as a pedagogical tool in medical education, focusing on the chatbot’s interaction with delineated educational objectives and tasks. Their findings suggest that while ChatGPT is capable of providing elementary data and explanations, it is not impervious to constraints and sometimes provides incorrect or partial information. The study stresses active learning and analytical reasoning in medical education, emphasizing the importance of understanding basic sciences and the need for expert oversight to ensure AI-generated information accuracy [ 34 ].

Das et al. [ 35 ] evaluated ChatGPT’s efficacy in medical education, focusing on microbiology questions at different difficulty levels. They found that ChatGPT could answer basic and complex microbiology queries with roughly 80% accuracy, indicating its potential as an automated educational tool in medicine. The study underscores the importance of ongoing improvements in training language models to enhance their effectiveness for academic use [ 35 , 36 ].AI implementation in healthcare must be carefully managed to maximize benefits and minimize risks [ 11 , 12 , 35 , 36 ]. With the rapid development of digital technologies and AI tools, particularly in healthcare, students need appropriate resources to use these technologies effectively [ 37 ]. Digital literacy is essential in the 21st century, including skills for interacting with digital content [ 16 , 18 ]. Hence, medical literacy skills should start early in the education of healthcare students.

Digital literacy and eHealth literacy skills

Digital literacy skills encompass a collection of essential abilities necessary for using digital technologies effectively in accessing and retrieving information [ 38 ]. These skills are often viewed as foundational digital literacies that are critical for full participation in the digital era [ 39 ]. The European Commission emphasizes the importance of digital literacy for employability and citizenship. They advocate for policies and programs to enhance digital skills across all segments of society. The EU aims for 70% of adults to have basic digital skills by 2025, focusing on analytical, evaluative, and critical thinking abilities crucial for assessing digital information’s quality and credibility [ 40 ]. Individuals need these skills to discern biases and misinformation in various media formats [ 16 , 17 , 41 ] and evaluate the credibility of online sources [ 42 ]. Critical thinking is crucial for distinguishing between accurate information and misinformation [ 43 ], while data literacy is essential for interpreting data and detecting misleading statistics [ 44 ]. These competencies are fundamental for navigating today’s complex digital information landscape.

eHealth literacy, which incorporates the digital skills needed to access and utilize medical information from digital platforms [ 45 ], is gaining recognition as an integral component of overall health literacy. Enhanced online medical literacy is vital for healthcare professionals and administrators [ 46 ] to adapt to changing demands and improve care management within evolving healthcare paradigms [ 47 ]. Additionally, acquisition of digital competencies has been identified as a valuable strategy that healthcare providers and managers can use to manage the psychological effects of heightened workloads and uncertainty, such as the fear, stress, and anxiety emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic [ 48 ]. These skills enable individuals to use AI as both an independent tool and a supplementary aid in decision-making. However, addressing challenges like bias and academic integrity is crucial when integrating AI into medical education [ 32 , 33 , 49 ]. Critical thinking skills are essential for analyzing digital information, identifying inconsistencies, and evaluating arguments. In today’s era of misinformation, users must verify the accuracy of online content and distinguish between reliable sources and hoaxes [ 43 ]. Data literacy skills are also crucial for interpreting data accurately, detecting misleading statistics, and making informed decisions based on credible sources in the digital age [ 44 ].

Research on digital literacy emphasizes the importance of analytical and evaluative skills. Morgan et al. [ 17 ] found that higher education students struggle most with evaluating digital content for bias and quality. They excel in social literacy skills like communication. This highlights the need to prioritize adaptability in digital literacy, integrating industry-relevant experiences into education to ensure students can navigate and critically assess digital information for real-world applications.

Indeed, since the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, it has been beneficial in various educational contexts. Nevertheless, concerns have been raised about potential inaccuracies and misinformation that may affect student learning and critical thinking [ 20 ]. Moreover, the potential redundancy of certain digital skills as a result of ChatGPT’s capabilities has also sparked discussions on changing educational objectives [ 19 , 21 , 22 ]. The development of ChatGPT may replace some digital skills as it takes over tasks previously expected of students. Researchers [ 21 , 22 ] argue that it is constantly improving its ability to access accurate medical information, providing reliable advice and treatment options from reputable sources. This ability may render the need for individuals to be adept at information retrieval and evaluation redundant. In other words, ChatGPT’s growing proficiency in tasks such as translation, text summarization, and sentiment analysis, and its ability to generate content like movies [ 23 ] may potentially lead to the underdevelopment of critical thinking skills, including the ability to evaluate source quality and reliability, formulate informed judgments, and generate creative and original ideas [ 24 ]. Indeed, the integration of AI into the healthcare sector raises critical questions about the nature and scope of the digital skills required in the future [ 19 , 20 ].

