CTEO - Unit 6 - The online teaching world

Unit 6

The online teaching world

6.1 Some words of advice from real teachers

Once you start looking for jobs, presuming that is the way you wish to work, you will find no shortage of positions; however as with any market the best paid positions will be available to those who meet the standard requirements of the company

The two most important attributes you can posses are qualifications and experience. You will also have to have the correct equipment to act independently as a teacher

Working as an EFL teacher is not an easy job and it requires commitment and energy For those who wish to move away from the standard, 9 to 5, one location lifestyle, online teaching has a lot to offer As with anything it also has potential downsides.

Typical requirements may include:

n A teaching certification which can be TEFL, TESL, TESOL, etc.

n A degree (not necessarily needed for some companies).

n Computer with camera, headset and microphone (a phone/tablet with a headset is sometimes the only requirement).

n A good internet or WiFi connection.

n A quiet location.

n A well-lit location (Depending on your time zone, you could be teaching at night.)

This list is by no means exhaustive, but be prepared to see job positions which ask for teachers from a single particular country and other such requirements.

We asked a number of practising online teachers for their tips and advice to create a pros and cons list on the following page.

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Pros and cons of teaching English online

Pros (potentially include...)

n Flexible hours

n Good pay - some companies pay up to US$25 an hour

n Location independence – work from wherever you want

n Less demanding work – if working for a company that provides courseware, a simple lesson check beforehand

n Regular students – this allows you to watch the growth of problems that arise and handle them accordingly and develop a relationship with students that becomes quite unique

n No office politics – you are your own boss

n The opportunity to freelance once you have sufficient experience and this means more income

n Skills development that allows you to gain experience and confidence so you can tutor on the side

n If you enjoy teaching, combining teaching in a standard classroom as well as online allows you the best of both worlds – but not too much!

n Additional experience for your CV or resume

n Experience of teaching students of other cultures without the need to travel there

n Most companies provide ready-made material for their teachers, which reduces lesson preparation time

Cons (potentially include...)

n Can become boring or repetitive –if you thrive on being challenged, you may get bored quickly

n Time zone differences

n Internet connection – this can be very difficult in some locations and some companies require a LAN connection, not just Wi Fi

n This is not a digital nomad position – you need a quiet, well lit location (not a café)

n Companies can vary on their salary depending on your qualifications and experience – it pays to check in advance

n If this is your only source of income, prepare a budget to check if the company is paying you a sufficient amount to cover your costs

n May need to work set hours – it is important to develop a routine when teaching, especially with time differences and when traveling

n If working independently, you will need to market yourself to get your students, you also need to maintain correspondence, and embrace social media and other platforms to ensure you get the correct exposure to attract students. (This is extra administration but can be very beneficial financially in the long-term)

n Working on your own? Can you cope without having the interaction of a school or company atmosphere?

n Class requirements – some companies will require you to provide a proper classroom setting – can you do this when travelling?

n Difficult students – this is not like in school, some students may play up during lessons and you need to learn to handle these situations

n Parental intrusions – as they are paying for the lessons, you should be aware of their presence or comments

n Technical glitches – these can affect your pay and reputation

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In summary:

n Work out what is best for you and what your ideal teaching scenario would be.

n Plan in advance and research companies, and ask for advice online from those who have worked for the companies you might be interested in.

n Be prepared to 'work towards' your ideal position, as it is unlikely that one will fall into your lap with the first job application you submit.

n Be realistic.

Read more pros and cons of teaching English online:

www.goabroad.com/articles/teach-abroad/pros-cons-teaching-esl-online-vs-classroom

Stop andresearch

Case study

www.teflcourse.net/blog/five-online-teaching-jobs-that-dont-require-a-degree-ittt-tefl-blog/

Five Online Teaching Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree

Online English language teaching is one area of the TEFL field that has grown rapidly in recent times and it is only going to become more popular. With this growth comes an increased demand for teachers which is a very positive thing for anyone who doesn’t have a full university degree. While some online employers do insist on a degree, the two most important ingredients when applying for online teaching jobs are generally a TEFL/TESOL certification and in some cases being a native English speaker.

