The trend of learning and teaching English is on a continuous rise owing to the universal acceptance of the language.
Learning English online has various advantages as the students do not have to travel to take their lessons and can instead take on virtual classes from the comfort of their own home or any other place to wish to be in, even from the mountain peak.
All you need to have in such a case is a stable internet connection and a computer/laptop, tablet, or even your smartphone, and that’s all.
Online teaching is these days gaining a boom, and thus more and more people who have command over the subject are talking it up as a career option.
So, are you someone who aspires the same and is looking for a cheat sheet to become a perfect online English teacher? Here are a few easy-breezy steps that are going to help you out for your endeavor:
Get yourself hardware and software ready
You might be aware of the fact that you need to have the right kind of software and hardware that can help you to connect with the children. So, install Skype or any other software that you find appropriate and set up a user account to get going with your online teaching.
On the other hand, also arrange all the necessary hardware elements such as a headset, webcam, etc. which makes it easy for you to converse with the students. And not to forget, get a stable and strong internet connection so that you and your students do not have to suffer due to poor internet connectivity.
Be fluent in your language
Being able to speak fluent English is a primary requirement if you wish to take up online English classes. So, if you have a good command over the language and can read, write, speak English well, it’s a great sign that you can take up English teaching as a career. But make sure that you polish your skills well before you dive into the online teaching world.
Certifications help
Though getting certified is not mandatory, it can help you traverse a long way in your journey of being an online English tutor. Certifications define your excellence and can be a way to display your talents and get more number of prospective students enrolling for your classes.
Thus, you can consider gaining certificates by registering yourself for various programs such as TESOL, TEFL, TESL, etc. Undertaking these courses will not only narrate your caliber but will also aid in learning all the essentials of becoming a good English teacher.
Create an appealing profile
Though becoming an online English tutor is a work from home opportunity, it does not mean that you do not have to build a profile and prospects will come running to you from all around the world.
Start by creating an appealing profile that can create a positive impression and force the parents and students to contact you once for further details. Ensure that you include all the necessary details that highlight your experience, certifications, awards, etc.
Moreover, you can also seek Social media and mark your online presence by creating an online profile on various platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and similar such platforms that can broaden your reach.
Get a PayPal Account
Now, if you are planning to become an online English tutor and have all the skills that a good teacher should have, then you can expect a good number of students joining your classes. And, yes, since it is an online platform, you cannot expect every student to be from your country, you can meet people from all different races of life.
This implies that you need to have a universally accepted payment system to get the money for all your hard work and efforts put in training the child. So if you want to make money online, you need to ensure a safe and secure method to get that money in your account. Creating a PayPal account is one of the best and trusted ways by which you can get your paychecks in your account.
Deciding a niche
Becoming an English tutor is not only about teaching general English. Some students wish to study an expanded version of English. There are various other lucrative areas that you can try your hands in just in case you are confident about the same. Business English, Exam preparations, conversational English, there are more such niches. So deciding a specific niche is crucial so that you know exactly what you are going to offer to the students.
Get started and apply
Now once you are all geared up to usher with your online English teachings, you need to browse jobs and students. The internet has a plethora of options for the same; all you need to do is to find the best ones for yourself. So search for promising opportunities but do not forget to do your homework in concern with guaranteed payments.
And once you get a few students, make sure that you incorporate the Connect, Communicate, and Engage teaching method in your classes. Try this out and see how soon you will gain mouth publicity and will get a few more students seeking admission for your English classes.
Take help from connections and community
Don’t try to be a lone wolf and consider doing all the hard work in isolation. As mentioned above, to become an online tutor, you need students who will pay you for your work. So, use your connections and community contacts to help you out with the same. Seeking assistance from your acquaintances and fellows can open out a whole new world filled with opportunities and don’t shy off from taking any such support.
Conclusion
Distance learning is becoming a widely accepted norm these days, and more and more students are taking advantage of the same by studying through online platforms, and thus there is a wide scope of becoming a successful online English tutor. So, if you are someone planning to monetize your English skills, we hope the above tips will help you out in incredible ways.