Teaching English online can be a great way to earn your regular and stable income. It may even become one of the most fun and fulfilling ways to teach and work via the Internet. There are many different platforms and software available for conducting this type of business, and we will discuss some of them in this article.
In this article, we learn what it means to have English as a second language and be able to teach. Also, I have included examples of ESL platforms.
ESL stands for English as a Second Language.
What is an ESL Program?
An ESL program is coursework designed to help students who are looking to learn English as their second, third, or in some cases, fourth language. These programs hire teachers that are often bilingual who are there to help students to develop their:
- speaking,
- writing,
- reading, and
- listening skills.
Structure of ESL Programs
ESL schools help students become more fluent in English by breaking down concepts and language rules. Many programs teach mathematics, science, and history classes in a way that is easier for students who are non-native speakers. Oftentimes, these programs are located in English speaking countries to give students a real immersion feeling. There are ESL Programs that can be found in home countries as well!
Many ESL students can feel extremely overwhelmed being immersed in a country that they does not speak the language; it can be very frustrating because they cannot understand or participate in a class that is entirely taught in English or in the outside world around them.
Who are ESL Programs Designed For?
Many schools, from pre-kindergarten to high school, to colleges and universities, to private institutions have ESL programs. Eligible students are those that do not speak English in their homes, international students, as well as students that genuinely have trouble with English are all welcome at most campuses.
Private ESL Programs
Independent ESL programs are vital because they provide a small and comfortable environment for learning a different language. These independent ESL schools can be considered to be healthier learning places to learn English because they typically offer smaller class sizes fostering an environment of learning and one-on-one interaction. Independent ESL schools provide a wide range of opportunities for students of all ages from children, teens, college students, to adults.
For students with advanced proficiency, ESL programs can provide one-on-one instruction to help students learn how to reduce or change their accent thereby perfecting pronunciation, allowing students to be understood more easier by others. ESL schools can help students learn more about common sayings, because slang and idiom phrases are prevalent within the US, Canada, Australia, as well as the UK, and will allow you to regionalize your language fluency.
Finding an ESL Program
Our ESL Program Search has an entire listing of independent English Second Language Schools in the United States and abroad which can be very useful for prospective students. You can simply click on a specific state to see which school is closest to your location and go from there. This site can also direct you to online ESL programs and you can virtually travel to different programs to find which one is best suited for you.
ESL programs can help students learn more about the local culture, values, and society. ESL programs can help you understand people’s jokes and enrich your understanding of the English language. These ESL programs can be geared toward precisely what you need to master, according to your current level of understanding. Additionally, they are personal, in that they can help you no matter what level you are at; they can help you with just one aspect of English or every facet that you need help in. Understanding English is vital to succeed in today’s international world because much of the international language is English.
Online ESL Teacher Job Description Template
We are looking for a competent and flexible online ESL teacher to join our team. In this position, you will be required to develop lesson plans, prepare learning material, and provide students with progress reports. You should be organized, computer literate, and able to communicate in a clear manner.
To be successful as an online ESL teacher, you should be patient and attentive to students’ needs. The ideal candidate will possess the ability to encourage interaction among students to facilitate learning.
Online ESL Teacher Responsibilities:
- Preparing lesson plans in accordance with students’ learning needs.
- Designing and presenting educational material.
- Tailoring lessons to accommodate differences in learning style and speed.
- Evaluating students’ progress.
- Preparing and disseminating progress reports at regular intervals.
- Remaining knowledgeable about and respectful of cultural differences within the classroom.
- Assisting students with their technical difficulties, where possible.
Online ESL Teacher Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree, preferably in education or an analogous field.
- TEFL/TESOL Certification or equivalent.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Computer literate.
- Own laptop or desktop computer fitted with an HD capable webcam.
- Fast and reliable internet connection.
- Own analog or USB headset.
- Professional appearance.
- Previous teaching experience will be advantageous.
Platforms where you can teach English online with no experience
Cambly
Cambly pays fluent English speakers to have short, 20-minute conversations with adult ESL students located around the world.
The platform mainly hires tutors from the United States, Canada, U.K., Australia and a few other English-speaking countries.
As an online ESL teaching platform, Cambly is a fun, low-pressure way to chat with language learners in a casual environment and assist them with their English skills.
Pay: As a Cambly tutor, you earn $0.17 USD per minute, which evens out to $10.20 USD per hour. Every Monday, you’ll receive your weekly payment over PayPal.
Hours: Working for Cambly, you set your hours and schedule, allowing you total flexibility. Simply log in whenever you have availability or pre-book appointments with students. The decision is yours!
VIPKid
Teach English online to children in China with VIPKid, an online platform that provides ESL teachers with full lesson plans.
While VIPKid doesn’t require teaching credentials, they specify that applicants must have a bachelor’s degree.