For anyone without a degree, the best thing to do is to offer as much else to the employer as possible. As mentioned, a TEFL/TESOL certification is essential (a minimum 120-hour course is usually expected). Other sought after skills include foreign language experience, flexibility and a positive attitude, as well as any level of classroom experience. The following are five well-known online English language teaching companies that take on teachers without a degree:

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Cambly

The Cambly platform offers short chat sessions via webcam with students worldwide. The main student body is made up of adults, although it does cater for some younger learners. Cambly employs native English speakers from the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries in certain circumstances.

With Cambly you can work as little or as much as you want as you simply login whenever you are free and start making chat calls immediately. Your online time is automatically tracked and you are paid $0.17 USD per minute (which equates to $10.20 USD per hour). Your weekly earnings are paid via PayPal every Monday.

To apply to Cambly you will need a reliable internet connection that can handle video streaming. This is tested by them automatically to ensure it is up to the job. Next you have to record a short video to introduce and sell yourself as a tutor. Finally, you fill out a tutor profile that will be shown to potential students. If this sounds like something you are interested in click here.

Also

read:

PalFish

How to Find a Job as an English Teacher Online

This platform is a little different as it is app-based, meaning you need an iOS (Apple) or Android cell phone/tablet to communicate with your students. Through the PalFish app you can teach both one-to-one students and larger groups. It is worth noting that PalFish has no rules regarding the nationality of its teachers and non-native English speakers are more than welcome to apply. Applicants simply need to be a fluent English speaker with good communication skills and plenty of energy. A TEFL/TESOL or CELTA qualification is also necessary.

Your working hours can be as flexible as you want as there are no minimum requirements. You also get to set your own hourly rate without any influence from PalFish. The average rate is between $10 and $18 USD per hour for one-on-one classes. Payment of your earnings is made via Payoneer only, so you will need to set up an account if you don't already have one.

To apply to PalFish you should first download the app and then follow the instructions. You will need a good photo for here your avatar, a self-introduction piece of over 100 words, and a self-introduction video to show off your English pronunciation and proficiency. You will also need to provide your Payoneer details.

Also read: The Best Apps to Have on Your Phone While Teaching English Abroad

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SkimaTalk

SkimaTalk take on native English speakers over 18 years old that have an American, British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand or Irish accent. Teaching qualifications and experience are not essential, but either or both is always an advantage when applying for any teaching position. Your students could be from anywhere in the world, but are most likely to be adults. A good internet connection is a must, as is commitment, a passion for teaching and a professional approach.

You are free to choose your own working hours and to set your own hourly charges. SkimaTalk takes 20% of whatever price you set for each lesson and the remaining 80% (less any PayPal fees) goes to you. Payments are made to teachers once a month.

To join the SkimaTalk platform you can create an account by signing up You can then fill out a teacher profile, record a here video introduction, and complete a set of simple tests.

Also read: What it's Like to Teach English Online: An Online Teacher Reveals Her Secrets!

Lingoda

Lingoda is currently the leading online language school in Europe, with over 6,000 students involved in around 7,000 live classes per week. Lessons are provided 24 hours a day in a range of languages, including English, German, French, and Spanish. All the required materials for your lessons are supplied by Lingoda and your classes will generally be in small groups or on a one-to-one basis.

You get to pick which hours suit you best from a list of 24/7 options and the pay is between 7 - 11 euro per hour. All applicants must be native English speakers with a TEFL/TESOL or CELTA certification and 2 years of classroom experience.

To sign up for Lingoda you can fill out an application or you can send a 1-minute video application to here teacher@lingoda.com which is generally a quicker option.

Also read: The Exciting Future of Learning English Online

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Open English

Open English is the most successful online English learning platform in Latin America. The platform runs small group and oneto-one lessons around the clock, as well as on-demand services and interactive content. In place of a degree, Open English require a TEFL/TESOL certification and a minimum of one year of teaching experience. A good knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese is also a big advantage. It is worth noting that they typically look for North American English speakers.

Open English require a minimum of 10 hours teaching per week, although the hours are not guaranteed and can vary depending on the time of year. Most lessons are taken during the evenings (USA ET). Hourly rates are up to $15 USD. You can apply for a position and you might be expected to have an interview or produce a video recording. If successful, you will here then undertake training specific to the Open English platform and their preferred teaching methodologies.

Also read: 5 Great Places to Teach English Abroad Without a Degree

Are you ready to teach English online?

Although a

for English teachers who want to work online, there are still plenty of great degree does provide more options opportunities available to those who have a TEFL/TESOL certification. Hopefully this list of potential employers will help you get started on your new path as an online English language teacher.

