There are tons of things you may love about teaching English online! You can assist your students in the comfort of your home without the necessity of commuting to work. You can be in full control of your time. And last but not least, you have numerous opportunities to meet different people from around the world. Isn’t it appealing? Well, it’s no wonder that the number of teachers who decide to go online is skyrocketing. Should you be interested in finding out more about how to teach English online from home, we collected the most frequently asked questions and the answers to assist you in your decision.
Online English teaching is a promising option for many different characters. Some tutors are just looking to earn some extra money after their school job. They love working from the comfort of their studies in the evenings or at weekends. Others are real digital nomads, funding their travels and holidays with a portable, handy online income. Either way, it works for them!
A proportion of online students tend to be young kids or teenagers. They usually have their virtual classes after regular school hours or at weekends. It’s also common to teach English to adults online, such as working people or students who can be attending online classes during the day, depending on their daily schedule. Online English classes work well for independent, disciplined students. This form of tutoring is especially suitable for those who are very organized with their time. Some students can work independently. For those students, virtual classes are ideal. Finally, given the long-lasting Covid-19 pandemic, more and more students and teacher alike turn to online tutoring, simply because of its relative safety.
How does teaching online work?
Teaching English online can take several forms. You can work for an online English tutoring company, or you can market yourself via an online platform for English tutors. Your third, and in many ways the most promising, option is to start your own freelance online English tutoring business. Should you choose to work for yourself, you will have total control over your business. All aspects of organising your venture are entirely in your hands from advertising your classes to creating the course materials and arranging secure online payments. It certainly requires more time invested, but it also has a potentially higher return on investment.
What sort of equipment and Internet speed will you need?
You need to install a fast and reliable internet connection at home. The speed requirement may vary, but 10-15 Mbps should be enough to hold uninterrupted, quality online classes. The higher the speed, the more preferable it is, of course! It is also advisable to have a wired internet connection in addition to a Wi-Fi router. You will need a good webcam, microphone and headset. Do not hesitate to buy a pair of quality headphones. Choose a quality video chatting software through which you can conduct your classes. There are lots of options! Skype is the one most people are familiar with, but Zoom and Discord are also highly-recommend for English teaching because of their user-friendliness and helpful features such as screen-sharing.
How much can online English teachers make?
The tuition fee for online English teaching varies depending on our credentials and experience. The starting rates are usually around $20-25 per hour. It depends on the size of your student base and their field of interest. The possible income of an online English teacher could range from $1,000 to $3,000 per month for full-time online teaching work that is about 30 hours weekly.
How about marketing?
If you start up your own online teaching business, create a simple website to showcase yourself as a teacher and the services you offer and to manage payments. Learn how to advertise your services to your future students using social media and other channels extensively.
The possibility to teach English online from home has created opportunities for teachers and students around the world to connect in more ways than ever. If you would like to become an online English teacher and join this soaring field, all you need is proper training in teaching English and some equipment. Once you have these, you will be expanding your horizons across the virtual world in no time!
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