Despite the pandemic, the online English teaching market is booming. To thrive in the industry, you may want to check this guide to teaching English online.
Teaching English online in the Philippines is a rapidly growing industry with more than 10,000 Filipinos teaching through online educational platforms. Moreover, home-based online English teaching has become one of the most in-demand opportunities during the global pandemic for its stability and safety. For those who are still facing unemployment or looking to explore new opportunities, here’s all that you need to know to start your online English teaching journey.
The Role of an Online English Teacher
Similar to a traditional classroom English teacher, an online English teacher delivers fun and engaging lessons that develop a student’s English reading, speaking, and writing skills. The only difference is that the lessons are virtual, so the teacher must also ensure that his or her equipment is always functioning properly. Ultimately, an online English teacher facilitates lessons while creating an engaging and supportive online learning environment for learners.
How to Become an Online English Teacher
Most online educational platforms or English-teaching institutions prefer applicants with a four-year degree course in English or Education, and TEFL or TESOL certification. However, some online teaching platforms welcome educators and professionals without these backgrounds as these platforms provide training for aspiring online English teachers.
For example, 51Talk, the leading online English education platform in the Philippines, offers free teacher training sessions and TESOL certification. As long as you’re proficient in the English language with a neutral accent, willing to be trained, and passionate about teaching, you can thrive in online English teaching.
The Difference Between EFL vs ESL Teaching
The terms EFL and ESL are often used in online English teaching. However, they can’t be used interchangeably as there’s a distinct difference between these two terms.
English as a Foreign Language or EFL refers to teaching English to foreign students residing in their non-English speaking countries. Since these learners have little exposure or opportunity to practice the English language outside of the lessons, the language is taught the textbook way, which is step-by-step according to a set curriculum. Moreover, the methods and techniques that teachers use should allow the student to practice the language as often as possible in clear contexts/situations.
Meanwhile, English as a Second Language or ESL refers to foreign students studying the language in English-speaking countries. Since students need to use the language to interact with native English-speakers, ESL teaching leans toward conversational or academic English.
Nowadays, most online English education platforms involve teaching learners residing in their non-English speaking countries. Therefore, the right term is EFL teaching. Knowing this crucial difference will help you learn and understand more about teaching English online.
The Students You Teach
Your students can range from beginner English to advanced learners and from young children to working adults. Moreover, most online EFL lessons are conducted one-on-one, but it’s also possible to do small group classes. Upskilling through training sessions will help you improve and handle a variety of learners.
The Technical Equipment and Requirement that You Need
Home-based online English teachers should be well-equipped with the right computer setup to teach effectively. A proper teaching setup includes the following equipment and technical specifications:
1.) A well-functioning desktop computer or laptop with the minimum specs:
- Operating System: Mac or Windows 7 or above
- CPU: Intel Core i3 6th gen and above / i5 to i7 4th gen and above / AMD A-Series A8-7500 and above / AMD Ryzen
- Memory: At least 4GB of RAM with 100GB free hard disk space available
2.) A headset with a noise-canceling microphone
3.) An HD webcam with 720p resolution
4.) A wired DSL Internet connection of at least 5 Mbps. Avoid using LTE, USB sticks, or wireless Internet connections because they’re generally slower and unstable.
Aside from these, investing in additional equipment such as a ring light and an ergonomic chair to make your teaching space brighter and more comfortable is highly recommended. Moreover, remember that you need a teaching space that has a plain backdrop or background and is spacious and quiet enough to teach efficiently.
Why should you teach English online?
There are plenty of reasons to consider teaching online right now. Aside from its demand and safety, teaching English online also allows flexibility, giving you more control of your professional and personal time. Moreover, online EFL teaching offers financial freedom and stability. In fact, at 51Talk, teachers can earn as much as Php80,000 per month. Ultimately, online English teaching can help you stay safe, be with your family, and earn a living at home.
For those who would like to become online EFL teachers, 51Talk provides a quick and easy online application for teachers and professionals who would like to teach and earn at home. Teach with 51Talk today and start your online English teaching journey!
51Talk is looking for thousands of home-based online teachers to give one-on-one English lessons. You can earn up to Php80K as a full-time teacher and enjoy a wide range of perks –
