How Can I Get A Paid Job At Home After Completing The TEFL Course in 2024 [Updated]

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While the whole world is struggling to combat the Coronavirus, most activities in the world have come to a standstill. Schools and colleges have been shut for a long time, and businesses have been adversely affected by it, that it has drastically changed the way we live. Everything is uncertain, yet we are still hopeful that we get everything back to normalcy.

In this lockdown, many have lost their jobs. Either they have been fired or their jobs have been put on hold. So, everyone is seeking job opportunities online while some are looking for this job opportunity only to make some extra income. And while we are coping with this Global pandemic, most of the learning platforms have now transitioned to everything online. It has revolutionized the whole structure of imparting knowledge by an amalgamation of digital technology. Right from the lower level of schooling up to the professional level, we have seen a shift from in-class sessions to online sessions.

At the times when everything still looks grim, the TEFL industry managed to survive and has gone from strength to strength. The ever-increasing number of English language learners in the world has never stopped growing nor has it decreased in their numbers.

English language learning is still in high demand worldwide as it is used as a communicative language in most parts of the world. So, non-English speaking students want to learn English preferably from native speakers or from highly skilled teachers who are certified and qualified for the job.

If you are interested in the English language and you want to take your English-speaking skills abroad you should get yourself enrolled in a TEFL course and get certified. But the one thing that is required of you is that you should be open to teaching English online. If yes, then you are good to go. It calls for no specific degree – you can be from a technical or a non-technical background and that doesn’t stop anyone from taking up the course.  

Now, most of the TEFL courses are conducted online, and online education is convenient when compared to off-site mode. It is more affordable than paying for one full-month intensive course. So you save time on your traveling time and you have easy access to it anywhere in the world as long as you have internet access. You can listen to all class recordings at your own pace. And after the course is complete you will need to pass an online test that can be taken on a PC, laptop, or smartphone.

While some would look for a TEFL course only for certification, others would want to put into practice all the knowledge and skills learned in the course and showcase their teaching skills online to teach others and take it as a profession.

Bygone are the days when Working From Home is what people used to seek, either to take a break from their hectic routine or to look after the family. However, now it has become a reality. In this current plight, teachers have the opportunity to teach students online from the comfort of their own home. So once you have completed the course, which you have to take online, you can immediately start working from home and call for no delay.

If teaching English is your passion and traveling the world is your dream, then you are what they call the “Digital Nomad.” So, go ahead, jump-start your life, build your career, and your dream life!

Most workers across the world are all made to work remotely, and we see that it has its benefit when work is done from home. However, it does have its pros and cons to it as well. But when it comes to learning, online learning has not been used as substantially as it is presently. And it opens ways to learn a lot of things to enhance ourselves in every good way.

TEFL and TESOL Certification

The TEFL acronym is Teaching English as a Foreign Language and TESOL is Teaching English to Students of other languages. These are two international courses. They are mandated courses to acquire that certifies you as a professional English Foreign language teacher – and you can obtain either one of them. Without any one of these, it is impossible to get a teaching job anywhere abroad. 

With the growing numbers of students abroad who want to learn English, TEFL certified teachers are in high demand. That resulted in a good opportunity for qualified EFL teachers across the globe to find a job online.

Despite the impact that the pandemic has hit all schools and businesses, there’s no denying the fact that the teaching industry has not been impacted. It has been massively with schools being shut for these many months. However, we must acknowledge the advancement of technology. With the availability of the Internet at some hands, a temporary solution could be found.

And with school activities being a little relaxing during the lockdown, learners can find time to learn English courses online to enhance their language skills. Similarly, with the unemployed candidates and working professionals as well. And with that brings more opportunity for aspirants to enroll themselves in the TEFL course online and get certified and that would enable them to get a TEFL job online and start earning income. As you can learn the course online, TEFL online course puts you at no disadvantage as compared to learning it in-class. However, just make sure that it’s a 120-hour TEFL online course.

Although, there are other options for lesser hours as well. But it is recommended to take the 120 hours program and nothing shorter than that if you intend to take this career field for a long duration. But if you only want to earn and travel around the world, the short-term course with limited validity will be just fine. So, while you are overseas and in the comfort of your own space you can make some dollars out of teaching. The shorter the course, the lesser the course fees, and the validity of the certificate are also shorter.

There are many options that you can choose a TEFL online course from – so choose what is best for you. The cost of the TEFL online course ranges typically from $500-$1200.

The certification can boost your profile and help obtain employment at a faster pace as this is what the vast majority of employers look for. Check out this certification program.  

Some programs have tutors and some don’t and only provide email support. If you choose to have a tutor, then that will make learning the course much better as you can have someone that you can be accountable to and get help from.

You can seek help from him or her and clear your doubts, should you need one? Check out this list of the Best TEFL online courses. And if you find what you are looking for in the course content, then that is the right course for you.

