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Your Personal Guide

10 steps to teaching
English online!

Learn to teach English online via theteflacademy.com

Use your teaching skills in an online context and teach anytime, anywhere!
 Switch from in-person teaching to an online environment

Your step-by-step guide on

how to teach English Online
Earn money from home and get real life teaching experience

Digital Nomad (noun): someone who

uses technology, especially a laptop and
a wireless network, to work remotely from
anywhere in the world.
Macmillian Dictionary

Working in yoga pants? Yes please! Go sightseeing during lunch?

Enrol me now! Earn money instead of commuting? Count me in!

If ever there was a time to become a digital nomad, that time is now.
Working online is becoming a very popular way to make a living which
is not surprising considering the lifestyle it can afford you. While there
are a number of ways you can work online, teaching English online is a
fun, interactive, flexible way to earn money.

Want to know more? Check out our guide for teaching English online
and soon you could be earning dollars from the comfort of your home.

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 02 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #1

What do I need?
First things first, what do you need to teach English online? You must be:

A native or near-native speaker of English

Patient

Punctual

Enthusiastic

To get the best paid online TEFL jobs

you should have a Level 5 TEFL qualification

A stable internet connection

A headset and microphone

A quiet, light space

Props

Sound like you?

Great! Let’s go to
Step #2...

Note: some companies require a Bachelor’s degree

(in any subject) but this is not needed for all jobs.

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 03 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #2
How do I get qualified?

Choosing a TEFL provider can be overwhelming, but don’t let that put
you off. There are just a few boxes your TEFL course needs to tick. Firstly,
your TEFL course should be a Level 5 TEFL qualification and it should
be accredited.

Is that it? Yes, that’s it! The TEFL Academy’s Level 5 course is internationally recognized,
regulated by Ofqual (UK government), accredited by Qualifi and approved by the
DEAC (U.S. Department of Education recognized awarding body).

It will prepare you for teaching English as a Foreign Language in a real or virtual
classroom by giving you a solid grounding in theories of learning, teaching methods,
and the English language.

Plus it includes a FREE 30-hour Top-Up Course in Teaching Young Learners, Teaching
Business English, or Teaching Online and 1:1. Even if you are a teacher, a TEFL course is
necessary to give you the skills needed to teach effectively in a TEFL situation. If you’re not
a teacher, a TEFL course will give you the confidence you need to teach effectively in any
classroom, virtual or otherwise.

ACTION! Enrol today to begin your TEFL journey with www.theteflacademy.com

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 04 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #3
How do I find students?
When people think of teaching English as a Foreign Language, they often
imagine a classroom of young learners. While this is definitely the reality
for a lot of TEFL teachers (both in the classroom and online), there are
many other different kinds of English language learners.

The beauty of teaching English online is that you can teach anyone, anywhere. Young
learners, teens, adults, students, business men and women, CEOs, security guards,
tour operators – from any country in the world. You can teach whoever wants to learn
English and has access to the internet no matter where they are or where you are.

We know what you’re thinking, but how do I find these students? For the most part, they’ll
find you. You need to make sure you have an online presence so that any students
looking for a teacher can find you. This means updating your LinkedIn profile, creating
a Facebook page or website, and signing up with online teaching companies. Which
brings us to our next section…

ACTION! Check off your updated social media profiles:

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 05 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #4
Where can I find a job?
If you are a freelance teacher, you will
need to actively market yourself to make
yourself known to students. The majority
of your students will come from word-of-
mouth. Advertise yourself on Linkedin and
in Facebook groups, or look for students
looking for teachers on sites like Upwork
or Gumtree.

If you work for an online company, there are two

ways this could work. Either way, you do not need to
worry about finding students. For some companies,
teachers upload an introductory or demo video, and
schedule their availability. Students then can view
the video and sign up for a class with the teacher.

For other companies, teachers have the option of

signing up for classes already scheduled. This means
the time and date has been confirmed and students
have already been allocated to the class.