As AI advances, essential digital competencies may need reassessment to keep pace with technology. This requires forward-thinking digital literacy initiatives, particularly in healthcare education and practice. Proactively addressing the potential impact of AI on human interactions with digital healthcare technologies is critical. This will ensure that healthcare professionals and students are skilled in current digital practices, and prepared for the evolving role of AI in the sector. Despite the swift integration of AI tools in healthcare, and applications like ChatGPT, research on their long-term impacts, effects on users, and the necessary adaptation of skills and methodologies in the ever-evolving learning environment remains insufficient [ 11 , 12 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ].

This study aims to address the intersection of AI adoption in healthcare and its implications for medical education, specifically focusing on the skills required by healthcare professionals. With the rapid incorporation of AI, into healthcare settings, there is an urgent need to reassess the digital literacy skills traditionally emphasized in medical education. This reassessment prompts questions about the ongoing relevance of these skills as AI technologies continue to evolve and expand their role in healthcare [ 13 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ].

Research questions

Given the context, this study aims to explore the following qualitative research questions:

How does a pedagogical framework integrating problem-based learning with ChatGPT affect healthcare management undergraduates’ digital literacy skills?

What are students’ experiences with the combined use of problem-based learning and ChatGPT in their healthcare management education?

How do students perceive the shift towards AI-relevant skills as a result of engaging with this integrated pedagogical approach?

Methodology

Methodological approach.

The present research adopts the case study methodology, which entails in-depth empirical research of a current phenomenon within its real-world context [ 50 ]. This approach involves collecting data on human activities within a defined time and space setting, thereby facilitating an understanding of the various processes occurring within the research case. In qualitative research, and particularly in case study research, themes are formulated from the participants’ narratives, thus allowing for the development of arguments or generalizations derived deductively from participants’ statements [ 51 ]. By focusing on our research questions and using a methodological framework that emphasizes depth and context, the study aims to shed light on the transformative impact of AI on medical education and the development of the skills required for future healthcare professionals.

The research was conducted and analyzed by the researcher, who has a PhD in Healthcare Management and over 15 years of experience in qualitative analysis. Her expertise ensures a deep understanding of the study’s qualitative data. Throughout the research, she engaged in continuous reflexive practices to evaluate how her subjectivity and context influenced the study. This included reflecting on her assumptions, considering power dynamics with participants, aligning research paradigms and methods, and understanding the research context [ 59 ].

Participants and research population

The study involved 89 third-year undergraduate students enrolled in a Health System Management degree program, specifically participating in a course on Service Quality in the Healthcare System during the 2023 academic year. The researcher, serving as the lecturer for this course, integrated writing reflective journals into the curriculum as part of the learning process. Following the course’s conclusion and after grades were distributed, the researcher asked students, in adherence to ethical guidelines, if they consented to have their reflective journals analyzed for research purposes, as outlined in the data collection section. Only students who completed all components of the intervention plan outlined for the class were considered potential participants in the research population.

From this group, qualitative data was extracted from the reflective journals of 65 students who consented to participate. The demographic breakdown of this participant subset included 80% females, with an average age of 24.26 years (Standard Deviation = 3.80).

Data collection

Throughout the course, participants were required to keep a reflective journal documenting their learning journey, to be submitted at the end of the semester. The aim of writing the journal was to capture their personal perceptions of their learning experience. They were encouraged to articulate various challenges, obstacles, and positive and negative aspects they encountered [ 52 ]. Specifically, they were asked to describe the main challenges they faced and the obstacles they overcame, and to provide an introspective account of their experiences. The practice of writing a personal journal not only served as a tool for reflection but also helped them adopt a comprehensive perspective on their educational process [ 53 ].

The credibility of the reflective journal prompts was assured by grounding their development in an extensive literature review and expert consultations within the field of healthcare education. This process ensured that the prompts accurately reflected the constructs of interest, facilitating consistent and meaningful student reflections. Content validity was emphasized to ensure the journal prompts were aligned with the study’s objectives and relevant to students’ experiences in healthcare management education. Refinement of these prompts to effectively meet research objectives was facilitated through expert input. A detailed coding scheme was developed, featuring definitions and categories reflecting the study’s aims and insights from the journals. The coding was applied to a subset of journals by the researcher to ensure credibility.

The data were collected from the reflective journals in accordance with the intervention plan outlined in the Instructional Method section. The study carefully complied with several ethical guidelines for research with human subjects. The nature and purpose of the research were fully explained to the students, with particular emphasis on the use of reflective journals to evaluate the intervention plan. The students gave their informed consent and signed consent forms. To ensure confidentiality, participants were informed that all names would be replaced by pseudonyms and all identifying details would be removed from the final research report. They were also explicitly told that the journal entries would be processed anonymously. The research was approved by the college’s Ethics Committee.

