How to Teach English Online
As someone with interest in online work, you may have already considered online teaching. With the ongoing global health crisis and various lockdown policies being implemented everywhere, there has been a rise in demand for online tutoring. It isn’t exclusively for English either – pretty much any subject you can think of has enjoyed a rise in demand as caged up lockdownees find ways to improve job prospects or work on hobbies.
So, why not take that leap of faith and teach English online? Below is a brief introduction on how to make a start in the online world of teaching.
Getting qualified
The first thing anyone planning a career in teaching online should do is get qualified. Whether you work with an agency or go freelance, trying to find work without a relevant qualification will not get you far.
TESOL Certification
A certificate from an accredited, recognised provider is the foremost important qualification in the industry. Most schools will require one (as well as sometimes experience or another qualification) showing at least 120 hours of training have been completed. A 120-hour TESOL course is therefore the unofficial standard qualification – completing one will open a lot of doors to you.
Even if you decide to go freelance, qualification and experience are very important. Without either, it may be hard to expand your network and find students.
Find out more about Teaching English as a second language.
Advanced Courses
As well as the general, all-encompassing 120, 140, 200 – whatever-number-hour courses, some providers also offer more specialised options that can help to get you into a niche. Certain companies offer students the opportunity to purchase advanced online teaching courses – completing these would both deepen your understanding of the world of online tutoring and also look great on your CV.
Online teaching and teaching in a physical class are two different beasts, and most courses aren’t really equipped to train people in the nuances of the former. That’s why going that extra step to boost your credentials can really help.
Company versus Freelance
One of the benefits of online work is its flexible nature. Aspiring teachers generally have the choice between two paths: working for a company or going solo. Both have their pros and cons, which are listed below.
Company
The Good
Stable income
One of the most advantageous aspects of working with an agency is that you are given a fixed rate of pay. While there may not be much room for negotiation, it removes a lot of the stress of worrying about your next paycheck.
Client base
Another pro is that agencies will nearly always have immediate access to customers looking to get a lesson from tutors. Companies are the middlemen between teacher and student.
Save money and time
Any form of online tutoring provides more free time by removing the need to commute. This means no daily petrol or public transport cost and completely cuts out the long travel times. This leaves more room for leisure, family, and hobbies.
The Bad
More restricted
As you can imagine, working with an agency will mean that you are limited in who you can teach, when, and what. For ambitious tutors, that is often not appealing.
Less control
Following on from that, online tutors have much less autonomy when under a company. This means when you teach as well as your ability to negotiate pay is greatly restricted.
Freelance
The Good
More freedom
You create your own restrictions, so, hypothetical, you could have none! As your own boss, you can choose who you teach, when, and how.
Pay
Keep 100% of your earnings without sharing any with a company. You can also choose your rates.
No requirements to meet
One issue with working for a company, online or not, is that they can often demand unreasonable amounts of experience and qualifications. You would no longer need to meet any ridiculous criteria. That being said, good credentials will definitely attract more students.
The Bad
A bit more difficult
Self-employment allows you to avoid mean bosses or strict quotas, but it also means extra graft. You are responsible for setting yourself up, sans the safety net of a parent agency, finding your own customer base, and marketing your services.
Insecurity
Following on from that, pay and work can sometimes be unstable. If you are struggling to find the students and gain a strong base, then that can negatively impact your income.
What we recommend
Clearly, there draws and drawbacks to both paths. However, our stance is that those who are just beginning as online teachers should start out with a company. That way, they can gain some experience, learn the ropes etc. and see if it’s for them. From there, they could choose to work privately. In fact, you could probably juggle both – that’s the great thing about TESOL: it’s so flexible!
Hopefully, you found this brief guide helpful. Good luck with your TESOL journey!
