Are you looking for a flexible job that allows you to work from home?
Do you enjoy helping others learn new skills?
If so, becoming an online English teacher could be the perfect career path for you.
In this lesson, we’ll cover everything you need to know about getting started as an online English teacher.
What is an Online English Teacher?
An online English teacher is someone who teaches English language skills to students over the internet.
This can involve teaching reading, writing, listening, speaking, grammar, vocabulary, and other English language concepts.
Online English teachers use video conferencing tools to have live classroom sessions with students from all around the world.
The great thing about being an online English teacher is that you can work from anywhere with a good internet connection.
Many online teachers work from the comfort of their own homes, but you could also teach English online while traveling the world.
It’s a very flexible job that allows you to make your own schedule.
Why Become an Online English Teacher?
There are many advantages to working as an online English teacher, including:
Flexible Schedule One of the biggest perks is the ability to create your own schedule and have a flexible work-life balance.
You can choose which hours you want to teach and how many hours per week you want to work.
Work from Anywhere As long as you have a laptop and reliable internet connection, you can teach English online from anywhere in the world.
This makes it an ideal job for digital nomads, travelers, or anyone who wants location independence.
No Commute Since you’ll be working from home (or anywhere you choose), you’ll save tons of time and money by not having a daily commute to an office or classroom.
Meet Students Globally When teaching online, your students can literally be from any corner of the globe. This allows you to connect with fascinating people from diverse cultures.
What Do You Need to Become an Online English Teacher?
While the specific requirements can vary between different online teaching companies, there are some basic things you’ll generally need:
Bachelor’s Degree Most companies require online English teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree, though the subject of the degree doesn’t necessarily have to be English or education.
English Proficiency Since you’ll be teaching the English language, you must be a fluent English speaker with an excellent grasp of the language.
Many companies require online teachers to be native English speakers.
Teaching Experience (Sometimes) Some companies want previous teaching experience, while others will hire beginners with no prior teaching background.
Either way, having some experience teaching or tutoring can be very helpful.
Laptop/Computer and Headset To teach online, you’ll need a relatively new laptop or computer that can handle video conferencing.
You’ll also need a headset with a microphone.
High-Speed Internet A fast, reliable internet connection is absolutely essential for online teaching since you’ll be video conferencing with students.
TEFL/TESOL Certification While not always mandatory, getting certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) or
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is highly recommended and can help you get hired more easily.
How to Get Certified to Teach English Online
Getting a TEFL or TESOL certification is one of the best things you can do to prepare for a career teaching English online. Here’s a quick overview of these certifications:
TEFL Certification TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
A TEFL certification course provides training on the best methods for teaching English vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, reading, and more to non-native English speakers.
TESOL Certification TESOL means Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
It’s very similar to TEFL, but the training is more focused on teaching English in an English-speaking country or region.
There are many different TEFL/TESOL courses you can take, ranging from short 20-hour online courses to longer 150+ hour courses with in-person components.
Longer courses tend to be more comprehensive and recognized but can also be more expensive.
The two main types of TEFL/TESOL certifications are:
Online TEFL/TESOL Course You can earn your certification completely online through short video modules and assignments. This is the most affordable and flexible option.
In-Person TEFL/TESOL Course Some courses have an in-person component where you attend classes and get hands-on practice teaching English students. This helps build more teaching experience.
While you don’t always need a TEFL/TESOL certification to start teaching English online, getting certified can help tremendously.
It shows employers you have formal training, gives you more confidence, and can help you earn a higher hourly rate as an online teacher.
How to Find Online English Teaching Jobs
Once you meet the basic requirements like having a bachelor’s degree and hopefully a TEFL/TESOL certification, you’ll be ready to start applying to online English teaching companies.
Here are some of the top companies that hire online English teachers:
VIPKID
VIPKID is one of the largest and most well-known online English teaching companies. Their teachers provide one-on-one English lessons to children in China between the ages of 4-12.
Qkids
Similar to VIPKID, Qkids also hires online English teachers to teach children in China ages 5-12 through its interactive lessons on a digital classroom platform.
Education First (EF)
EF is a global education company that offers opportunities to teach English online to children and adults all over the world through their various online English programs.
Gogokid
Gogokid is a Beijing-based online platform that connects English teachers with young students (ages 4-11) in China for one-on-one online English lessons.
Cambly
Cambly has a unique model where you’ll have conversational practices with English learners through their app or website. Pay is by the minute you actually spend talking.
Magic Ears
Magic Ears focuses on hiring online English teachers to teach group classes of up to 4 Chinese students between the ages of 5-12 at a time.
iTutorGroup
iTutorGroup hires online English tutors and teachers for academic subjects like English, math, physics, chemistry and more for students of all ages.
Preply
Preply is an online platform that allows you to set your own pricing and schedule for providing one-on-one English tutoring to students from around the world.