Instructional method procedure (intervention plan)

The focus of this study is a required course titled Introducing Quality into the Health System, which had formerly been taught using traditional frontal teaching methods. The study examines the transformation of this course into a course taught using ChatGPT-mediated online guided learning. This innovative learning approach provides learners a comprehensive experience that entails self-directed learning. The approach emphasizes problem-based learning and focuses on identifying ethical dilemmas and analyzing them within organizational contexts. The intervention plan was strategically organized into five primary stages. Each stage comprised a series of carefully constructed steps that were specifically designed to build upon the knowledge and skills acquired in the previous stages, thus ensuring a coherent and cumulative educational progression. Figure  1 summarizes the instructional method.

Initial Familiarization with ChatGPT

At the beginning of the course, students were introduced to ChatGPT to develop their understanding and proficiency with the tool. This involved providing them detailed instructions on effective usage and encouraging them to engage in interactive dialogues with ChatGPT. The aim was to foster a sense of familiarity and ease, thereby facilitating an informal, hands-on learning experience.

Exploratory Analysis of a Dilemma using ChatGPT

In this exploratory stage, students began to examine the topic of hospital accreditation. Through interactions with ChatGPT, they were introduced to the pros and cons of the accreditation process and to the dilemmas posed by following the accreditation guidelines. The issue of accreditation is central to the discourse on how to improve healthcare quality, but it is also fraught with challenges, such as staff shortages and funding issues. Hospitals have had to make significant changes to meet accreditation standards, leading to debates about possible abolition of the accreditation system. While accreditation is crucial for quality control, its associated costs, particularly those related to inspections and the need for additional staff, pose significant challenges. Without proportional funding, compulsory accreditation has placed financial pressures on hospitals, creating a complex dynamic for both the Ministry of Health and healthcare institutions as they navigate the accreditation process.

To explore the topic of accreditation in depth, students were instructed to develop a series of questions to input to ChatGPT aimed at extracting detailed information about the accreditation dilemma. Students engaged with ChatGPT by posing questions and critically analyzing the answers from three perspectives: organizational, healthcare worker, and patient/customer. They iteratively refined their queries to increase precision until they achieved a comprehensive understanding. Following guidelines, they condensed and reorganized the information into a structured paragraph, incorporating the core dilemmas and arguments from each perspective. To meet objectives, students demonstrated digital media skills, including locating and sharing relevant materials, analyzing ChatGPT responses, verifying sources, and assessing content credibility.

Synthesis and Documentation of Concepts Emerging through ChatGPT Interaction

In the third stage, students were required to submit a comprehensive list detailing new concepts, themes, and sub-themes that emerged from their learning experience with ChatGPT. Their submitted list was not limited to the final results, but also included documentation of all stages of their work, including their initial set of questions, their subsequent refinement of these questions, and the process of their development throughout the learning journey. In addition, they were required to provide a final section summarizing the culmination of their exploration and learning process with ChatGPT. This comprehensive approach was designed to demonstrate the students’ engagement and progression with the tool and to highlight their ability to develop their inquiries and synthesize information effectively.

Analytical Structuring of Learning Outcomes

In the fourth stage, students attempted to refine the learning outcomes they had previously generated. Following the established guidelines, their main objective was to identify and highlight the pros and cons of the various arguments related to the dilemmas they had studied, making sure to consider them from different perspectives. The challenge was to present their arguments in a coherent and logical order, for example by comparing budgetary considerations with quality considerations. They were also expected to support each argument with scientific evidence, thereby aligning their analysis with academic accuracy and empirical research. This stage was crucial in developing their ability to critically evaluate and articulate complex issues, particularly in the field of healthcare.

Final project: Integrative Analysis and multidimensional presentation

In the final stage, students developed and presented a final project, building upon their prior work to explore a comprehensive research question or delve into a specific aspect of their study. This included presenting organizational and managerial viewpoints. The choice of format and tools for their project and presentation—ranging from e-posters and slides to video clips, using familiar technologies like PowerPoint and ThingLink—was left to the students. This method fostered diversity and empowered students by allowing them to select their preferred presentation technique. Moreover, the project featured a peer review phase where students critiqued each other’s work through insightful questions and suggestions, enhancing the discussion. This interactive element aimed to bolster critical thinking and collaborative learning.

Summary of instructional method

Reflective Journaling: documenting the Learning Journey

Throughout the semester, students kept a reflective journal, which they submitted at the end of the course. The primary aim of this journal was to document their personal learning experiences. The journal provided a window on their challenges, difficulties and successes they encountered, all viewed through the lens of their own perceptions and experiences.