To become an online ESL teacher, you also need to complete an interview and a demo lesson. If VIPKid likes what they see, they invite you to sign a 6-month contract with them.
Pay: VIPKid teachers earn $14-22 USD per hour and receive payment between the 10th and 15th of every month.
Just remember, your hourly rate will set by the skills demonstrated in the interview and demo lesson. The good news is that every time your contract is up for renewal, you can negotiate a raise.
Hours: While English teachers schedule their hours on VIPKid, the company suggests that you set your availability when students won’t be asleep or in school, based on Beijing standard time. You’re also required to submit your weekly availability a month in advance.
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GoGoKid
Connect with students all over China as an online GoGoKid teacher. GoGoKid offers 1-1 virtual teaching sessions based on American English and the Chinese standard curriculum. The students you’ll teach are around ages 4-12, so it’s a bonus if you’re good with kids!
This platform doesn’t require prior teaching experience, but teaching experience is preferred.
Don’t worry if you don’t. If you have any experience with children (think babysitting or camp counseling), that should work too. Highlight this on your application!
Qualifications wise, as long as you have a bachelor’s degree and have/are willing to get a TEFL certificate, you’ll be good.
Looking to make good money as an online English teacher? Then you’ll love to hear about GoGoKids great wage and incentives.
Pay: You can earn up to $25 USD per hour! GoGoKid also offers incentives for referrals, peak time teaching, holidays and hosting mini-workshops. Plus, they almost always have signup incentives.
Hours: You choose your schedule. Each class needs to be 25 min in length, but each time slot is for 30 mins, giving you a 5 min buffer between sessions. The hours are similar to all other peak teaching hours in China: 7-9 pm on weekdays and 9 am-9 pm on weekends.
Palfish
For on-the-go teachers, the app Palfish is an excellent option.
Available to use on both iOS (Apple) and Google cellphones, Palfish connects Chinese students of varying ages and English-speaking teachers. As you’ll see, after downloading the app, the interface is written in both Mandarin and English.
Palfish allows ESL students to phone you whenever the app shows that you’re online.
During the call, you can teach them a short lesson using pre-made slides or simply have a conversation.
Or teachers can opt to conduct one-on-one conversations or broadcast to a small group of up to 6 students.
While Palfish recommends that its ESL teachers have a TEFL certificate, it’s not mandatory. And the company also doesn’t discourage non-native English speakers from becoming teachers.
Pay: ESL teachers on Palfish also set their own pay rates. The payment average is around $10 USD to $18 USD per hour, but many successful instructors can charge $30 USD or more per hour. Palfish does take a 20% cut, so set your rates accordingly, and they pay through Payoneer (an alternative to PayPal).
Hours: One of the nice things about Palfish is its complete flexibility. You can use it when you want, where you want, and as much as you want—all the company requests is a four-hour commitment per week.
Magic Ears
Magic Ears is a kid-friendly platform that pairs Chinese children with an ESL teacher. If you enjoy interacting with children, you’ll be great for this opportunity.
As an English teacher for Magic Ears, you teach a group of four children who will be between the ages of 4 to 12.
The only thing is you must be a native English speaker from the U.S.A. or Canada and hold a bachelor’s degree to qualify for a position.
The great thing is that no prior teaching experience is needed. The company provides online training sessions for its new ESL teachers.
The application process to Magic Ears is very similar to VIPKid.
Applicants are required to present a demo lesson, along with a filmed interview, and pass a background check. If your application is successful, the company asks you to sign a 6-month contract.
Pay: At Magic Ears, English teachers earn $19-26 USD per hour and are paid on the 10th of every month through PayPal or bank transfer.
Hours: Choose your own hours! The classes last for 25 minutes each and the company provides the teaching materials. You will need to review lesson plans before the lesson and prepare the relevant props.
Skooli
Tutor kids or adults from anywhere in the world on the world’s leading tutoring platform Skooli! You’ll get to teach students English in an innovative and interactive virtual classroom with fun tools and everything.
Students can schedule a tutoring session with you in advance or request instant help when you’re online. Tutor on the go from your phone, laptop or tablet.
To become a Skooli English tutor, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree (preferably with a major in English or a related field).
Online tutoring with no experience required! But of course, like other platforms, a few years of teaching experience is considered an asset. Bonus points if you’re digitally literate.
Pay: The pay is competitive. The more experience you have, the better!
Hours: Tutor on Skooli anytime, 24/7. You can work as many hours per week as you want! The hours are 100% flexible and up to you and your students. You won’t need to follow any general hour schedules like other online teaching positions.
Conclusion
If you love teaching and chatting with diverse groups of people – this is what online teaching is all about. If you want to teach English and would like people to feel comfortable and enjoy communicating with you, having a huge knowledge base of the English language shouldn’t be the only thing you need. You need to have a great personality which can introduce yourself easily to others.