Those are just a few examples, but there are many other online English teaching companies you could potentially work for.
Do some research to find which companies align best with your goals and teaching preferences.
How Much Can You Earn as an Online English Teacher?
Online English teaching salaries can vary significantly depending on factors like:
- Your education level
- If you have a TEFL/TESOL certificate
- The online teaching company
- If you’re a native or non-native English speaker
- Your amount of teaching experience
However, you can use these average hourly rates as a basic guideline:
- Entry-level/Beginners: $10-$18 per hour
- Bachelor’s Degree: $14 – $22 per hour
- TEFL/TESOL Certificate: $16 – $25 per hour
- Teaching Experience: $18 – $30+ per hour
The very top online English teachers with years of experience and multiple certifications can sometimes earn $30, $40 or even $50+ per hour for private lessons.
But for most, a more realistic full-time online teaching salary range is around $2,000 – $4,000 per month.
Tips for Becoming a Successful Online English Teacher
Simply getting hired as an online English teacher is just the first step.
Here are some additional tips to help you become successful in this career:
Create a Professional Teaching Space
Set up a designated teaching area or home office that is quiet, free of distractions, and has a simple background for your video lessons.
Proper lighting and a quality webcam are also important.
Focus on Student Engagement
The biggest challenge of online teaching is keeping students engaged when you can’t be in the same room.
Use props, humor, games, and other interactive activities during your lessons.
Always Be Prepared
Have a detailed lesson plan ready for each class session. Don’t try to “wing it” as an online English teacher.
Build Rapport
Make an effort to build a positive rapport with your students. Learn about their interests, goals, and struggles. Connect on a personal level when appropriate.
Enhance Your Teaching Skills
Take advantage of professional development opportunities like webinars, online courses, and training offered by teaching companies to continually improve your skills.
Create a Routine and Commit
Establish a set teaching schedule and treat online teaching like your regular full-time job or part-time gig. Don’t skip sessions and commit to providing quality instruction every class.
Stay Motivated and Patient
Some students may struggle with technological issues, motivation problems, and other roadblocks. Stay patient and keep your energy levels high to motivate them.
Market Yourself
If you plan on teaching freelance or with multiple companies, be sure to market yourself effectively.
Create an online portfolio and profiles on job platforms to attract potential students.
Consider building your own website as well.
Get Invaluable Experience
When first starting out, be open to taking on students or job opportunities that may not be your ideal situation.
The experience will be invaluable as you work towards your goals.
Leverage Your Unique Skills
Do you have experience teaching children? Adults? Business professionals?
Find your niche and leverage any unique backgrounds or skills you have to stand out.
Keep Learning and Evolving
The field of online teaching is constantly evolving with new technology and methods.
Stay up to date by taking professional development courses, attending conferences, and always striving to improve.
Build Your Online Presence
In addition to marketing yourself, build an online presence and reputation.
Create social media accounts, start a blog, and consistently provide value to grow your audience over time.
Stay Organized
When teaching online, you’ll need to be extremely organized to juggle multiple students, schedules, materials and more. Find tools and methods to streamline your work.
Have a Professional Setup
Invest in proper equipment like a quality headset, external microphone, ring light, and other accessories to enhance your professional teaching setup.
Develop a Growth Mindset
There will inevitably be challenges and setbacks but keep developing a growth mindset focused on continual improvement. Don’t get discouraged – stick with it!
The Online English Teaching Life
While being an online English teacher certainly has its challenges, it can be an incredibly rewarding career path.
Few other jobs provide the combination of flexibility, freedom and fulfillment that online teaching offers.
One of the biggest perks is the ability to work from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a laptop and internet access.
This level of location independence allows you to be a digital nomad, traveling wherever you wish while still earning income teaching English online.
The flexibility of making your own schedule is another major advantage. You can fit in teaching hours around other commitments like raising kids, going to school, or any other priorities and responsibilities.
But beyond the lifestyle benefits, being an online English tutor allows you to have an incredibly positive impact.
You are helping open doors to communication, education, career prospects and personal growth for students across the globe.
It’s a chance to make the world feel a little bit smaller by connecting people from different cultures.
Of course, online teaching also has its downsides, like dealing with technical issues, student motivation problems, and lack of physical classroom space. But for those willing to take it on, it can be an incredibly fulfilling career.
If you’ve made it this far, you should now have a solid understanding of what it takes to become an online English teacher and how to get started in this exciting field.
Put in the effort to get certified, gain experience, and market yourself effectively.
With persistence and commitment to professional growth, you can establish a thriving career from anywhere in the world!
The world is full of opportunity for those willing to teach, connect and inspire across cultures.
The path to becoming an online English tutor is a challenging one, but also deeply rewarding for those who take the leap.
We hope this guide has provided you with a roadmap to get started on this enriching journey.
