Language proficiency requirements of English language teachers: An overview

Language proficiency is one of the important qualities of English language teachers. Requirements pertaining to language proficiency set out in teacher certification for the profession lay out the benchmark for ensuring the quality of English language teachers. The development of language proficiency requirements of English language teachers by different countries has, on the one hand, facilitated the standardization of such requirements. On the other hand, it has contributed to the curriculum development of English language teacher education as well as the evaluation of these standards/developments. The current paper analyzes and compares the language proficiency requirements of English language teachers in terms of content and mode of assessment in major English speaking countries (the United States, Australia and Britain) and the non-English speaking country/region (Mainland China and Hong Kong). It is hoped that this review will enhance and contribute to the evaluation framework for the language proficiency of English language teachers.