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6.2 Contracts

These will vary depending on the company you work for You will find some of the basic information regarding working conditions and requirements on the company's websites, shown in the next section.

Tax

You will need to comply with the tax laws for whichever country or countries you receive income Most companies will tell you that you will have to deal with tax issues for yourself, so it is important you make sure you are familiar with the rules.

There is a lot of free help available for these issues in teacher forums and blogs.

Example site:

https://teachnomadic com/how-to-pay-taxes-foronline-teachers

Retirement

Even though you may be just starting your teaching career, if you intend to work as a freelancer, you should think about retirement planning from day 1. This relates to your tax plans above, as retirement plans usually give some form of tax benefit.

You need to make yourself aware of what is available.

Read more about being self-employed while ‘retired’: www.nerdwallet.com/blog/investing/retirement-plans-self-employed/

Stop andresearch

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6.3 Salaries and payment

systems

Examples of teaching platform salaries for teaching English online include:

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

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.

eBerlitz: has offices in 70 countries worldwide and is one of the biggest names in the business of teaching English as a foreign language. The pay is $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.

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

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

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.

Typical examples of general pay and conditions for some of the above companies on the next few pages.

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VIPKIDS

www.vipkidteachers.com/mkt/faq/payment

Minimum pay USD 7-9

Participation Incentive Up to USD 1

Finished Class Incentive Up to USD 1

Remarks

This is decided based on your credentials and demo lesson performance.

This is based on showing up on time and teaching the lesson according to schedule.

This is based on the number of classes you finish in a month. We use this to assess your teaching quality. If more students continue to book with you, you are rewarded.

Total per 30 minutes USD 7 - 11

Total per 1 hour USD 14 - 22

VIPKID payment information

QKIDS

https://teacher.qkids.net/faq

Work from home, work remotely, teach online from anywhere in the U.S. or Canada

Flexible Hours, Part-time, set your own teaching schedule

Easy and Stable Supplemental Income$16 - $20 USD an hour, each in-lesson time is 30 minutes

How much do I get paid?

Base pay: $8 base pay for full lessons. $4 base pay for standby lessons (approximately 10 minutes with no teaching required).

Incentive: eligibility for $1 Performance Fee for each lesson based on family review. Eligibility for $1 Attendance Bonus for each lesson once a minimum of 15 lessons are taught in a week

Limited Attendance policies requiring 24 hour notice for schedule changes and minimum 5 hour notice to maintain eligibility for overall attendance fee.

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How and when will I be paid?

All teachers will be paid via bank transfer to your U.S. or Canada bank accounts. The transfer fee is covered by Qkids. The pay date is no later than the 15th of each month where you will be paid for the entire previous month of teaching. The pay date will automatically extend to the next week in the event of any Chinese national holidays.

How much tax do I need to pay?

All Qkids teachers are independent contractors and will be responsible for your own taxes in accordance with state and country laws, and individual tax jurisdictions.

I am a resident of Canada, do I get paid in US dollars?

Yes, all teachers will be paid in US dollars.

How long is the contract? Can I take time off?

The contract term is 6 months with the possibility to extend upon re-evaluation. Please inform the Class Coordination Team 2 weeks in advance if you need to take extended time off during the contract.

Magic Ears

https://t.mmears.com/v2/learn

Magic Ears offers compensation which is 30% higher than the average industry pay As an independent contractor, your payment is calculated on a per-class basis and is composed of a minimum pay with potential incentives. (Total class time = 25-minute lesson + 5-minute student evaluation.)

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*Final definition of peak hours is subject to changes by Magic Ears.

How much tax do I have to pay?

Magic Ears' teachers function as independent contractors and are responsible for their own taxes in accordance with their individual tax jurisdictions as well as state and federal laws.

When and how will I be paid?

The monthly compensation shall be paid on the 10th working day of the next calendar month. Teachers can be paid through online bank transfer or PayPal. Magic Ears assumes the transfer fee charged by the remitting bank, and teachers assume the handling fees charged by the receiving bank

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Receiving your salary

Some examples of methods available for you to get paid were listed at a now defunct website, anomalouseducator.com. The website may no longer be accessible, but the text from the relevant page (written by Ray Blakney) is below

What are the best ways to get payment from students?