Why enroll in the TEFL course online?

With tons of job seekers looking for TEFL courses online, its popularity is increasing. The career field is showing an upward trend. And almost all Institutes have started TEFL courses online and some have both on-site and online courses at their academy.

Students who are enrolling for the course need to have a Degree certificate before joining the course as that will be an added benefit for them. However, those without one are also permitted to apply for it as well. But with offline mode students have the opportunity to travel to a different country while pursuing the course which is not possible in an online mode of learning.

How long is the duration of the course?

The 120 hours online TEFL course would take approximately 12 weeks to complete. Again, that will depend on the commitment of the student which can vary – and can take more or lesser days.

The online TEFL course is self-paced and the length of time it takes can vary due to many factors. But if your hands are not full to have to do many things around the house then you can commit yourself to complete it sooner. The goal is to get a job and get paid soon. Under normal circumstances, a full-timer would take around 8-10 weeks to complete the 120 hours TEFL course.

At the end of the TEFL certification program : 

1. You will be awarded the most credible and Globally recognized Certificate
2. Receive many job opportunities from all over the world
3. Present the AAEFL certificate to prospective employers and showcase your additional skills
4. Have an additional qualification to add to your CV to attract a better job role 
5. Get access to a distinctive platform of the most highly paid jobs as an EFL teacher
6.  Fulfill your heart’s desire to explore new countries with a rich cultural background using your skills 
7.  Earn a good amount of dollars while traveling as a Digital Nomad and teaching student

Confidence at work

In training, you would be told that your students will consist of a mixture of all age groups and working professionals. So that requires some level of expertise to train and manage them. More than that, the course helps prepare you for what you’ll have to teach in the classroom. 

You will be introduced to various aspects of teaching English – Teaching methodologies, classroom management, lesson planning, student evaluation, English grammar, etc and you will get all information about their course contents on their websites. Different academies will have different content or maybe a little more than what the others have.

These teaching strategies are what they equip you with while you teach learners of diverse levels, ages, and backgrounds. So that will help you face your students with great ease and confidence.

Also Check: Top 15  free tefl course in 2021

What happens after being TEFL Certified? 

Now that you are done with the course and have the certificate in hand – you are certified to teach around the world (online and on-site). Big Congratulations to you! You have crossed the Big Step. So, it is about time you begin your job search and venture into the teaching field to get the practical experience under your belt.

The TEFL certificate should be one that is accredited by a globally recognized body, only then will it have its weightage and stand true as a standard TEFL certification.

TEFL programs are in high demand in countries where English is not the chief language nor is it their first language due to it being used globally and is very demanded in the world of trade and commerce. Hence, there are exigencies for hiring experts to teach English to students and professionals as it is essential for business and has become vital for success in any employee’s career enabling one to climb up the hierarchy rapidly in any organization.

Best Companies to Teach English Online

The excitement is developing and I know that you want to know which are the best companies you can apply for soon after you receive your certification. 

There are a few basic requirements that you need to be prepared before you go onboard to teach English online: Laptop, strong internet connection, a microphone, and a quiet place to conduct your classes.

The perks about teaching online are that you don’t have to worry about getting dressed up for work – you can just wear a formal shirt and a top and not worry about your bottom and you’re ready for classes.

However, in this current situation, it is not a favorable time to think about moving overseas to teach English abroad even if you have completed the TEFL course or if the payout of a particular academy of a country is amazing.

When you find a TEFL online job just make sure that the company you have an intention to join in is a reputed one.

1. GoGoKid:  is a company based in China and has made its presence for two years now. It connects English teachers with Chinese children aged 3-12. They offer online TEFL jobs only to native English speakers from Canada and the US. 

All class duration is 25 mins long, and they pay $7-$10 per class. In addition to that, they also pay incentives to teachers of $2.50 per class which amounts to a total of $12.50 per class or $25 per hour in USD.

They only take teachers who have a TEFL certificate and who hold a Bachelor’s Degree and can work remotely with them. Teachers are not required to make any lesson plans instead they have to follow their plans and curriculum. You can set your schedule to teach and have a 1-1 session with students giving them all the attention to one child at a time.

2. VIPKID: This company has been there in China since 2013 and has been very popular ever since and is another TEFL online job option to apply for. They help connect teachers with their Chinese students only. Teachers have a 1-1 session with students, do their lesson plans, mark the students’ test papers, and occasionally have to speak to students’ parents but not in Mandarin or Cantonese. You can work remotely with them, and they only hire native English speakers from North America.

They pay their teachers more than what GoGoKid does with $22/hour. The class duration is for 25-30 mins per class. Teachers get seasonal incentives whenever they work on holidays. For any referral, you will get a bonus of $50-$60. The environment is healthy and professional.

