How to Become an Online English Tutor: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you are keen to become an online English tutor, you will be pleased to hear that it is an extremely accessible career. Your first step is to obtain the 120-hour TEFL qualification through a reputable organisation such as The TEFL Org before choosing whether to work as an independent freelancer or with an established tutoring platform. Here, you will find a step-by-step guide to help you embark on this path.

What Is Online English Tutoring?

Online English tutoring involves teaching those who are learning English as a foreign language via the internet.

While many people who think about English tutoring immediately bring to mind working in a physical classroom setting, in person with their students, in fact, in recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people all over the world who are opting for virtual learning instead, thanks to the convenience this learning method offers.

When you work as an online English tutor, you will be connecting with people all over the world who are eager to develop their English language skills via the internet, using a laptop or PC paired with a headset and webcam to communicate from the comfort of your own home.

Why Work As an Online English Tutor?

Working as an online English tutor rather than an in-person TEFL professional gives you greater freedom to work to your own schedule from the comfort of your own home while also enjoying the rewards of putting your newly-acquired skills to good use.

There is enormous demand from prospective students from all over the world who are eager to develop and hone their English language skills in order to improve their employment prospects and enjoy a better quality of life for themselves and their families. Thanks to internet connectivity, even those who live in isolated locations without easy access to schools and colleges can gain the expertise they need to enhance their lifestyles.

When you become TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)-qualified with a reputable organisation such as The TEFL Org, you will have the world at your fingertips, with the ability to secure a teaching post anywhere around the globe. However, if you would rather work closer to home, you will find working as an online English tutor an equally rewarding option with the added benefit of being able to choose your own days and hours of work to fit around your existing commitments and responsibilities.  Not only that, but you will have the satisfaction of knowing you are making a real difference to your students’ lives.

Step One: Which Qualifications Will I Need To Be An Online English Tutor?

To establish yourself as an online English tutor, you will need to obtain a minimum 120-hour TEFL qualification from a trusted and accredited organisation.

Although it is sometimes possible to work as an English tutor online without any qualifications, it makes sense to become TEFL-certified, as you will not only gain access to the most lucrative jobs with the best employers, but will also ensure that you develop the essential knowledge and skills that you need to support your learners effectively.

Helping your learners to develop effective English study habits is a key element of your role as a TEFL professional, and when you obtain your qualifications with The TEFL Org, you will gain a good grounding in how to achieve this goal, along with instruction in how to plan and deliver high-quality lessons.

Step Two: Which Teaching Route Should I Choose?

Once you are TEFL-qualified, you can choose between freelancing as an independent tutor or working for one of the many established internet-based tutoring platforms.

If you choose to work as a freelance tutor, you can use a marketplace platform, which gives you the freedom to set a rate for your services while paying commission to the platform itself. Alternatively, if you feel you have the skills and expertise to handle your own marketing, you can run an independent tutoring business, securing your students yourself while keeping all the money you are paid.

A simpler alternative is to find online English tutoring work through a tutoring platform, which finds you students, handles your schedule, and manages payments on your behalf. This is an excellent option if you are new to tutoring and need some support while getting started.

Step Three: What Will I Need To Prepare For My Teaching Setup?

When setting up as a new online English tutor, you will need certain equipment to get started, including a computer or laptop, a high-speed, reliable broadband connection, a noise-cancelling headset with a microphone, and a webcam.

All online English tutors, whether freelance or working for an established tutoring platform, will need a virtual classroom setup from which to deliver lessons. Key hardware you will require includes:

• A desktop PC or laptop.
• A reliable internet connection that has a sufficiently high speed to ensure seamless video and voice communication with your learners around the world.
• Either an external or integrated HD webcam so you can see your students and they can see you.
• A noise-cancelling headset with either an integrated or separate microphone that enables your learners to hear you clearly and you to hear them.

Is Working As An Online English Tutor Right For Me?

Working as an online English tutor is a great choice for you if you want a rewarding career that you can pursue from the comfort of your own home with a schedule that fits around your lifestyle.

You can become an online English tutor even if you have no previous teaching experience, and there is often no need to even have a degree. As long as you have a TEFL certificate from a trusted organisation such as The TEFL Org, you will be well-positioned to achieve your goal of working as an online English tutor.

So what are you waiting for? There has never been a better time to embark on this new and exciting career path.

By V Silva

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