Work at home opportunities teaching English have been booming in recent years. There is a growing demand for English speakers who can help international students improve their English.
If you speak English fluently, you don’t always need a formal teaching qualification you teach English online. The pay is good, and the work can be very satisfying. Here’s all your questions about working from home teaching English answered.
Do I Need a Degree?
In most cases, you don’t need a teaching degree to teach English online. In some cases, you don’t need a degree at all. The most important things that you need are an outgoing personality, a good command of English, and good presentation skills. Many of the higher-paying sites do require that you have a degree, but not all.
Some sites will accept people who are at college working towards a degree. The pay, though, will be more of you do already have a degree.
Do I Need to Speak a Second Language?
Most sites do not require you to speak a second language. They are looking for people who are native English speakers to help international students improve their English. Lessons are usually conducted solely in English.
What Equipment Will I Need?
To be able to teach English from home, you will need a laptop or a desktop computer that has a webcam. You will also need a reliable, high-speed internet connection and a noise-cancelling headset.
Most online English teaching jobs require video contact with students. You don’t, however, usually need any special software. You will need to have access to a quiet room where you can teach without being disturbed by other people.
Most companies have their own teaching systems and curricula that you will need to follow. You won’t usually be asked to plan lessons. The only other things that you might be asked to obtain are teaching aids, such as a whiteboard or flash cards.
What is the Application Process for Work from Home Teaching English Jobs?
When you apply for online English teaching jobs, most sites will first ask you to complete an online application form. This will ask you about your qualifications and any teaching experience that you may have. Some sites will also ask you to submit a video of you speaking, so they can assess your English language skills.
Once you have got through these first stages, you will probably be asked to do a video interview. This may include you doing some mock teaching. If you are accepted, you will then be given training before you are asked to accept your first teaching assignment.
How Much Can I Earn Teaching English Online?
The pay you can earn teaching English from home will depend on your qualifications and your teaching experience. The average rate of pay is between $10 and $22 per hour. You may also be able to earn bonuses for working a certain number of hours a week. Other bonuses may be offered for working during holiday periods.
As with all work from home jobs, you will find that the longer you do the job, the more you will get paid. This is because you will have more experience, and because the sites that you will work for will know that they can trust you.
8 of the Best Online English Teaching Sites
Finding work at home English teaching is quite easy. There are lots of sites that are looking for English teachers working from home. It is always advisable to do your research before signing up to any work at home opportunity.
You need to know how much work you are committing to, and how much you are going to get paid. Here are eight of the best sites that offer work at home English teaching opportunities.
1. Cambly
Cambly is one of the English teaching sites that don’t insist that you have a college degree. If you are a native English speaker, and you have a computer with a webcam, you can apply to Cambly.
Cambly pays $0.17 per minute, which works out at $10.20 per hour. Payments are made via PayPal.
2. iTalki
iTalki is an online language learning site that offers work from home opportunities to native speakers of several languages, including English. The site has two teaching levels that you can apply for. There are professional teachers, for which you will need a college degree.
There are community tutors, for which no formal qualifications are required. Starting rates of pay are about $10 per hour.
3. Golden Voice English
Golden Voice English is a Canadian English language teaching site that offers online English lessons to Chinese students. To be able to work for Golden Voice English, you will need to commit to at least 8 hours per week. A college degree is desirable, but not essential.
This site does, however, require you to have some prior experience of teaching English.
4. Learnlight
Learnlight is a language training site that specializes on courses for business people. This is one of the sites that does require that you have formal teacher training.
To become a language teacher with Learnlight, you will need at least two years teaching experience. You will also need to have a recognized teaching qualification.
This is a site for experienced teachers who want to enjoy the freedom of working from home.
5. Palfish
If you don’t have any teaching experience, then Palfish would be a good site to start your online English teaching career. All they ask is that you are a fluent English speaker and you have good communication skills. You set your own rates at Palfish.
The average rate of pay is $10 – $18 per hour. This would also be a good site if you only want to work part time.
6. VIPKids
VIPKids is an English second language platform that is very popular with children in China. The age of students is usually between 5 and 12 years old. To become a teacher with VIPKids you will need a bachelor’s degree. You will also need to do a video interview and take a mock class.
You can expect to earn between $14 and $22 per hour working with VIPKids.
7. Verbal Planet
Verbalplanet is a site that matches native language speakers to language students. To apply to the site, you will need to complete a teacher profile. Your profile will include your rates and your teaching experience. Teachers on Verbal Planet use Skype to give lessons to students.
Payments are made via PayPal.
8. Open English
Open English is Latin American English language teaching platform. There are no specific qualifications needed to apply and previous teaching experience Is not required. They are looking for fluent American English speakers based in the United States.
The starting pay on Open English is $10.
Payments are made via PayPal or ACH electronic deposit into American bank accounts.
