Starting any online business can seem incredibly daunting but a business where you interact with people, even more so. There is a huge and diverse world of online teaching with English students of all ages and a great variety of backgrounds and countries. There is general English teaching and specialist teaching so right from the off you are probably to going to have to find a niche as the majority of students prefer to hire teachers who will specifically cater to their needs and who can demonstrate a solid track record in this type of teaching.
How to get started
- You will need a 120-hour TEFL qualification from a known and accredited course provider – shorter courses will just not have the currency to land you the best jobs
- A good and reliable internet connection – there is nothing students hate more than a tutorial which keeps dropping out and they simply won’t stick with you if they regularly encounter connectivity problems
- A laptop with a high-quality webcam and good audio
Some other things to think about
- If you have a degree in any discipline then this should certainly form part of your promotion
- You will need a criminal background check particularly if you are working with children – it is just as much of a requirement for teaching online as in a physical classroom. Most online companies who hire teachers have protocols in place but if you are working independently then you will need demonstrable evidence of your safety to satisfy parents
- If you are a non-native speaker then evidence of English proficiency
- Specific experience – if you are working for a company, to begin with then some teaching organisations require a specific track record of teaching children
- Proof of nationality
Starting a new business
Getting off the starting blocks is one of the hardest things for any new business not just teaching. Be realistic in your expectations. You can advertise yourself and also bid for teaching jobs on freelancer websites but you may not initially get much interest, that’s because there are literally thousands of TEFL teachers and many have been driven into online work by the Covid pandemic.
The best place to start is to work for an online teaching company, they will usually source the students for you and even provide the lesson plans – this is a great way to gain experience, hone and refine your techniques, create a track record for your CV and acquire a great understanding of both teaching English and teaching online in general. There is so much useful help and advice on the internet about being an online teacher as the Coronavirus crisis has driven many teachers to sit behind a screen to engage with and teach their pupils. The pay working for a company will not be nearly as good as the levels you will be able to earn later on but it will nonetheless offer a great starting point in the industry and will provide you with a valuable skillset. It is about the only springboard you can use to get yourself going in the industry as it is very hard to find work as a new teacher with no experience particularly if you don’t always have a Bachelors degree.
Broaden your experience
Getting as much varied experience when you start is very valuable. First off, you will cover ground much more quickly and become confident and established within a few months and secondly, it will really enhance your resume. Teaching in different areas and for a range of contrasting companies will also help you better identify where you would like to specialise later on.
Working for a range of companies will show you alternative ways to do the same thing and help provide experience with different learners and students. It might also explode some of your preconceptions! You may never have wanted to teach adults but actually find it surprisingly rewarding or you could have been quite against the idea of teaching small children but find in reality that you love it and have a talent for it.
You don’t have to do all your work for mainstream teaching companies, hop online and look at websites like Cambly and ialki which are full of English students who are all trying to improve their language skills for a variety of different reasons. Working with different types of learner often holds some surprises for many new TEFL teachers so keep your options open when you start and be prepared to try novel things.
Useful specialisms
Think carefully about any specialist areas that you have in your own experience and which may usefully steer you towards a particular type of learner. For instance, if you have had a career in business then it might make sense to offer Business English to adult learners as the main line of your teaching work. If you have a background in recruitment then you could specialise in helping students with writing their CVs in English, job application letters and constructive sessions on interview technique. It’s about steering your online TEFL business to defined markets.
Tech and promotion
Marketing yourself is a big part of online teaching success when you go it alone – people can’t hire you if they don’t know you’re there. A good website is essential, it doesn’t have to be big and complicated but you will definitely need an online presence. Put yourself on some of the main freelance sites like Fiverr and Upwork – you can link to your website on your profile page.
Keep your online offering specific and avoid anything generic and vague. Focus on the students you want to appeal to and put yourself in their shoes, really think about what they are going to be looking for in an online TEFL teacher.
Supplementary income
Some successful online TEFL teachers will have a second income line producing course materials which can be specific to an age range of student or a particular specialism or both. Learning tools can be hard copy provided digitally or visually – YouTube videos are quick and easy to upload and will also act as a great advertisement for your main online teaching business.