If you want to teach with a company, you need to go

to their respective websites and fill in an application
form. They usually require you to upload certain
documents, upload a video or have an interview.

NOTE: Even though you are teaching English online,

you still need to dress and behave professionally for
your interview (and your lessons!). Don’t forget, you
can browse jobs on The TEFL Academy’s Jobs Board.

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 06 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #5
Which companies can I use
to teach English online?
There are more companies for teaching English online than you can shake
a stick at, but here are a few of the most popular.

VIPKID is company which offers one-to-one lessons for English language learners
in China. Students are between the ages of 4 and 12. Teachers teach through an
interactive learning platform and lesson plans are provided. Teachers for VIPKID
must be resident in the US or Canada and have a Bachelor’s degree. Teachers
can earn $18 - $22 an hour.

Palfish is a mobile app, so you teach on your phone or tablet. You can teach
English to children or adults (all usually in China) but the best way to earn money
is through the Official Kids Course. You teach 25-minute lessons to kindergarten
children. Teachers don’t need to have a degree but you do need a TEFL certificate
or a Teacher’s qualification. There is a weekly minimum of 4 hours you need to
teach and you need to be available for those minimum classes between 5pm
and 9pm Beijing time. Materials are provided. Teachers earn $14 - $22 an hour.

ITalki is not an online school but rather an online platform for TEFL teachers
to connect with EFL students. With iTalki, teachers can set their own rates and
schedules, so you can teach as often or as little as you want and you can
charge what you think you are worth – up to $25 an hour for some teachers.
Simply upload a video and complete the application form. If your application is
approved, students will be able to view your video and contact you if they’d like
lessons with you.

DaDa is an online education platform which offers British and American

educational experiences to Chinese children. Lessons are 30 minutes 1-to-1
and materials, as well as an interactive teaching platform, are provided. Your
schedule and number of working hours are flexible and you’ll earn between $15
and $25 an hour. Because the rate is higher than with other companies, DaDa
only accepts teachers with a Bachelor’s degree.

Lingoda is a platform which allows the teachers to choose the lessons they want
to teach. Lessons are 24/7 because the students are all over the world, so you can
really choose a timetable that suits you. You can also choose which level and
what topic you want to teach. Lingoda pays $8 to $12 an hour and you need three
years’ teaching experience to apply.

NOTE: Each company has their own requirements so make sure you satisfy them before applying.

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 07 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 And there’s more...

Sayabc is an online teaching platform which offers learning experiences for

students in China. You will teach small group classes to children ages 5-12 years
old on the company’s own platform. Lessons are 40 minutes 1-to-4 and learning
materials, based on National Geographic resources, are provided. Teachers must
have a native level of English, bachelor’s degree, and TEFL certificate. Teachers
earn up to $17 USD per 40 minutes.

Cambly is a networking platform that allows teachers to connect with students

all over the world. Teach things like structured English lessons, exam preparation
(IELTS TOEFL), or conversation lessons with students of all ages. With Cambly,
teachers set their own availability and work a little or as much as they want. No
degree is needed, but you must be a native English speaker. Teachers earn $0.17
USD per minute ($10.20/hour)

ITutorGroup is an online education platform which offers classes to children and

adults from China, Japan and Taiwan. Teach 25 minute 1-to-1 classes or 45 minute
group classes. All teaching materials are provided. Teachers need a bachelor’s
degree, a TEFL certificate, and at least one year teaching experience. Teaching
rates increase the more you teach and the better your student reviews are. Rates
start from about $10 and some teachers have been known to make $30 an hour.

Whales English is an online teaching platform which focuses on English learners

between the ages of 3-18 years old. Materials are provided and lessons are
delivered on Zoom. Teach small groups with 2-3 students in 50 minute lessons.
Whales English pays $18 to 26 USD per hour and you’ll need to be a native
English speaker with a bachelor’s degree, TEFL certificate and one year teaching
experience.

