Students have been learning online for years now but recently there has been a massive boom in online education. Students all over the world are realising how convenient it is to study online from the comfort of their home – not to mention the time and money saved without having to commute every day to a classroom! The one thing 2020 has shown us is that online education is not something to be feared and, though it may not be ideal for all of us as a replacement for school, it can be very effective for certain subjects such as languages.
Many of these students who are now opting for online tuition are language students, and the biggest market is undoubtedly learning English as a Foreign Language. And all of these EFL students need teachers, which is why you probably know someone right now who is teaching English as a Foreign Language online.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language online
So clearly there is a huge demand for online English language teachers. With the pandemic and all the related consequences, many of us have found ourselves looking for a job, reconsidering our current job, considering a side hustle or even just wondering what to do with our new-found free time.
Whichever category you fall under, now is the perfect time to get involved in TEFL. All you need to do is get a TEFL qualification (from an internationally recognised and accredited TEFL course provider), organise your home “classroom” and you’re good to go. In order to be an online teacher you will need to have a good laptop or PC, a microphone or headset, a stable and reliable internet connection and a quiet space to teach. Depending on your students you might also need a colourful backdrop, flashcards and props.
Your TEFL course will provide you with all the knowledge you need to be able to plan and execute effective EFL lessons. When you are qualified and all set up you simply sign up with one of the hundreds of online English companies. Generally, they will provide you with lesson plans and materials, but if they don’t there are tons of free resources available online. Students book with the company, and you can create an schedule which suits you.
Or if you decide to go it alone as an independent freelancer, there are many platforms you can upload a demo video of yourself and students will contact you directly for lessons. The bonus of this is you can set your own teaching rate and be fully in control of your schedule.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language in-person
But there is more to TEFL than teaching English online. When we can travel freely again, TEFL is your ticket to living and working in any country you want. You can choose to teach any age, any speciality, in any country –whether that is kindergarten in Beijing, Business English in Paris or teens in Mexico City. If you’re not exactly sure where you want to go then download the World Factbook 2021 from The TEFL Academy which will give you all the important information you need about teaching English as a Foreign Language in over a hundred countries around the world to help you decide where you want to go first.
There are few careers which offer the same options as TEFL. As a TEFL teacher you can live and work wherever you choose because wherever you go you can be sure there are students wanting to learn English. If you are unable to travel now, why not get some experience as a TEFL teacher teaching online and start saving for your future TEFL adventures?