What does being an online ESL teacher even mean?! Well, ESL stands for English as a Second Language, so teaching ESL online is basically just a different way of saying TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) online. Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s find out how you actually become an online ESL teacher. We’ve split the process into 5 easy steps for you, check them out below:
Step 1
Choose a reputable and well-trusted ESL/TEFL course provider.
Making sure you book your course with an accredited provider is important, as most reputable employers will only accept accredited courses as proof of ESL training. So, make sure you don’t waste your money on a course that won’t help you get a job!
Step 2
Choose the best course for your needs.
If you’re looking to become an online ESL teacher, the 420hr Advanced TEFL Diploma is probably going to be the best one for you. This is because it covers all the essentials of ESL/TEFL, with the added bonus of some specialist courses that will be really useful for online teaching, particularly:
- Teaching One-to-One and Online
- Teaching Business English
- Teaching IELTS
- Teaching Business English and Teaching IELTS will be especially useful for any adult students you might have, as these 2 areas are often their motivation for wanting to learn English online! This knowledge will also help you to access higher salaries with online teaching jobs.
Step 3
Complete the course!
Sounds like an obvious step but it’s a crucial one, so we couldn’t miss it off our list.
Completing your TEFL course will help you gain all the essential ESL/TEFL knowledge to ensure you become the best online ESL teacher you can be, benefitting both your future students and your future salary!
Our courses are all online self-study, so you can log in to your course 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, to easily fit your learning around your current schedule and commitments – easy!
Step 4
Prepare your ESL CV/resume
This is a really key part of applying for online ESL teaching positions, as this is your potential employer’s first impression of you, and it’s important to make sure it’s good! You need to make sure you are:
Gearing your CV/resume to the values/needs of each employer
Making sure you keep any experience mentioned ESL relevant
Proofreading! Typos and grammar errors annoy employers and show poor language and organisation skills (not something an employer expects of wants from an ESL teacher!)
For more information and detail on creating the perfect ESL CV/resume, check out our previous blog post.
Step 5
Job hunt!
So, you’ve completed your course and have amazing TEFL knowledge, you’ve prepared the perfect ESL CV/resume, what next? Now comes the job hunt!
This is the exciting part because you get to see all the different options available and select the best ones for you. Remember to keep an open mind before you start, there are lots of opportunities out there!
Now you’re ready to get started with your job hunt so head over to the LoveTEFL jobs board, where you can filter different opportunities by country (there is an option here for online jobs), the passport you hold, your education level and the salary you’re looking for. They’ve made it super easy for you!
