How to increase your earnings as an online English teacher
Taking a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) course can open up a variety of work opportunities for you. It all begins with deciding what you’d like to do. With TESOL certification provided by numerous companies such as Tefl.net, Tefl.org, tquk.org and The TEFL Academy UK you can relocate to your dream destination abroad, travel from one destination to the next as a digital nomad, or work from the comfort of your own home as an online English teacher.
Undeniably, teaching English online offers the most flexibility. It’s a career where you have the luxury to decide exactly how much time you dedicate to it. So, whether you’re looking for a way to fund your travels, taking care of children, to work full-time from home under your own terms, or simply just to supplement your current earnings, then TESOL certification is all you need to get started.
How do I get TESOL qualified?
There are many TESOL providers out there, but many of them don’t uphold the high standard that most employers expect. When you’re searching for a provider, you should prioritise those that are sufficiently accredited. Sufficient accreditation means that courses and the provider have been quality-assessed by an external body.
Many TESOL providers offer flexible courses – ones that can be completed through a combination of classroom and/or online classes. It’s standard for most employers to expect you to have completed a 120-hour TESOL course at the very least.
Teaching English online and online teaching companies
Applying to work on an online teaching website is ideally where you should start. It’s an all-round practical means of teaching online whether you want to teach full or part-time, or use it as a stepping stone to going freelance.
If you aim to teach freelance you’ll need substantial teaching experience before you can succeed solo, which is why you need to consider working for an online teaching company first. They’re already established and typically have large student bases – so recruiting students is something that doesn’t have to be a worry.
Bear in mind that online teaching companies can list a variety of criteria for their teachers. Common requirements include: a degree in any discipline, native English speaker status, and of course, having the appropriate TESOL certification. You can still teach online without a degree and as a non-native English speaker, but it’s just important to be aware of how different requirements might impact your job search.
Decide your own schedule
Arguably the best part of teaching English online is deciding your own schedule. Online teaching companies let you decide your availability. Typically, you list when you’re available and students can book up your slots.
Your hours can vary from one week to the next. You’ll have a minimum number of hours to complete in a week but it should be very manageable. If you want to work more, go ahead! If you need a day off here and there, simply work more hours one day to free up your time.
If you’re looking to supplement your income and work around other job commitments, then time differences can be to your advantage. Online EFL teachers teach students all over the world, meaning that you don’t have to work within the conventional 9-5 schedule unless you want to.
Teaching freelance online
Once you have a fair amount of experience you’re in a better position to consider freelance online teaching and determine your own fees. You can do this combined with working for an online teaching company until you’re fully confident in succeeding by yourself.
There’s a lot more to consider when you go freelance – most importantly, how you’ll keep up regular classes and recruit new students. Knowing how and where to advertise lessons is essential.
How to advertise lessons
The quality of your ads is just as important as its level of outreach. You can have a far reach, but if the ad doesn’t stand out and tell students what they need to know – and briefly – then it’ll be easily overlooked.
You have a few options when it comes to promoting lessons. You can use Google or Facebook ads to reach people who might be interested – although targeted ads need a bit of knowledge so that you can avoid wasting money.
Whatever advertising route you decide to take, consider creating a website for your business as your first priority. With a website, you can create a landing page for all the clicks on your ads and link to your CV. Ideally, your website will be the source linked back to by all of your ads, and where students can find out all they need to know about you. Use the website to tell your own story: your teaching experience and achievements, and also a bit about yourself too. All of this will help prospective students decide if they want to contact you.
You can create professional social media pages – whether that’s on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Students should be able to easily look up your business to find out a bit more about you. You can also pay to advertise lessons on educational sites, where students can compare your profile and reviews with other teachers.
How much exactly can I earn?
It’s hard to estimate exactly how much you could earn as there are always a number of variables to consider. However, the more experience you have teaching, the greater your earning potential. How well clued-up you are on advertising will also impact this if you’re a freelancer. For online teaching companies, on average you can expect between £8 – £25 ($10 – $30) per lesson (this is with their cut already factored in).
Covering more specific content in your classes such as Business English (£20 / $25 +), exam or interview preparation (£15 / $19 +), will also entail a higher earning potential than general, conversational English (£8 / $10 +).
It’s also worth remembering that the more effort you invest into teaching English online through class preparation, filling your schedule, and advertising, the more success you’re likely to have. It’ll take time to establish yourself, but if you put in the work you’ll be sure to stand a good chance of succeeding.
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