Data analysis

The present research employed a deductive-inductive method for categorical analysis of the dataset. Integration of these deductive and inductive approaches was essential to facilitate investigation of predefined categories that are grounded in extant literature and theoretical frameworks, as well as to permit the discovery of novel categories that surfaced during the analysis process [ 51 ]. Initially, the deductive stage was conducted, focusing on predefined categories derived from existing literature and theoretical frameworks. Following this, the inductive stage allowed for the identification and development of novel categories based on the data analysis. The inclusion of episodes, thoughts, and feelings expressed by the students in this study serves to reinforce the reliability of the identified themes. The analysis of the reflective journals began with in-depth reading to identify initial themes from students’ narratives. Inductive coding facilitated the identification and development of themes by the researcher, rather than merely allowing them to ‘emerge.’ This active interpretation and organization of the data by the researcher led to a compilation of key insights. After ensuring the reliability and validity of these findings through careful review, the researcher then organized the codes into themes and sub-themes, ensuring they accurately reflected the data and provided a clear narrative of the students’ experiences.

The findings

The researcher’s analysis of the reflective journals actively uncovered five main categories: (1) Use of Literacy Skills; (2) User Experiences with ChatGPT; (3) ChatGPT Information Credibility; (4) Challenges and Barriers when Working with ChatGPT; (5) Mastering ChatGPT Prompting Competencies. Table  1 summarizes the identified categories and subcategories. To further clarify each category, the table includes representative quotations from the data for illustrative purposes. Throughout the manuscript, pseudonyms have been used with quotations. This approach ensures confidentiality and anonymity for all participants.

Use of literacy skills

The category comprising the use of literacy skills, the code refers to instances where participants relate literacy skills such as reading comprehension, searching evaluation of Information, etc., in their interactions with ChatGPT.

It includes three subcategories: Search Strategies and Access to Data in ChatGPT Use; Data Analysis Enhancement with ChatGPT ; and Evaluation of Information in ChatGPT Interactions Search Strategies and Access to Data in ChatGPT Use.

In the reflective journals, the students consistently expressed their high regard for the efficiency and ease of searching for and accessing information through ChatGPT. The chat interface significantly improved the process of retrieving information by removing the necessity to navigate through multiple websites or sources, thereby making the material more accessible. Furthermore, the interface’s user-friendly and accessible content format played a crucial role in significantly enhancing students’ understanding of the material. Shir wrote: The chat was super easy and helpful in making the dilemma clearer for me. It put all the info I needed in one spot, and everything was explained in a way that was simple to understand.

The analysis of the student journals underscored the remarkable proficiency of ChatGPT in rapidly and effortlessly providing information for various tasks. This technology alleviated the necessity for students to delve into multiple sources, offering a direct approach for understanding concepts, interpreting implications, and compiling data for complex issues. ChatGPT’s swift and handy information retrieval supported autonomous learning on the topic. As an accessible and user-friendly tool, it saved considerable time. Moreover, its accessibility and constant availability helped in tailoring learning experiences to fit the learner’s schedule, independent of external factors or intermediaries. ChatGPT’s use of simple, everyday language, coupled with its capacity to deconstruct and elucidate complex concepts, rendered it exceedingly approachable and beneficial for information searches and for enhancing the accessibility of educational content. Lihi also acknowledged the efficacy of ChatGPT in facilitating the rapid acquisition and expansion of her conceptual knowledge. She underscored that the ChatGPT tool obviated the need to consult multiple databases and websites for extracting conceptual information: ChatGPT is really fast and easy to use when you need info on lots of different things. It’s great for finding technical stuff, explaining problems, understanding things better, and getting new ideas on the spot. You don’t even have to go looking for more sources – it’s all right there.

Data synthesis and analysis enhancement with ChatGPT

Analysis of the reflective journals indicates that students found the synthesis, editing, and analysis of content facilitated by ChatGPT to be extremely beneficial. The tool significantly reduced the technical complexity of gathering and synthesizing information from different sources, tasks that had previously been their responsibility. As a result, they were spared the need for synthesizing, editing, and analyzing the raw data, with ChatGPT efficiently performing these functions on their behalf. Meir wrote: ChatGPT really helped us out. It gave us a full picture of the whole process, including the good and bad parts, and how to handle them. We didn’t even need to look at any other info sources at that point .

Evaluation of information in ChatGPT Interaction

The streamlined data collection procedures enabled the students to engage in more advanced learning processes, such as distinguishing between facts and assumptions, differentiating critical from non-critical information, and developing arguments as they advanced to more complex stages. The students observed that although ChatGPT presented data objectively, it did not offer explicit arguments, thus requiring them to actively interpret and formulate their own positions regarding the dilemma and identify the foundational principles for their principal arguments. For example, Miri’s reflections highlighted her need to formulate and develop a stance on the dilemma, which compelled her to engage in critical assessment of the situation:

ChatGPT didn’t really point out which arguments were more important or less important. It kind of listed them all the same way, which made me decide for myself what to focus on. I had to pick the arguments I thought were key and then find evidence to back them up.