First Future is a company that works with other businesses to provide online
lessons to Chinese classrooms. Teachers set their availability and are matched
with students to their time and student age preferences. You will teach a class
up to 20 Chinese learners through live broadcast. All teaching materials and
technical support are supplied. Teachers earn $18- 23 USD an hour but need to
have a Bachelor’s degree, 1 year teaching experience and a TEFL certificate. There
is a weekly minimum of 10 hours you need to teach and you need to be available
from 6pm to 9pm Beijing time.

NOTE: Each company has their own requirements so make sure you satisfy them before applying.

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 08 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 “Having this qualification
has opened doors
and opportunities for
me I could never have
imagined. Teaching
online means I can
bring my passion for
the outdoors into the
classroom to enhance
the lessons.”
Paul Staten
Teaching from London

On to Step #6...

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 09 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #6
But how do I teach online?
These days there are loads of different sites and apps you can use to
teach English online. If you are a freelancer, Skype is a popular way of
teaching. Simply call your student and chat or video chat.

Skype has a range of features that you can use to make your lessons more
interactive, such as instant messaging, group chats and screen sharing. Similar sites
are Zoom and Google Hangouts. You will need to source your own materials and
develop your own lesson plans, but there are tons of online resources to help you out.

If you’re working for a company, they will probably have their own online platform
that you will use. This can be similar to Skype or it can be a virtual classroom, with an
interactive white board and other tools to make your lessons more visually appealing
and engaging.

You will likely be given lesson materials so you won’t need to worry about lesson
planning, but you may need to invest in a few props such as a backdrop or puppet.

Activity
Make a list of props that might be useful in lessons

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 10 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #7
What can I teach?
Again, anything. Some students just want a native (or near-native)
speaker to chat to. These lessons are then conversation-based. Either
the student will decide what they want to talk about or the teacher can
lead the discussion.

Either way, the teacher is expected to correct errors, introduce new language and give
constructive feedback. Alternatively, you could be given a specific language point or
topic to teach, such as natural disasters, colours or the present perfect.

This will then involve a more traditional approach with boardwork and perhaps a few
exercises, but again the students will want to use their time to practise their speaking,
so make sure this is a big part of your lesson. Some companies offer exclusively
Business English lessons, in which case you’ll focus on language related to business.

What could you talk about? Sport &

Entertainment
World Events
Activities

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 11 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #8
When can I teach?
Whenever suits you and your students!
If you are teaching students who are in a different time zone to you,
this might mean teaching late at night or early in the morning, but this
could suit night owls or early birds. Or you could find yourself with a
4-hour lunch break, so you could go to the gym, have a nap or do the
shopping in-between classes!

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 12 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #9
I’m in! Show me the money!
Hourly rates and payment methods vary
across companies. If you are a freelancer,
you will be responsible for billing your
students and chasing payments.

Make sure your students are aware of your

policies regarding cancellations and no-shows.
If you are working for a company, they’ll pay you
directly on a specified day of the month.

Online payments can be done directly into your

bank account, but it is usually easier to be paid
into a Paypal or Payoneer account. NOTE: Don’t
forget to sort out your own taxes.

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 13 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

 Step #10
Any final words of wisdom?
We’re all in this together. Teaching English online is not a competition
and we should all be happy to share our resources with each other to
make us the best English teachers we can be.

Follow some of your favourite TEFL bloggers for ideas, join Facebook groups for
inspiration, and subscribe to our newsletter to keep informed of all things TEFL.

But just because we’re such good friends, here are a few of our favourite resources
to help you get started: British Council Teaching English is a great source of lesson
materials, lesson plans, activity ideas and professional development resources.
Film-English is a free website with lesson plans on short films. Ted-Ed has loads
of videos and animations with lesson plans which could be incorporated into your
lessons. Canva is a design site which has hundreds of templates you can use to
create images, flashcards or slides. Unsplash is a source of freely usable, high-
resolution images.

10 Steps to Teaching English Online 14 © Copyright theteflacademy.com

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