Adjunct Instructor, English as a Second Language (ESL)
Posted Sep 3, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 4, 2026
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Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Tell me about your experience teaching English as a Second Language to adults.
What they are checking: Whether they have taught adult learners, who need different approaches than children.
How do you build a classroom where adults feel safe making mistakes in a new language?
What they are checking: Whether they create the trust that adult learners need to practice speaking.
Tell me about a time you taught someone who didn't share a common language with you.
What they are checking: Whether they can use visuals, gestures and patience to communicate across language barriers.
What would you do
Your class includes students who can't yet read in their first language alongside students with college degrees from home. How do you teach that room?
What they are checking: Whether they can differentiate for very different literacy levels in one adult ESL class.
A student stops coming to class for two weeks. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they reach out, since adult learners often miss class due to work, family or transportation, not lack of interest.
A student shares that they're struggling with housing or a legal issue. How do you respond?
What they are checking: Whether they know to connect students with resources while staying within their role as a teacher.
About the work
How would you teach a lesson on speaking with a doctor's office or filling out a job application?
What they are checking: Whether they build lessons around real-life tasks adult learners need right away.
Adult education programs like the Department of Adult Education and Literacy often track progress with standardized tests. How do you prepare students without just teaching to the test?
What they are checking: Whether they understand assessment requirements in adult education while still teaching real language skills.
How do you teach pronunciation without embarrassing students in front of others?
What they are checking: Whether they correct with care so students keep trying instead of shutting down.
How do you keep attendance and progress records accurate for a grant-funded program?
What they are checking: Whether they understand that adult education funding often depends on careful reporting.
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As published by Joliet Junior College.