What are the best ways to go about accepting the fruits of your labor? In 2017, online payments are quick and painless. Some services will take a small fee for processing and depositing your payment, others won’t. Here we’ll look at the best ways to get payment from students.

Likely, you will accept payment via a few different paths below, although customers shouldn’t expect you to accept all forms of payment. It comes down to what works best for your business, situation, and ultimately, the majority of your students.

PayPal

PayPal is perhaps the easiest and most widely used online payment service. Simply sign up with your work-based email address, get your account linked to your bank, and you’re ready to go.

Payment is sent directly to your PayPal account by the student. You can then deposit the money into your bank account, if you choose. PayPal takes a cut of the transaction, either from your end or the sender’s end, depending on which option you choose.

You can also obtain a PayPal.Me link, which you can share with students. This allows them to pay for lessons by simply clicking the button in an email or website, and entering the payment amount.

Credit and Debit Cards

To accept credit and debit cards, there are two main options. You may want a dedicated merchant account, as customers can already use their credit card to pay with PayPal and other aggregated holding accounts.

The dedicated merchant account deposits funds, minus processing fees, directly into your bank account. Standard rules apply for credit card transactions through these dedicated accounts.

This is helpful if a customer requests a refund, or you have to deal with an unfortunate case of fraud. The middle man is eliminated. PaySimple can set you up with a dedicated merchant account.

The drawback to dedicated merchant accounts is that your business will have to undergo underwriting and a credit check. As a new online teacher or business, you may not have sufficient credit to be approved.

In this case, an aggregated account may be best, at least temporarily.

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Recurring Billing

One of the best ways to get payments from students from the teacher’s perspective is recurring billing. Students are automatically billed once per month, or whichever billing cycle you prefer to use, without you having to hassle the student for payment or them having to remember.

PaySimple has a strong recurring billing platform. Want to be paid on time every month? Recurring billing is the way to go. Easy to set up, easy to cancel, and convenient for both parties.

Click-to-pay email invoicing and direct payment through accounting apps

If you use QuickBooks for cloud accounting, you have the option to sign up for their in-house payment system. When you invoice a student, they have the option to pay automatically within the invoice. The funds are then deposited into your account in about two business days. It’s quite simple, but QuickBooks does take about a 3% cut of the transaction.

Multiple options are available for click-to-pay email invoicing, including PaySimple. Other than PayPal, this is perhaps the quickest and easiest method for customers, making it one of the best ways to get payment from students. The invoice allows them to pay via ACH, credit or debit card, and saves you the trouble of going through underwriting and a credit check. Other accounting services have similar payment services, but I’ve found QuickBooks to be the most straight forward.

ACH processing

Direct bank account debits are a simple and popular way to get paid online because the transaction fees are frequently lower than those of credit cards. It’s basically like the student writing you a check via the internet. The student inputs the routing and account number into an online payment interface that you provide them access to. PaySimple can also set you up here. 2CheckOut and FTNI are other options.

Venmo, sending money through Facebook, and other forms of ‘social e-payment’ or ‘share payment’ services

Personally, I’m not a fan of using Venmo, Facebook payments, or other ‘payment apps’ for professional situations. Call me oldschool, but it just strikes me as cheesy. If you’re teaching a friend how to play guitar, splitting a cab ride, or repaying a family member who lives far away, Venmo is a great option. For the workplace? Not so much.

When considering the best ways to get payment from students, remember that the overall goal is to make the process simple. Keeping it stress-free for both you and the student is key. As an online teacher, you don’t want to be hounding students multiple times to get paid any more than they want to fall behind in the first place.

The best ways to get payments from students have minimal clicks involved, keep the payer in one place, and are as automated as possible.

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6.4 Useful links

Teaching materials

www.freeeslmaterials.com/ www.usingenglish.com/teachers/ www.teachchildrenesl.com/ https://en.islcollective.com/ www.esl-galaxy.com/

Blogs and groups

www.teflcourse.net/blog/ www.eflmagazine.com/ www.eslpod.com/eslpod_blog/ www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/ https://oupeltglobalblog.com/ www.englishteachermelanie.com/

Online teaching companies list www.goodairlanguage.com/teaching-english-online-2/

Exam systems

Overview: www.esldirectory.com/english-language-exams/

IELTS: www.ielts.org/

TOEFL: www.ets.org/toefl

TOEIC: www.ets.org/toeic

BULATS* www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/bulats/

*BULATS retired at the end of 2019. Replaced with Linguaskill Business. www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/linguaskill/