Furthermore, the students were asked to support their arguments with evidence from the academic literature, necessitating a thorough evaluation and critical analysis of the information. This process led them to make informed decisions and formulate solutions. In their reflective journals, students documented a cautious approach, emphasizing the need not to simply accept information as it is presented. Instead, they highlighted the importance of thoroughly evaluating the information’s accuracy. Amir similarly addressed this issue, noting his necessity to independently navigate the “thinking part” and acquire the skills to construct strong arguments or effectively employ academic resources: The chat didn’t really help me figure out what’s important and what’s not when I write. It also didn’t teach me how to make strong arguments or how to use academic stuff to back up my points.

User experiences with ChatGPT

This category refers to the qualitative data related to participants’ overall experiences, perceptions, and attitudes towards interacting with ChatGPT. The theme of user experiences is divided into three sub-themes: Time Efficiency using ChatGPT; Accessibility and Availability of ChatGPT; and User-Friendly Dynamics . Overall, analysis of the students’ reflective journals reveals broad agreement about ChatGPT’s user-friendliness and ease of use. Many students noted the chatbot’s intuitive interface and straightforward functionality, which made it accessible to those who may not be tech-savvy. This consensus highlights the effectiveness of ChatGPT as a tool that simplifies information acquisition and supports learning without the typical complexities associated with advanced technological tools.

Time efficiency using ChatGPT

In this sub-category, analysis of the student journals revealed the major time-saving benefits of using ChatGPT for various tasks. ChatGPT successfully eliminated the need for students to sift through numerous sources of information. By providing a straightforward way to understand a concept, grasp its implications, and gather information on complex dilemmas, ChatGPT demonstrated its efficiency in saving students’ time. Riad mentioned the significant time efficiency gained from using the tool, highlighting how it saved him considerable time: You can find out a lot about all sorts of things really quickly. The chat gives you detailed breakdowns and explanations, sorting everything into different arguments and topics; it saves you a lot of time.

Ali also referred to this point: I was not very familiar with the details of accreditation, including its benefits and challenges, but within minutes I was able to grasp its essence and understand the importance of the whole process.

The time efficiency extended not only to data retrieval and collection but also encompassed information synthesis, significantly reducing the amount of time usually required for comprehensive and coherent processing and reformulating of acquired data. Mai observed that the time saved was also because she didn’t need to search for data across multiple sources and combine it together:

The amount of time I save is insane. If I had to search for this stuff on the internet instead of using the chat, it would take me way longer to find an answer. And even after finding it, I’d have to summarize what I found and then rephrase it in my own words, which takes so much time.

Accessibility and availability of ChatGPT

A majority of the students noted that the tool’s immediate accessibility and availability significantly facilitated the personalization of learning approaches. This customization seamlessly interfaced with the unique scheduling needs of each learner, offering flexibility that in traditional learning settings is typically constrained by external factors or intermediaries. Hana highlighted ChatGPT’s anytime, anywhere accessibility through a simple interface, enabling quick and comprehensive responses without the wait for expert assistance: ChatGPT is available to use anytime, anywhere using a simple and convenient interface. This would allow you to get a quick and comprehensive response at any time of the day, without having to wait around for people or experts to help you out.

Lina similarly noted: It’s pretty great how available it is (as long as it’s not too busy…). Any question I have, I get an answer. It saved me a lot of Google searches and reading articles and stuff. I get a quick and clear answer to everything I ask and it’s all super fast.

ChatGPT Information credibility

This category involves instances where participants discuss the credibility, reliability, and trustworthiness of the information provided by ChatGPT. Analysis of the reflective journals showed that interaction with ChatGPT facilitated students’ ability to acquire fundamental knowledge, which could then be expanded upon through subsequent inquiries and verification. Nevertheless, as students proceeded in their tasks, particularly those that required articulating arguments and substantiating their stances on complex dilemmas, they acknowledged the limitations of relying solely on ChatGPT. These limitations focused primarily on concerns about the tool’s credibility in providing sufficiently authoritative information. In this regard, Ofri appreciated ChatGPT’s quick access to information but expressed concerns over its credibility and occasional inaccuracies, leading to unexpected disappointment:

I have found that ChatGPT has a lot of good points. It can quickly give you a lot of information on so many topics and you can really use that information. But I have also learned that this tool has its drawbacks. It is not always right, and it certainly doesn’t always give you things that are based on solid academic facts. Sometimes ChatGPT just makes things up. To be honest, realizing this was a bit of a shock to me.

