5 things all new online TEFL teachers should know
Online teaching really hit the mainstream in 2021. With the onset of the pandemic and the WFH (Work From Home) movement, more and more of us took to the digital world to do jobs. TEFL followed suit, and an already-booming sector of the industry started to boom even more. It’s pretty startling stuff – stats show that 32% of students have now taken at least one online class, and an incredible 82% of newly graduated teachers are aiming to go online to match the demand. Wowza.
Cue this guide. It outlines just five key things that we think every newcomer online TEFL teacher should know. Think of them of friendly, helpful hints as to what life is really like as a digital nomad on the road. Let’s go…
You might need more than one job
We know, we know, it was hard enough to get the first one, right? Well…sorry to break it to you but a lot of online teachers find that a solitary employer just isn’t enough. It’s actually a case of the sector being a victim of its own success. There’s now a HUGE number of online schools, which spreads the customer base, and means it can be tricky to find enough students in one place to fill a whole schedule. The good news is that it’s perfectly a-okay to manage multiple online TEFL jobs, and it can even add some welcome variety to your week. You will need to be organized though, and remember who you’re teaching, on what platform, and when.
You won’t be able to go ANYWHERE
We see dreamy images of teachers hooked up to Zoom on tropical beaches under the shade of coconut palms all the time. Let’s just get this straight – it’s not like that. Not quite. Yes, you can travel the world and work from anywhere you like. But you still need a solid internet connection and a place where you can concentrate, and where the student can concentrate, more to the point. Perhaps it’s best to leave the trip to the beach until after the lessons are done?
The pay varies considerably
The oft-quoted market rate for online English teachers is around $20-25 per hour. That’s a good ballpark figure, but it only really applies to certain groups of teachers working in certain schools. It should be said that non-native teachers, regardless of how skilled they are with English or how good their teaching skills are, are currently not so well rewarded. Most pull in something closer to $6-12 per hour. You might also notice that schools based in developing regions like Africa and South America pay far below the 25.
China is now out of bounds
China really rattled the online TEFL industry in 2021 with the announcement of new regulations that effectively outlawed web-based English tuition from anywhere outside the country itself. The EFL world is still really grappling with what the changes mean, but, at least for now, China is a no-go area for employment. That’s not the end of things, though. There are upcoming areas where new schools that work online seem to be popping up all the time, especially in Eastern Europe and the Americas.
There’s extra admin to be done
99% of the time, working as an online TEFL teacher is done on a freelance basis. That means you can’t just sit back and watch the money roll in. Well…you can, but you have to count it and keep your own books. You and you alone (unless you hire an accountant, which is probably a great idea!) are responsible for tracking what you earn and paying any taxes that are due. Yes, it’s boring, but it’s just part of the gig so get it done!
We’ve got just five tips for new online TEFL teachers. If you can think of any more to add, be sure to drop them in the comments below. Alternatively, if you think you’re ready to get teaching online, check out our 140-hour Master Course, which we specifically designed with online teaching in mind.