Pros and cons of online teaching

www.teflcourse.net/blog/how-to-teach-english-remotely-from-anywhere-in-the-world-ittt-tefl-blog/

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Companies mentioned during this course

iTutorGroup www.itutorgroup.com

ABC International Group www.goodairlanguage.com/abc-international-group

Lingo Live www.lingolive.com

Fluentify www.fluentify.com

eBerlitz www.berlitz.us/individual-solutions/language-instruction-adults/eberlitz/ EnglishTutorOnline www.englishtutoronline.com/english/teachers-application-form

Break Into English http://englishclassviaskype.com

Novo English www.novoenglish.com/fr

Educastream www.educastream.com

FluentBe www.fluentbe.com

51Talk www.51talk.ph

Koolearn www.koolearn.com

New Vision Learning Services http://newvisionwx.com/join-our-team

A Top Class http://atopclass.com

Likeshuo www.likeshuo.com/recruit/teacher

Tutoring http://tutoring.co.kr/tutor/apply

NIL English www.nilenglish.com

Cambly www.cambly.com

Englishunt www.englishuntusa.com

Magic Ears

https://t.mmears.com/v2

VIP Kid www.vipkid.com

SkyLearn https://skylearn.es/

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6.5 ITTT

alumni contacts

At ITTT we would suggest that the most valuable feedback you can receive about your teaching is from the students you teach.

Extending this concept, we have created an ITTT TEO alumni contact list of employees of various online teaching companies. They have said that they are happy to be contacted about their employment experiences. They have also agreed to answer limited questions that you may have about the job application process and general queries.

Once you gain employment and if the company you work for is not represented here, you can be added to the alumni contact list should you wish to be available to potential employees to answer their questions.

If you wish to be added, please contact referencing the ITTT TEO alumni scheme using the admin@tesol-tefl.com following format for your details:

Company name

Your name

Your contact email address

VIPKid Taylor Sruba tay.sruba@gmail.com

itutor Terrance Massa terrancemasso3@gmail.com

DadaABC Steph O'Bryan skobryan90@gmail.com

BlingABC Kirsten Lamb Kirsten.p.lamb@gmail.com

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6.6 Comprehension text

Read the following text and additional readings Knowledge of the text will be tested.

Article 1 (6.5.1)

www teflcourse net/blog/the-15-most-askedquestions-in-a-tefl-interview/

The 15 Most Asked Questions in a TEFL Interview

Learning how to answer common questions in an ESL interview is easy if you've researched and prepared in advance, even if you've never had a formal job interview before.

Before we head into answering the top 15 most asked questions in a TEFL interview, there are a few things to check off your to-do list before interviewing:

Ÿ Find a quiet and well lit spot for your interview.

Ÿ Test your Skype connection, your earphones and your microphone before you start your interview.

Ÿ Be online 15 minutes before your interview starts.

Ÿ Make sure you dress to impress.

Ÿ Non-verbal communication is important: Smile, make eye contact, and remember that your body language says as much about you as your words do.

Ÿ Remember that you must communicate well. Answer your questions efficiently and effectively.

Ÿ Make sure you answer the questions you're being asked and don't stray off on other subjects.

The 15 Most Common ESL Interview Questions

1. Tell me a little about yourself.

This is an icebreaker question that gives you the opportunity to sell yourself.

Be positive and tell the interviewer about your good points, especially the parts of your personality that make you a good teacher. Explain why you are interested in moving abroad to teach and focus on the care and attention you will give to your new job. You can also talk about previous travels, previous work experience, or talk about your personality and some of your favorite hobbies.

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2. What do you know about the country you are moving to and why do you want to teach there?

Make sure you have done your homework in advance and you've researched the country you plan on teaching in. Mention places you'd like to see, but don't spend too much time talking about travel. You want to touch on what you know about the country you're planning on teaching in, but never leave the interviewer with the overall impression that your number one reason for moving abroad is to travel.

If you've been sent information in advance, make sure you've read it.

3. What kind of teaching experience do you have?

This is the type of question that you can expand on, even if you don't have teaching experience. Babysitting experience, summer camp experience, or any other kind of experience that has had you working with kids or adults can be useful in an ESL job interview. You can also talk about helping your siblings if you have nothing else to fall back on for teaching experience.