Students also noted that they were often faced with an overwhelming amount of information, some of which was irrelevant or incorrect, requiring them to evaluate the information and determine its quality. Dalia noted that while ChatGPT provided extensive information initially, aiding in learning about the topic, it also required discernment to distinguish between accurate and less relevant information: In the first stage, the chat gave us a lot of information, which was great because it helped us learn more about the topic. But at the same time, we had to decide which information was really important and accurate and which wasn’t.

Students’ understanding of the limitations of relying solely on the information provided to justify arguments and articulate positions in dilemmas motivated them to examine and assess its reliability. They did so by asking specific questions and consulting established academic references. From the students’ point of view, this careful research and critical evaluation process not only provided them with the opportunity to refine their powers of critical thinking and analysis, it also equipped them with the capacity to critically evaluate the credibility of the information presented. Lina wrote:

I attempted to back up the info I found with academic sources, but then I figured out that the chat isn’t always reliable…. I went through each article that I got results from…to check where is it from, and whether the author actually existed or was just made up… After that, I did another check with other databases. This whole process made me super cautious and thorough in checking everything.

The students expressed unanimous agreement that the need to assess the information provided by the chat forced them to be critical and use evaluation skills. Not only was this a skill they needed to be able to put to good use. It also constituted a challenge in using ChatGPT, as Limor stated that, contrary to reducing critical thinking, proper use of ChatGPT can enhance it by prompting users to reconsider and verify information, despite the challenge:

It might seem that using ChatGPT would make you think less because, well, it’s like chatting to a robot. But actually, if you use it properly and really get into it, it adds a lot to your knowledge and makes you think more broadly and deeper. This is because it makes you think about things over and over again, and double-check the information… it wasn’t easy.

Challenges and barriers in Working with ChatGPT

This category encompasses the various obstacles, difficulties, and limitations encountered by participants while using ChatGPT, including technical issues, comprehension challenges, and frustration. The analysis suggests that despite the students’ widespread agreement on the advantages of using ChatGPT, such as its ease of use, constant availability, and user-friendliness, its accompanying challenges should also be considered. Among these challenges are hesitation in adopting new, cutting-edge technology, difficulties in learning how to use the tool, and language barriers. The language issue was particularly significant, as ChatGPT operates mainly in English, which is not the first language of many of the students. Shir faced difficulties with English translation but viewed it as an opportunity to improve language skills, eventually becoming more comfortable with the chat and reducing reliance on outside translation help:

One big problem I had was writing in English and then translating it to express what I wanted to say. But I decided to take it on as a challenge and use it as a chance to improve my reading and writing in English. Since we didn’t have to use English much, at first it felt like it took forever to understand or read stuff. But gradually, we got the hang of the chat and didn’t need as much help with translating from outside sources.

Some students noted that they also faced some technical issues, revealing the downside of depending exclusively on online tools for studying. For many students, this was their first time using AI including applications like ChatGPT that are built on large language models. As they continued to use it, however, they became more accustomed to it. Ali found initially accessing the GPT chat difficult and, despite its ease of use, experienced issues with site access due to high traffic and occasional freezing, hindering continuous use:

When I first tried the GPT chat for my task, it was a bit tough to get onto the site. But after a while, I noticed that even though the chat is easy to use, it’s got its problems. Sometimes, you can’t even get into the chat because too many people are trying to use it at the same time, and other times, it just freezes up, and you can’t keep using it.

Mastering ChatGPT-Prompting competency

This category involves instances where participants demonstrate proficiency in formulating effective prompts and questions to elicit accurate and relevant responses from ChatGPT. Analysis of the reflective journals revealed that this theme posed a notable challenge for the students, primarily due to their unfamiliarity with the tool. Indeed, they needed to learn how to use the chat effectively to elicit the correct responses and achieve their desired outcomes. Additionally, they encountered challenges in ensuring accuracy and setting the right parameters to establish a reliable and precise database. Despite these obstacles, the students recognized that their efforts to achieve accuracy and their practice of asking repetitive questions were instrumental in developing higher-order thinking skills and being able to organize and manage the required information proficiently. Liya related to this challenge by noted that dealing with inaccurate responses from the model involves clarifying questions with more details, considering alternative answers, and emphasizing the importance of verifying the information received:

Sometimes the model may give you wrong information or answers… to cope with getting answers that are not accurate, you should make your question clearer and add more details. Also think about using different choices of answers. And it is really important to always check the answers you’re getting.

