CTEO - Unit 3 - Working Options

Unit 3 Working options

3.1 Working with a company

There are three generally recognized categories of the way you can work as an online English teacher Bear in mind you are not limited to only one of these options, you could do two, or even all three at the same time.

When working with a company you are generally classed as a freelancer or independent contractor working as part of an existing company There are a few general features that you should be aware of for this style of working.

Most importantly you will have to adopt the company requirements in terms of teaching contracts. Such contracts will outline what you teach, when you teach, and in some cases, how you teach. Contracts are often for part-time work only for their tax purposes, so you may wish to take up two or more posts, depending upon the hours offered and for which you wish to work There will be more information about tax and tax implications in unit 6.

Companies generally require minimum qualifications, such as a degree and/or a TEFL/TESOL certificate.

Some prefer Native English Speakers (NESs) though there are plenty of companies who will hire non NESs with a high level (C2) of English competency

As with any job, previous experience is also preferable and when you combine all three aspects above you will find, in general that the more you can offer the higher the salary available. Regardless of experience, the company will probably put you through some form of induction program to make you aware of their requirements and methodology.

For tax and employment labor law purposes, companies often refer to the people teaching under their umbrella as freelancers or independent contractors.

For many years, China has been a popular option for teaching English online, but in July 2021 the Chinese Ministry of Education banned for-profit tutoring by Chinese companies. This included English taught by foreign-based tutors to students in the country More recently, some companies are developing education programs outside China for Chinese students and the situation is evolving.

Please see this appendix, which is a list of hundreds of companies based in various areas of the world. As this is an external website, bear in mind that some information may not be current.

www.goodairlanguage.com/teaching-english-online-2/

Unit 3 Working options

3.1.1. Case study

Working for a company

www.huffpost.com/entry/teaching-english-online-t_b_8804838

By Courtney Lambert, Contributor retrieved 29-06-19 (edited)

There's a new way to make money while traveling (or from home) and it's taking the world of learning English by storm: online English classes.

I first heard about teaching English online from a fellow traveler while backpacking through Cambodia in 2014. I was already making money as a freelance writer, but was curious about other means of income so I could continue to trek the big bad world and never ever EVER go back home.

There are loads of opportunities to work abroad, from volunteering to teaching at a school, manual labor and freelance work. Teaching English online was one avenue I had yet to encounter, and by golly did it strike my fancy. I completed my TEFL certification in a jiffy and dove into the online job hunt.

For the past six months I have been teaching for two online English programs and can say that it has been a rewarding and at times, a frustrating journey. Here are my pros and cons of teaching English online.

Pro: You can work from ANYWHERE

.....that has a stable Internet connection. I have been working for two Asian-based companies while living in Thailand and jet setting around Southeast Asia. I have worked from home, friends homes, Internet cafes, hostels and co-working spaces. You get to work while you travel, meet other digital nomads and work comfortably from home when you don't feel like going anywhere.

Con: Tech issues

This is probably the biggest frustration of online teaching. Depending on your location, the company's location, the student's location, the Internet speed and even the weather, you never know what tech problems can pop up. This can cause cancelled classes, which in turn means you don't get paid.

Unit 3 Working options

3.2 Profile company

Another mode of working which is rapidly expanding is making use of a Profile Company Here you create your profile, giving your experience, working rates and hours and so forth and send it to a Profile company They will host your details on their site and attract clients to you that way This is an excellent way to build up a niche market for you and comes with many benefits in terms of potential choice of hours and lessons.

The two main niches come in the form of teaching adults and teaching children Profile companies offering employment generally make it quite clear which of the two options you are applying for Whilst the largest part of the market is for teaching children, opportunities exist for teaching adults also.

Some examples are given below, all of which were in operation in April 2023.

This table is continued on page 4.

Unit 3

Working options

Unit 3 Working options

3.2.1. Case study

Working for a profile company

Retrieved from www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/teaching-english-online-opportunities-pitfalls

The importance of personal learning networks, by Sylvia Guinan

I can't stress strongly enough how important my personal learning network has been to me. For a freelance teacher, associating with others on the cutting edge of technology in education has been a huge motivational factor. When you are challenged by the excellence of others, you become more daring, professional and creative. I can't imagine what it would be like to set oneself up on Skype, post a few adverts around and then stare at your screen waiting for students to show up (if they ever do in this massive cyber vacuum where no-one knows who you are). Pro-activity and passion are a must for success.

Pitfalls to avoid

Social media: If you are a freelance teacher, you will need to have a dynamic online presence. Having your own teaching page with a unique teaching brand that reflects your professional values helps a lot. The pitfall, however, is getting sucked into a social quagmire. You’ve got to be aware of this and keep a professional distance.