4. Have you ever lived abroad before or have you been exposed to different cultures through travel?

Obviously the best answer to this question is that you've lived abroad or studied abroad, but if you haven't and need to talk solely about travel, make sure you mention where you have traveled and some of the observations you made while traveling.

Your interviewer will want to know that you are somewhat familiar with the ins and outs of moving through another country.

5. Let's say you'd like to order some food or buy train tickets, but you don't speak the language yet. How would you tackle these tasks during your first months abroad?

Most interviewers will ask something like this to determine what you're like in certain situations. This is your opportunity to be creative and talk about how you might accomplish tasks in a different language. Your answer will also illustrate that you understand what your own students might be going through in your own classroom.

6. What do you hope to learn from your year of teaching abroad?

This question depends on your goals for your year abroad. You'll want to base your answer on your motivation to teach. Do not use this question as an opportunity to talk about traveling to other places or learning the local language. Talk about how you want to improve your teaching skills with a certain age group or how you want to develop your professional teaching skills.

7. What is your favorite age range to teach and why?

Be specific about which age groups you love to work with, whether they bolster your creativity as a teacher, and why you feel that the age group you are interested in would be fulfilling to teach. You can always express that you're interested in all age groups if you genuinely don't mind who you teach, but be specific about any favorite age groups. If young learners make you happy because they give you an overall feeling of satisfaction by watching their learning skills develop, then say so.

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8. What would you say are the most important qualities an ESL teacher needs to have?

There are many answers to choose from for this question, but most schools will want to hear a mix of the following: Good communication skills with a clear and concise voice, time management skills in class, creativity, passion for working with young learners or adults, patience for new language learners and a sense of humor are all important qualities to mention in your interview.

9. What is your greatest strength as a teacher? What can your new school expect of you?

This is important because your school will want to know what you excel at or what you think you do best. Whether it's being creative or being adaptable or knowing how to manage your time in class, be ready to impress your recruiter or interviewer with at least one strength that highlights your strengths as a teacher.

10. How would you describe your teaching style?

Most teachers have a good idea of how to answer this question, especially because they are prepared for it in their TEFL course. The best way to answer this question is to review the advertisement for the job and focus on the qualities mentioned in the job description. If they ask for creative and positive teachers, mention you're creative and positive and then give them personal examples.

11. How would you go about teaching a specific lesson to a group of young learners?

It's not uncommon for interviewers to ask how you'd teach a specific lesson to a group of kids at a certain age level. For example, you might be asked how you'd go about teaching 'professions' or 'going to the store' to a group of five-year-olds. Try not to fall back on using flashcards in class to teach words or sentence patterns. Interviewers hear this all the time. It's not an original idea and will not gain you any points in your interview.

Prepare a mini lesson in advance that you can adapt on the spot in your interview.

12. How do you maintain discipline and control in your classroom? How do you handle kids with behavioral issues?

In many ways, this question can be one of the most important parts of the interview because schools will want to know that you know how to handle a group of 15 to 20 five-year-olds in class. There is bound to be one student in your class that acts out, and it's impossible to keep an eye on all students at all times.

Draw on your experience and explain effective ways that you've used for classroom management in the past. From pairing students together to finding the root cause of their behavior, there are many ways to address this question.

Talk about your lesson plans and how they are designed to keep students busy, engaged, and focused on the lesson. Make sure to ask about the school's policy for dealing with students that are behaving badly in class.

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13. How do you deal with kids that learn at different rates to other students in class?

Schools will often create classes for students of the same age, but they don't often take into consideration that the students can have a range of English speaking abilities.

Your TEFL course should prepare you for this question, but an easy way to answer it is to match students with poor English speaking abilities with a student who is more advanced. Your advanced student will love the opportunity to be a helper, and your student who is having challenges in the classroom will receive extra attention from a new friend.

14. How proficient are you with technology in your classroom?

It's important to stress that you are proficient in technology in the classroom IF you have these skills. If you don't, don't try to sell yourself on a position that you might not be able to handle.

If you are technologically proficient, talk about the experiences you've had using audio and visual aids in your classroom and mention whether or not you are familiar with using a smart board.

Be sure to mention using hardware such as tablets and computers, specific software apps, and online education sites to strengthen your lesson plans. Use successful examples from past experience.