Analysis of the reflective journals showed that systematic demonstration of these activities, along with comprehensive detailing of early learning stages and the cumulative nature of the tasks, provided students the chance to assess and revisit each step retrospectively. This reflective review allowed them to seek explanations for any aspects that were unclear, ask more questions and craft more targeted prompts, and gain a deeper understanding of the entire process. Rim, for example, explained: The chat lets us get information in a series, like being able to ask another question to get a better understanding or clear up something from the first questions we asked. This helped us keep track of everything by linking all our questions together.

Nir noted that the need to aim for accuracy by repeatedly refining the questions really helped in dealing with the assigned tasks effectively:

From my experience with ChatGPT, I have learned that if you want good answers, you have to be really clear about what you are asking. You need to know what you want to achieve with the chat. It is best to give specific instructions to obtain the exact info you need. Also, you should think carefully about the answers you get, making sure the facts are right, and using your own thinking to make wise decisions.

This qualitative study examined the process of introducing and using a pedagogical framework that integrates problem-based learning with the use of ChatGPT among undergraduate healthcare management students. The study also provided a qualitative exploration of their experiences using this technology and assessed how the use of ChatGPT can shift the focus from traditional digital literacy skills to advanced AI literacy skills. It demonstrated how the use of the ChatGPT platform can be managed to encourage the development of critical thinking and evaluation skills through active student engagement. These skills are considered critical for learning and working with AI platforms.

The analysis of students’ reflective journals indicated a perception of the platform as user-friendly. Minichiello et al. [ 54 ] expand the definition of “user experience” beyond mere interaction with user interfaces to include design, information presentation, technological features, and factors related to emotion, personal connection, and experience. Students described their experience with the platform positively, citing it as an incentive for ongoing engagement.

The analysis also showed that the platform’s efficiency was significantly influenced by its high availability and accessibility, which were key factors in its attractiveness to users. This attractiveness was further enhanced by its ease of use. A critical aspect of the platform’s effectiveness was its efficiency in providing key materials in a timely manner, drastically reducing the time required to retrieve information. Users particularly appreciated this aspect of the platform as it streamlined their access to information and significantly improved their learning efficiency. The platform’s ability to deliver relevant information quickly and efficiently was instrumental in its positive reception. In an academic environment where efficient time management and quick access to educational materials are essential, the platform’s ability to meet these needs effectively constituted a notable advantage.

However, students noted initial difficulties and obstacles in utilizing ChatGPT, primarily related to data credibility. These challenges, highlighted in the qualitative data, necessitated the application of critical thinking and conducting various checks to verify the information received. This concern over the credibility of information from AI tools aligns with observations by Mohamad-Hani et al. [ 55 ], who reported similar credibility issues with ChatGPT data among healthcare professionals.

Another significant challenge for the students focused on how to retrieve relevant and accurate information. To this end, they had to refine their question formulation to extract the most relevant and accurate data from the tool. Such challenges have increasingly become a focus of academic attention due to the emerging recognition of the importance of developing prompting skills for effective interaction with platforms such as ChatGPT and other AI tools [ 19 , 20 ].

In terms of digital literacy skills, the findings of this study suggest that basic literacy skills such as locating, retrieving, synthesizing, and summarizing information may become less important as AI systems improve. Yet students still must be trained to evaluate and think critically about AI tools and what they can accomplish, especially since AI technologies like ChatGPT are not always completely trustworthy. Therefore, students need to learn how to evaluate the information these tools provide. These findings also offer some support for the notion that while digital literacy is undeniably recognized as crucial for the 21st century, especially in the healthcare arena [ 36 , 45 ], the definition of digital literacy is changing as technological tools develop. For decades, education focused on developing basic skills. Over time, however, there was a shift toward the cultivation of more complex skills involving information evaluation, synthesis, and assessment [ 56 , 57 ]. Yet as AI continues to penetrate everyday life, there has been a noticeable evolution in the forms of literacy required.

This evolution marks a transition from traditional data digital literacy, which emphasizes a basic understanding and processing of information, to AI digital literacy, which goes beyond mere data consumption to include using digital tools skillfully, understanding the nature of digital content, and effectively navigating the complex digital landscape. This shift reflects the changing demands of a technology-driven society, in which digital literacy is becoming increasingly essential for both personal and professional development [ 58 ]. As AI becomes integrated into different dimensions of work and daily life, especially in the healthcare industry, AI digital literacy will continue to evolve to meet the new demands. This will require a different set of skills, including prompting skills that allow users to better interact with AI tools [ 19 , 20 ].

These results highlight the importance of rethinking the educational use of AI tools such as ChatGPT, potentially leading to changes in future learning curricula. Without the ability to use digital tools, students are liable to fall behind when it comes to adapting to new technologies, thus limiting their ability to learn key skills. Therefore, AI tools must be taught and used in a way that supports students’ holistic learning. These findings align with those of other researchers who focus on the use of the AI platform in education [ 40 , 42 , 43 ]. Such an approach will ensure that students are prepared for the evolving challenges and opportunities of our increasingly digital world. This is especially important in the medical education field, as AI is increasingly being used in different ways to improve the accuracy of disease diagnosis, treatment strategies, and prediction of patient outcomes [ 9 , 10 , 25 , 27 ].