Webtool mania: Webtools are, of course, creative and useful for online teaching, but be realistic about how many you can sensibly use, and avoid the trap of playing with too many toys. My criteria for this is simplicity. Tools should fulfill educational objectives on a deep level.

Online schools: There are many unprofessional ‘online schools’ exploiting teachers online. Do not accept substandard pay, even if you are still learning the ropes.

Imagine in an interview you were asked“What is a PLN?”

How would you answer this without just stating what the acronym is?

Stop andresearch

Unit 3 Working options

3.3 Running your own business

A number of people have successfully undertaken starting their own business as a first step into the online world, but it is not the easiest route to take.

If you have had some experience of the other two modes of working already mentioned, or even better, both, this experience is likely to give your foray into running your own business a much greater chance of success.

Keep in mind that we are talking here not just of you working for yourself, but having one or more staff working for you. How difficult the company set up is going to be will depend on a number of very significant factors.

Location is possibly the single most important consideration. Location not in terms of where you have an office, but in which country you are going to register and operate your business. Each country has their own rules and regulations regarding registering a business, who you can employ, taxation system such as VAT and salary taxes and all of these must be understood to give yourself and your company a fair chance of success.

If your experiences are limited then you should make as much use as possible of the wealth of information that exists online covering every aspect of business set up and a non ending supply of stories and blogs recounting others travels down this route.

Unit 3 Working options

3.3.1. Case study

Start your own business

For anyone wishing to star t their own business we recommend reading the ar ticle at www.business.org/business/startup/how-to-start-an-online-business/ from which the text below is taken:

1. Vet your idea

While vetting your business idea, ask yourself these five questions:

● How big is your potential audience? Are enough people interested in this type of product or service that you have a stable audience for sales?

● Is your product or service something customers buy once and move on? Or is there a chance for building a repeat customer base?

● Is your business idea going to be a passing trend like low-rise jeans, or does it have a long-term possibility like pencils?

● What is your competition? For instance, if you are setting up a fry bread cafe, are there other fry bread cafes in the area? If there are, what unique element will set your business apart from the competition?

● Will your business have any legal issues or limitations? For instance, are you creating something with strict regulations that make it trickier to market? Are you passionate enough about your idea that you’re willing to deal with the ups and downs and chaos of starting a business?

Once you’ve vetted your idea by asking yourself the questions above, getting advice from people you trust, and even speaking with an accountant or business banker about your business’s viability, it’s time to move on to the fun stuff—like choosing a name for your budding business.

Further reading:

Read the full article here:

www.business.org/business/startup/how-to-start-an-online-business

Nicolle Okoren

Stop andresearch

Unit 3 Working options

3.4 Comprehension text

Read the following text (updated here in April 2023) and watch the videos mentioned. Knowledge of the text will be tested.

How to Find a Job as an English Teacher

www.teflcourse.net/teach-abroad/how-to-find-a-job-as-anenglish-teacher-online/

In our modern age where working online has become a common way to make a steady living, the opportunities for qualified English teachers have further branched out into what we call the “virtual classroom”.

There are countless online platforms and providers that offer English lessons online with native speakers allowing students from all over the world to learn how to speak English from the comfort of their home.

Here is our comprehensive guide on how to find a job as an English teacher online.

How to get started teaching English online

Teaching English online is a great way to supplement your income while already teaching abroad or when in your home country. Teaching English online also helps new teachers to gain valuable teaching experience before embarking on their adventure abroad. If you choose to get started as an English teacher online, the set-up procedures are quite straightforward and not that expensive. Your first step should be to complete a TEFL certification course. The course will provide all the skills and knowledge needed to be a productive teacher, plus it gives you an edge when applying for teaching jobs online or when looking for students.

Once you hold your certificate in hand, you should make sure that you have a computer or laptop equipped with a webcam and a microphone. Depending on which platform you work from, you will also need some form of communication application, often Skype. On top of that, a PayPal account is usually the most convenient way to get paid for teaching lessons online.

The best employment options for teaching English online

There are two main options for online English teachers. The first option is to set up your own teaching website. This allows teachers to be completely independent and free to set their own hours. However, it can take quite some time to find regular students and setting up a professional-looking website requires a certain budget and time commitment.

Unit 3 Working options

A much more popular alternative, especially for those new to teaching online, is to work for an agency or an online platform. These tend to already have a pool of students with a set schedule. They also conduct their own marketing and promotion campaigns to recruit extra students. However, they often require their teachers to be TEFL certified and to undergo an application process, which may include a mock lesson in front of some of their teaching staff via webcam.

How much can you earn teaching English online?