Ask your school what kind of technology they use in their classrooms so you can be prepared to teach there.

15. Do you have any questions?

The worst thing you can say to this question is that you have no questions.

Interviewers will cover a range of topics, but try to have at least one question to ask your interviewer to show your interest in this position. You can always ask about working environments, teaching resources, the kind of responsibilities you should prepare for, what managers are like in the country you'd like to teach in, or what to expect about a curriculum to follow. These sorts of questions generally aren't covered in an interview, but it gives you a chance to stand out and let your interviewer know that you are the perfect teacher for their school.

Unit 6

The online teaching world

Article 2 (6.5.2)

www.teflcourse.net/blog/what-scams-to-look-out-for-when-looking-for-tefl-jobs-ittt-tefl-blog/

What Scams to Look Out for When Looking for TEFL Jobs

Moving abroad to teach English has become a widely popular career path for many people of all ages and backgrounds around the world. A quick Internet search reveals a seemingly endless array of job offers for TEFL certified teachers. But how can you make sure that the advertised job is legit? This article shows you exactly what scams to look out for when looking for TEFL jobs.

What do scammers want from TEFL teachers?

While the individual motives can be varied, most of the time, scammers try to take advantage of teachers looking for jobs overseas for pure financial gain. Some try to get you to pay for an application or visa fee, while others may go as far as stealing your personal and credit card information.

Scam Number 1: Using the name of a well-known school

One of the most common scams involving TEFL jobs is the usage of a reputable school in the job advert. For example, scammers often use a similar email address with a different domain, such as schoolofenglish@gmail.com, instead of jobs@schoolofenglish.com, the genuine address of the school. How to avoid this scam: Do some research on the school name online. There are websites specifically dedicated to TEFL scammers offering ‘blacklists’ with shady school names. You can also get information from blogs or ESL articles. If the school has its own website, check if the email advertised on the homepage is the same as the one in the job offer. If still in doubt, email them via their homepage or social media and ask if the job offer you saw was really posted by the school.

Scam Number 2: Requiring upfront payments

As mentioned earlier, a lot of TEFL scammers request money from their potential teachers very early on in the application process. Some of the most common scams involve the ‘employer’ requesting money upfront for things like airplane tickets, visa fees, security deposits for accommodation, etc. How to avoid this scam: Again, do your research. While there are some employers that expect their teachers to pay for their own airfare, many of them will reimburse the money once you start work. Generally, no TEFL employer should ask for flight money upfront. Also take a look at the visa fees in your host country on the official embassy website or call the officials and ask them if the visa fees proposed from the employer sound legit.

Scam Number 3: Getting hired without an interview

While a face-to-face interview is unusual when looking for a teaching job in a different country, most employers conduct TEFL interviews via Skype or phone instead. If an employer hires you without even asking for an interview, chances are that the job is a scam.

Unit 6 The online teaching world

How to avoid this scam: Should the employer not interview you, it is safe to assume that the job is fake and you should just walk away. If you feel like it might actually be genuine, request an interview with the employer and see what they say.

Scam Number 4: Not allowing you to speak with current teachers

One common way of finding out if a school suits your preferences is to speak with current employees of the school. Should an employer refuse to let you speak with teachers currently working at the school, this should raise a red flag. There most likely aren't any current teachers because the school doesn't exist. How to avoid this scam: Ask the employer why it is not possible to speak with a current employee. If the employer is concerned about giving out personal information, such as email addresses or phone numbers of their current employees, give them your contact information instead and request to be contacted.

Don't get discouraged! While these sorts of scams do exist, most TEFL jobs are posted by genuine schools looking for a good fit for their school. Keeping these four most common scams in mind, however, will help you to avoid the small number of scammers who look to cash in on the huge worldwide demand for English language teachers.

Article

3 (6.5.3)

www.thebabbgroup.com/blog/from-the-founder/common-online-teaching-job-interview-questions.html

Common Online Teaching Job Interview Questions

You have an online teaching job interview scheduled and you aren’t quite sure what to expect. You may feel a bit nervous, or if you are a pro at this you may already know what to expect, and have an answer for everything that is asked. My goal in this post in the series on Steps to Getting Your First Online Teaching Job is to help you identify some of the more common interview questions that deans and professors report asking (or being asked) during interviews and to share the reasoning behind some of the questions from the hiring manager, dean or human resources perspective so you can think about the interview and prepare ahead of time.