Given that AI technology is still developing and is anticipated to advance and become more widely used [ 21 , 22 ], the need to adapt and acquire new literacy skills is growing. As AI evolves, reliance on traditional basic skills may decline over time, underscoring the importance of learning how to effectively utilize and interact with emerging technologies. Learning to engage with AI tools such as ChatGPT from an early stage in their education can greatly enhance students’ learning experiences. This early exposure will not only provide them with a deeper understanding of these tools. It will also boost their motivation to learn how to use them more effectively, thus highlighting the importance of training students to handle such technologies proficiently. Equally important is the need to guide students through these learning processes to ensure they acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate and utilize AI tools successfully in their educational journey [ 11 ].

Limitations and future research directions

This study utilized a pedagogical framework that integrates problem-based learning with the use of ChatGPT. While the researcher focused on the pedagogical aspect, future research is warranted to compare this digitally supported activity to a non-digital equivalent and examine the impact on students’ literacy and skills. Such a comparison would make it possible to assess what the digital instrument contributes to skill development and to identify any challenges encountered.

The use of this tool across different teaching methods could also be explored to determine whether it is particularly effective for certain types of tasks or requirements. The current study focused on health management. Implementation of this teaching approach in other academic areas should be examined to assess its effectiveness in acquiring competencies in different arenas. The findings of this study highlight the need for further research into the use of AI in learning environments that focus on goal-oriented pedagogy. Such research can help in developing educational strategies that promote the skills essential for lifelong learning.

Conclusions and recommendations

In conclusion, revisiting the research questions in the context of our findings highlights the transformative potential of integrating ChatGPT with problem-based learning in healthcare management education. This study underscores how such integration not only shifts the focus from traditional digital literacy to advanced AI literacy skills but also enhances critical thinking and evaluation capabilities among students. These competencies are indispensable as AI continues to reshape the landscape of healthcare and medical education. AI is emerging as a transformative force that will fundamentally change the global landscape. Although we are still in the early stages of integrating and understanding AI capabilities, its potential to shape our future is clear. Adapting to this digital transformation, especially in healthcare, is crucial [ 4 , 6 ].

Integrating AI into healthcare systems poses significant challenges and raises many unanswered questions [ 9 , 10 ]. These issues require careful consideration and strategic planning to maximize benefits while addressing implementation complexities. The extent and impact of these transformations on the health system and its workforce remain uncertain. However, it is crucial to prepare for these changes at both individual and organizational levels. Educational institutions must update their teaching methods to meet digital demands, recognizing the critical role of educators in developing effective support strategies.

To enable healthcare professionals to integrate AI tools effectively, these tools should be introduced early in education, such as during undergraduate studies or initial professional training [ 9 , 32 , 33 ]. Hands-on experience allows learners to build confidence and understand the tools’ limitations. Additionally, AI tools and especially LLMs such as GPT and their applications, including platforms like ChatGPT, can serve as user-friendly and efficient learning aids, as demonstrated in this research. In addition, researchers should strive to develop innovative pedagogical methods for integrating these tools into different curricula, as exemplified here by the effective use of dilemma-based learning enhanced by ChatGPT. These studies should focus on determining which skills will become redundant and on highlighting essential competencies needed for AI literacy, including prompting, evaluation skills, and critical thinking, all of which are essential for effectively integrating AI and LLMs into medical education and daily practice. Participants in such studies have noted that the acquisition of such skills, particularly in the area of effective prompting, significantly improves the quality of AI responses. Similar to learning a new language, learning to use AI requires precise phrasing and an in-depth understanding of context. Not only will AI skills improve student engagement and comprehension, they will also encourage critical thinking, leading to better educational outcomes. Students who formulate well-structured search queries obtain more accurate responses from AI, which are critical to improving healthcare and learning outcomes.

It is therefore imperative that academia and higher education institutions, including medical education institutions, adopt methods for effectively guiding and training students in using AI. This approach is essential to address the evolving global educational landscape and to embrace the shift in roles. Educators should move from being primarily providers of knowledge to being facilitators of cultural understanding and skill development. Such a shift is essential to promote the transformative evolution of the role of educators in the modern educational context.

Availability of data and materials

Data are available upon request from the Corresponding author.

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Naamati-Schneider, L. Enhancing AI competence in health management: students’ experiences with ChatGPT as a learning Tool. BMC Med Educ 24 , 598 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05595-9

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