Step 1. Make sure you have a reliable and fast internet connection and all the hardware you need
With a reliable internet connection, you can easily work from home to students from anywhere in the world.
Here is all the hardware you need to teach online. Let’s see:
• Laptop, a desktop computer or even a mobile phone.
• Webcam – Only if you are using your laptop or desktop computer. If you do not have an in-built webcam, buy a good quality external webcam. Students studying a language learn a lot from the teacher’s body language, so they definitely need to to see you clearly.
• Headphones with a microphone - Your students need to hear you clearly too. Your students want to listen to every word you say and you need to hear them clearly to help them with their mistakes.
• A quiet place to teach. Make sure there aren’t any extra noises around you that might distract you or your students. They deserve your full attention and they need to hear you clearly.
• A suitable background. If you’re teaching English to adults, a neutral, uncluttered background is ideal. If you teach English to children, you may want to have colourful pictures, toys, and visual aids in the background during your lessons. They will make lessons fun and give opportunities for interaction.
• Camera and screen set for the best view. It’s best to have your camera at eye level so your students will feel that you’re looking straight at them.
Step 2. Install the most useful apps
Online lessons work best when you have a video chat with your students. The best and most widely used apps for this purpose are Skype and Zoom. You can install the softwares on your device and then search for tutorials on how to use them to teach online. Skype allows you to have up to 25 students per session while Zoom gives you up to 40 minutes for a group of 100 participants.
Step 3. Create an online Profile
Make a list of your teaching, tutoring, coaching and mentoring experiences and of your skills
Create a kind of cv that highlights who you are, your teaching style, your professional experience so your students can learn more about you and your ability to teach.
After you have done that, go and create an online profile on social media such as a Facebook page, LinkedIn profile and on a tutoring platform. Tutoring platforms exist to gather students and teachers in the same space. They advertise to students who are searching the web for ways to learn languages, then match them with tutors who can help them reach their goals.
All online teaching platforms take care of important tasks that would otherwise take up a lot of time for tutors, like advertising and making sure tutors get paid securely for their work. At WeloveTeachingEnglish, we also provide teaching resources for tutors. Our support is always available in case you need help for your lessons.
Step 4. Setup a PayPal Account
You can make money only if you have a way to actually get that money! PayPal is one of the most used and trusted methods of online payments. Most of the online language teachers get paid through it. Consider setting up your account before you can start to look for students.
Step 5. Browse and Apply for Jobs or find students
To teach English online, you need to find teaching jobs and/or students. You can do that by setting up a dedicated Facebook page or by connecting to Facebook groups where your potential students might be. Moreover, the internet is full of job boards and online job markets; the trick, in this case, is to find the most reliable and promising opportunities that will not only help you find students, but guarantee payment.
Step 6. Start Teaching!
Enjoy your new life as an online English teacher!