This figure depends on a variety of factors including your qualifications, experience and the organization you work for. A typical hourly rate for online English teachers ranges from $15 and $30 USD, however, an agency will take a cut of this as a fee if you work through a platform.

Some popular teaching platforms for teaching English online include:

Magic Ears: provides fun, interactive and efficient online English learning experiences to 4-12-year-old children. Magic Ears offers compensation, which is 30% higher than the average market value and you can earn between $18-26 USD per hour.

VIPKID: focuses on teaching children in Asia. All lesson plans and teaching materials are provided. Applicants need to be US or Canadian citizens and possess at least a Bachelor's degree and have a stable internet connection. Pay is $18 to $21 per hour with average earnings of $2,000 per month.

Cambly: offers conversational lessons in an informal setting. Students come from all over the world. Pay is $0.17 per minute, or $10.20 per hour, paid through PayPal every Monday.

Qkids: open to teachers in Canada and the US. Must be able to commit to 6 hours per week. Paid training and all coursework provided.

iTutor: open to teachers from the US, Canada and the UK with a degree. Hiring process is very quick, within 3 days of registration. Pay is between $16 and $25 per hour.

Continuum Education Services: recruitment agency that pairs teachers with companies that require English services. Companies offer base pay and flexible schedules. English native speakers only with a TEFL/TESOL certificate.

Berlitz: has offices in 70 countries worldwide. Pay is around $14 per hour.

Englishunt: hires tutors for virtual lessons with Japanese students. Teachers must have a TEFL/TESOL certificate. Teachers work between 8 and 12 hours a week. Pay is $14.50 per hour. Curriculum is provided.

Global Mate New York: targets South Korean learners and is only open to US citizens.

Unit 3 Working options

Employers focusing on Chinese students (not necessarily in China):

Skooli: teaching mainly older students. Requires a Bachelor’s degree. Flat hourly rate; typically $25 per hour.

Boxfish: provide teaching materials, one-on-one classes. They need Bachelor’s degree, a TEFL or TESOL qualification and at least one year of teaching experience. Up to $22 per hour

English First (EF): great for new teachers, with no previous experience required. Bachelor’s degree required and must be a resident of the USA. $12 to $25 per hour.

Likeshuo: check for latest information about this company Requires a Bachelor’s degree and a TEFL or TESOL certificate. $16 to $25 per hour, depending on experience.

PalFish: work directly on your phone though their app. Computer not required. Mostly conversational practice. TEFL or TESOL qualification needed. $8 to $11 per hour.

Qkids: class size is one to four students. Curriculum is pre-written for teachers. They need Bachelor’s degree, a TEFL or TESOL qualification, and teachers must be eligible to work in Canada or the USA.

Verbling: students from around the world, but mostly Chinese. Experience in teaching the target language group needed. Average pay is $19 per hour; teachers set their own rates.

HelloKid: one-on-one teaching. Minimum 12 hours per week. TEFL or TESOL certificate required. $8 to $22 per hour.

HAWO: discussion-based group classes, with groups of four students. They need a Bachelor’s degree and past tutoring experience. $18 per hour.

Lingoda: choose between one-on-one and group teaching. Requires C2 language ability, a TEFL or TESOL certificate and teaching experience. $8 to $13 per hour

Outschool: combines English online classes with specialized topics, such as art, math, reading, etc. (CLIL). Teachers set their own pay rates.

Lingostar: state-of-the-art, interactive courseware. Require Bachelor’s degree with TEFL or TESOL qualification. All classes are one-to-one. Requires computer with LAN connection. From $20 per hour.

Preply: highly flexible working conditions. ITTT graduates can apply at https://tinyurl.com/preply-ittt

There are also Facebook groups for independent teachers wishing to market themselves directly to Chinese students via Chinese platforms These useful groups provide up-to-date information:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/marketinginchinaforonlineeslteachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/632670121350983

Unit 3 Working options

3.5 Supplementary information

Social media

There are a number of Facebook groups that can provide useful and up-to-date information on online teaching companies and vacancies.

For example:

www.facebook.com/groups/online.esl.teaching.jobs

www.facebook.com/groups/OTCJobs

www.facebook.com/groups/onlineenglishteachingjobs

www.facebook.com/groups/1583546091866900

We would suggest taking the time to look through these groups thoroughly to research online teaching companies prior to applying.

Teaching Platform Apps

Going solo? These platforms are some of the more popular ones:

ClassIn www.classin.com/en

Zoom https://zoom.us

Voov https://voovmeeting.com

Koala www.teachwithkoala.com

Further reading:

Read this article about online teaching platforms:

www.hurix.com/best-online-teaching-platforms-to-start-your-teaching-career

Stop andresearch

You should now be ready to attempt the test for unit 3. Go to your course control panel to open and take the test.