It is safe to say that the number of income opportunities online has increased exponentially in recent years. Technological advances, combined with the necessity to keep physical distance from one another, have given many people the chance to transform the way they make a living.
Whether it be as a full-time job or a part-time hustle, a large proportion of the population are considering becoming their own bosses, reinventing themselves and their career path. With the internet and a bit of creativity, the sky’s the limit – but becoming an influencer is not everyone’s cup of tea. When it comes to making the most of remote work opportunities, teaching English online is one of the most popular.
Why is teaching English online so popular?
It offers flexibility. You can choose how much or how little you want to work, as you are free to choose what your timetable looks like. You can also decide what age groups to teach: do you prefer teaching adults or children? Depending on how you decide to go about it, you could even set your own hourly rate.
It gives freedom. When you teach English online, you can choose whether to work from the comfort of your own home or while travelling the world. It’s entirely up to you. Remember to take into consideration the time zone you will be in before accepting students: are you a morning person or a night owl?
It’s meaningful. As English is the global language used in technology, finance, and media, it’s no surprise that an increasing number of students are enrolling in English courses. Knowing that you would be helping people increase their chances of getting a job and improve their lifestyles is a pretty good feeling, don’t you think?
It’s fun. Long gone are the days of lecture-style teaching. You are in charge of your teaching style and the lessons are as fun as you make them. Personalize the lesson’s topics and the learning objectives to meet your students’ needs to achieve maximum engagement.
You can be your own boss. As a freelancer, you can take your career into your hands and see where it takes you. If you enjoy the business side of things, this option would be right up your street. From advertising your teaching services to drafting clear recruiting agreements for your students, there’s lots to think about – as well as planning and delivering your lessons, of course!
Rely on teaching platforms. If you prefer a hassle-free approach to freelancing, there are several teaching platforms that can offer support while giving you enough flexibility to put your own spin to the lessons.
Who can teach English?
Pretty much anyone who meets the following requirements can teach English online:
- Native or near-native level of English, spoken and written
- Fast and reliable internet connection
- Updated equipment, such as a laptop with camera and microphone
- A bachelor’s degree (not always mandatory)
- A TEFL qualification (not always mandatory)
With regard to qualifications, it is important to remember that a TEFL certificate has several advantages. First of all, it gives you the basic knowledge required to deliver each lesson with confidence. Secondly, it shows your potential clients your level of professionalism. Finally, it would be your springboard to further development. It would help in creating a teach English online from The TEFL Org – which provides a range of professional development courses. Before enrolling in a TEFL course, always do your research to find a reliable provider offering accredited courses.
What opportunities are there to teach English online?
- Teach students worldwide with Cambly. This platform offers informal conversation classes to learners who can already speak English to some extent.
- Teach English (or other languages) to students worldwide with Italki. With this platform, you can teach as a community tutor or as a professional teacher. While your lessons would have a more informal feel as a community tutor, you are likely to earn more as a professional teacher. Either way, you would be able to set your own rates.
- Teach English (or other languages) to (mainly) European students with Lingoda. This platform is ideal if you are new to teaching – they offer plenty of support as well as ready-made lesson materials.
- Teach with Landi if you have already teaching experience with young learners. This platform focuses on the ‘bond between teachers and students’, in order to maximize children’s learning potential.
- Teach students from South-East Asia with Topica Native. What makes this platform really special is that they welcome non-native teachers and they guarantee a minimum of 20 teaching hours a month – if you are available and offer high teaching standards.
- Teach South American students with LatinHire. With this platform you can teach a range of subjects, from Chemistry to Marketing, as well as English. It offers a flexible timetable and a fast hiring process.
To avoid any disappointment, always do your own research. Start by checking the requirements for each platform and see if you are a suitable candidate. Also compare aspects that are important to you, such as hourly rate and flexibility. This article listed only some of the opportunities that teaching English online can offer – there are plenty more out there!
References:
https://www.cambly.com/en/tutors?lang=en
https://support.italki.com/hc/en-us/sections/360004300993-Become-a-Teacher
https://www.lingoda.com/en/become-a-teacher/
https://oetjobs.com/top-5-online-english-teaching-jobs-for-south-african-teachers/
https://oetjobs.com/online-esl-school/topica-native-job-application/
