So you have decided to teach English online. Congratulations! You are making a conscious decision to pursue a career that you know has high growth potential and security. You are probably wondering how much money you can realistically expect to make from teaching others English online. Is it possible to earn a fortune and live a comfortable lifestyle as a British English teacher? Let’s have a quick look, shall we?
The Demand For English Teachers Is On The Rise
As of 2020, the English teaching industry is experiencing something of a boom as schools across the world seek to provide English-taught Bachelors to the tens of thousands of English teachers who are needed.
In 2022, it was reported that there were over 263,000 teaching vacancies available in the UK. For comparison, there were only 237,000 teaching vacancies available in January 2022. The demand for teachers clearly outstrips the supply, and the situation is the same across the world. In fact, in some countries, such as the United States, the demand for English teachers is so great that you can find jobs almost anywhere if you want to teach English.
If you are looking to make a decent chunk of change from teaching English, the best place to start would be from home. There are a variety of online tools and platforms that you can use to create and teach classes. And if you are really savvy, you can even use your personal computer to get paid to teach. But just remember, the more students you have, the more you will need to pay for web hosting and for each lesson you plan to teach. This can add up quickly, so you will need to be resourceful and ensure that you are charging your students enough to cover these costs, as well as giving you a decent sum to live on.
The Growth Potential For Teaching English Online Is Limitless
With new technologies emerging all the time, there are always alternative ways of doing things. One of the main ways that people are learning to do things online is through teaching. And what’s interesting is that as English is a universal language, and many new ways to communicate online have emerged, English teachers are at the forefront of embracing these new ways and finding alternative ways to teach their subject.
To give you some idea of how much you could potentially earn from teaching English online, let’s have a look at some of the top online platforms that you could use to create and teach English lessons.
Online Learning Platforms
The first and probably the most popular online learning platform is simply called “TeachingEnglishOnline.com”. What makes this platform so special is that not only do you get to teach English, but you also get to choose the countries that you want to teach in. This way, you can truly make your own schedule and work remotely. You will need to set your own hours, so you can’t be “bought” for a few hours here or there, but the flexibility offered by this platform is unparalleled. Not only that, but you get to teach in “virtual classrooms” with students from all over the world. So, not only will you get to teach English remotely, but you will also get to interact with and engage with students from all over the world. It doesn’t get much better than that!
The other major online learning platform is called “TeachersPayTeachers.com”, and it was launched in 2012. This platform was specifically designed to cater to teachers who want to find an alternative way to earn money from home. What makes this site so special is that it gets you to connect with and collaborate with other teachers, regardless of where they are in the world. Not only that, but you also get to keep track of your earnings, as well as access to over 100,000 lesson plans that can be downloaded for free. Not only that, but you get to connect with and engage with students from all over the world. So, not only will you get to teach English online, but you will also get to interact with and engage with students from all over the world. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Virtual Universities
Another great way to earn money from home is to set up a virtual university. What is a virtual university? It is a place where students from around the world can attend lectures, take exams, and get all of their academic work done. You don’t need to set up any actual universities to do this, as all of the teaching and learning happens online. So, if you don’t want to set up an offline school, then this is the perfect alternative. You get to teach and learn at your own pace, and you can connect with students from anywhere in the world. It is an excellent way for people who want to work remotely to get an education and gain qualifications. And best of all, you don’t need to commit to anything other than an internet connection, a microphone, and some spare time to teach. So, it really is that simple.
Why should you consider a career in English teaching? Let’s have a look…
The Global Opportunities And Career Progression
If you are an English teacher, you will not only get to teach in your subjects, but you will get to teach them globally. You can easily get a job in any country that has an English school, which is pretty much everywhere. There are also lots of opportunities for developing world countries to learn from the best, so if you are looking for a career that provides opportunity, look no further.
The opportunities are endless, and the career progression is very good. If you want to advance in your career relatively quickly, you can do so by taking on more and more responsibility within your school. You can start off as a classroom assistant, moving up to a teaching assistant role, and eventually leading a class of your own. Alternatively, you can become a language specialist, teaching students from abroad, as well as those in your own country how to improve their English. Or, you can branch out into special education, teaching students with special needs. The list of careers in English teaching is endless, and the opportunities are there almost everywhere. If you are looking for a safe, lucrative career with lots of opportunity for progression, teaching English online is a great option.
The Security Of A Career In English
One of the main reasons why people are choosing to teach English is because of the security that the career provides. If you are looking to move abroad, you will need to apply for a visa, as well as pay your domestic worker to make sure that you get to study and work in the country of your choice. Moving to another country, particularly a developing one, can be very risky. However, teaching in another country is a great option for those who want to travel or study abroad, as you do not need to apply for a visa, and you get to keep all of your wages. It is a very secure way of getting a job abroad, as you will not need to rely on your host country to provide you with work. It also means you will get to keep all of your earnings, as well as get paid significantly more than you would in your own country.
Although it provides you with plenty of opportunities, not every country is created equal. Students from certain countries, such as India and Pakistan, are quite often offered “English for sale” courses, as there is quite a bit of demand for English teachers in these countries. The pay is very good, and this often leads to many English teachers finding work in these countries, as opposed to elsewhere.
If you are considering a career in English, then you should look for jobs in the UK, as well as India and Pakistan, as these are the most in-demand countries for teachers.
More Than Meets The Eye
So you have decided to become an English teacher. Excellent! You are making a conscious decision to pursue a career that you know provides excellent opportunities, as well as security. You are probably wondering how much money you can realistically expect to make from teaching others English online. Is it possible to earn a fortune and live a comfortable lifestyle as a British English teacher? Let’s have a quick look, shall we?
It’s definitely possible to make a decent chunk of change teaching English online. However, you have to be prepared to put in the legwork. It’s pretty much guaranteed that you will need to get a qualification first, and preferably a Masters degree. It’s also advisable to get your own website, with a virtual university or community where you can showcase your skills and get students to contact you. Over 90% of our students find teaching English online a very good way to earn a living, so you are certainly not alone in wanting to pursue this career.