Photo by Mohammad Shahhosseini on Unsplash
Online lessons are becoming incredibly popular for a number of reasons. Not only is it the preferred way to study amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, but it can actually be cheaper than attending lessons in a school and they’re generally more convenient. As such, many people are looking at online study as a way to create new businesses and generate more income.
One great example of this is teaching English online. For people who are looking to make a bit of extra money online or even start a new career, teaching English online is a good way to establish a stable source of income while also creating opportunities to start a business or move to a different career.
So what do you need to know about teaching English online? Here’s a brief article that will cover the basics.
What does teaching English online mean?
Teaching English online can mean a number of different things. Technically, it covers basically anything about the English language from speaking to writing. However, some people act as speech coaches that are solely focused on conversing in English and offering advice to people who want to sound more fluent. Teaching English online can involve many different things, but it’s flexible work that should fit around your clients.
Do I need to invest in anything to teach online?
Depending on your approach to teaching English online, you may want to consider getting resources for ELL students. These are generally designed for newcomers to the United States, but it’s a fairly lucrative market because the service has a surprising amount of demand. While you can always invite parents to your household or visit them to teach English, you can actually adapt some of these resources to work in online lessons.
Where can I teach English online?
Teaching English online can be done anywhere. Some people prefer to do it at home in the comfort of their study, while others prefer to set up a little studio with a green screen and transition effects to a whiteboard. However, since it’s done completely online and you don’t even need to show your face, you could technically teach online from anywhere in the world. In some cases, you may want to mix online and offline study for your students, so being in a relatively populated town can be a benefit.
What do I need to teach English online?
To make this business idea a lot less stressful, it’s important for you to invest in the right gear. This means getting a decent computer with a high-quality webcam and microphone if you plan to do live lessons. Alternatively, you can still find success without a webcam or live lessons if you’re able to create excellent study materials and guide your students through text alone. If you want your online English business to be as legitimate as possible, you’ll also want to get yourself a TESOL/TEFL certificate to unlock more opportunities. You don’t absolutely need one, but it does add to your credentials.
Other ways to generate revenue?
In addition to teaching online, there are dozens of other ways to generate more income. From walking dogs, to becoming a copywriting expert, there are tons of opportunities out there.