After you have provided email responses to most questions, the next step is usually a one-on-one or group phone interview (though more recently Skype video interviews). While you may feel nervous, remember that the people interviewing you more often than not report they are trying to “rule you in” not “kick you out”, so come at the interview with this in mind. Now I will get to it.. some of the more common interview questions:

1. Share with me/us your experience with teaching adults.

The interviewer is wanting to find out not just about your experience, but that you know there is a difference between teaching adults and teaching traditional students. I suggest making this clear in your response.

Unit 6

The online teaching world

2. Share with me/us your experience teaching online.

Just like the question about your experience teaching adults, the interviewer may just be checking to be sure you know that there is a difference between the methodologies used and engagement level online than in traditional education. He or she is also looking for what your experience level is (“I have X years experience teaching in XYZ platforms teaching ABC subjects” is a nice way to start this one). If you have no experience teaching online, just be candid about it. “I have experience doing ABC, but I have yet to teach online. However. .I believe an online instructor needs to…” and this is where your teaching philosophy comes in. What does an online instructor need to do? What open source platforms have you used just to learn them online (Moodle etc)? Did you have experience as an online student that transfer into the classroom as a professor?

3. How did you hear about this position?

If you have a reference or a referral (please be sure they are in good standing with the university, to the best of your ability, before name dropping!) then explain that. If you found it online you can say that too. I would suggest somehow bringing in why you wanted to work here or what you found appealing in the job description as well.

4. Why do you want to work here?

Simple enough. You read about them online right? You learned about them in our forums right? You have heard great things about how they uphold academic integrity, how they stand behind their faculty, they communicate regularly, your colleagues love working there, etc. If you are applying to a faith based school be sure to mention this element.

5. How do you engage students?

If you have experience doing this, you know that communication, emails, announcements, thought provoking questions, getting to know your students and making them feel important in class matters. If you are a new instructor, you will be engaging your students by doing these very same things and have learned from online professors you have taken courses from or have talked with colleagues about, right?

6. Tell me about a scenario you have dealt with recently in which you had to work with a very difficult student. Explain the situation and how you handled it.

Dean’s tell me they are looking for candidates who know they need to 1. Follow university protocol first and foremost, 2. Communicate, 3. Try to reach the student, 3. Try to understand both sides of the issue when applicable, 4. Let the student’s adviser know, 5. Re-engage the students to try to retain the learner. With these items in mind, try to tell the story. Explain what the background is with no names whatsoever (no university names and no student names), how you handled it, and what the outcome was.

Unit 6

The online teaching world

7. I see you work for quite a few universities. How are you going to fit this into your workload?

Try not to take offense to this question. Simple answers here will do wonders. If these scenarios apply, talk about them. 1. The other universities you work for only schedule you X number of times per year and you find yourself very often with far less work than you can handle. 2. You manage your time very effectively. 3. You never take on more work than you can handle and still provide quality instruction. 4. While your CV may seem as though you work for a lot of places, this has given you a lot of experience and scheduling is all over the map, with little consistency. Dean’s tell me they want candidates who address this question candidly and honestly, and that they understand an adjuncts workload can be scattered and that it is very likely the candidate does in fact have time for the job.

Remember, try to turn each question into a dialogue! Answer the questions, but allow the interviewer to get to know you, too! Let them hear how personable and thorough you are (while not boring them, so don’t take 5 minutes to answer a simple question). Honest answers are important, and remember almost everything is verifiable online. You may get asked questions about your subject matter expertise, but I find this is rare; usually it’s for positions in research methodology. The interview is an important time for you to emphasize the points you would like to make.

When the interviewer asks if you have questions the answer is absolutely never “no I do not” (unless you don’t want to work there).

Some questions you may consider asking:

Ÿ How long are the terms?

Ÿ What platforms do you use?

Ÿ Do you require or allow synchronous sessions? “I want to work for a school that upholds academic integrity. Can you tell me a little bit about your policies in this area?”

Ÿ Who would I be directly working for?

Ÿ What is the course review process if I notice something could use updating?

The goal with your questions is not only to answer questions, but to show the person interviewing you that you “know how the process works” and are asking questions that imply you will better the curriculum and be a thorough instructor.

You should now be ready to attempt the test for unit 6. Go to the control panel to open and take the test.