Their basic requirements are:

a. University degree (in any subject).

b. Must have a strong internet connection because if the connection cuts for more than 3 mins, one class of yours would be canceled. 

3. Qkids: This platform is as good as VIPKID that you can apply for TEFL jobs online. The highest that they pay per hour to a tutor is $20. Tutors would be teaching only Chinese kids between the ages group of 5-12 -years-old. It is a group class and can have a maximum of 4 students per class. If you can commit to 6 hours of class per day between 5:40 am – 8-10 am for the entire week and on Friday and Saturday after 7:40 pm then you could apply to this company.

The minimum requirements are: 

• Tutors have to be a resident of USA or Canada
• No Bachelor’s degree required and must currently be enrolled in the University

4. Cambly: This is another form of tutoring that is done online and students are already at a better-spoken level. The students are of varying age groups. They hire a tutor just to get to practice with. They only need a tutor to get coached and get feedback from them. Their platform helps connect teachers with students. As students sign up for it they pay a fee for the service. This is done by logging in on an app to chat with online tutors.

This is much of an informal way of teaching as compared to the VIPKID, Qkids, and GoGoKid. Students either book a session with a particular teacher online or just randomly select a teacher at any time he or she logs in on the app.

Students who register to it belong from all around the world. It was popular and being used more by Saudi Arabians. However, now the service is booming in South Korea and Turkey. So this is another online TEFL job that you can apply for if you find the job profile interesting.

5. Italki: This platform is a little different from the others mentioned above. Here you are not going to teach English to your students. Whatever native you belong to (English, Japanese, German, Spanish, etc.) and if you have fluency in a particular language then you can teach that language to the students and get paid for that as another online teaching job.

You set the pay rate you would be charging your students and you can choose your schedule. But this depends on your previous experiences and credentials – accordingly, they will be willing to pay and hire you.

The more positive feedback you get, the better response you get from the new ones. However, you can’t charge more than what is working in the market, else no students would approach, despite your experiences. The charge is around $25/ hour.

You can choose the platform you want to conduct your classes on (Skype, FaceTime, or Google Hangouts). The profiles they have are as a Professional teacher and a Community teacher.

If you want to work as a professional then you need a certificate that proves that you are a professional teacher. The con of this platform is that they take a commission of 15% from every completed class.

6. EnglishHunt: This is another online TEFL job that they hire only native English speakers from the USA to teach Korean business students. The session is conducted over the phone via softphone technology that can be downloaded to your computer and can use either the phone or the laptop to teach the professionals.

They pay $2 per 10 minutes and they have a curriculum to follow that is provided by them. They have 2 shifts to choose from: Mon – Fri 6 am -9 am, or 6 pm to midnight and this is according to their standard Korean timing.

This platform only requires one to have a best TEFL certification course or must have 48 hrs of college credits. Once you are selected you must have an American bank account for salary deposits.

7 EF Education First: This company has been there for over 20 years and is a well recognized English school. Many tutors from the US and UK apply to this school for TEFL online jobs and have shared good reviews about it. The online TEFL job is only for the natives and residents of the UK and the USA.  

A tutor can earn up to $19 – $20 per hour. They have the Introduction training that every tutor has to enroll, and they pay them $30 for attending.

They have a booking system where a tutor would take a 1-1 session for 20 weeks and if they like your way of teaching they would extend the booking for the next 20 weeks. The curriculum is easy to follow and the platform that they use for teaching is user-friendly.

They prefer students with a Bachelor’s Degree and must possess a TEFL certificate. The timings can be a bit difficult because their peak hours are from 4 pm – 8 pm which in the US it would be 4 am – 8 am.

8. PalFish: This is the next best platform in China for TEFL online jobs that are recommended by many tutors. It is an app-based platform that is used as a medium to teach students via your mobile device or tablet. The general requirement in this company is to have a globally recognized TEFL certificate and a degree is not compulsory. There are two different programs that students can choose from FreeTalk or their Official Kids Course (OKC)

They conduct trial classes for students and parents choose the best-suited package to enroll for their child. It is a 25 mins class session and classes are booked within the half-an-hour interim time while the class is on-going.

Sometimes the tutor may get a back-to-back session in a day. OKC is essentially for elementary kids and is taught with the slides and activities designed in the course and the average pay for per session is $8- $16.

Next, if they can convert the trial class and get that potential customer or sell the package to them, then the tutor gets some extra income from that. And the Free Talk package is basically for adults.

The only requirement is the applicant must be a US citizen but can live anywhere abroad. But if you are not a native speaker of English but have a neutral accent you certainly can apply for the job.

Without a doubt teaching English online is the ultimate choice if you want to learn, grow, and earn well. And from the past few decades, it has been a booming industry. It is not only a job that can give an income, but it also comes with more benefits and perks. The potential of earning from it is lucrative. In addition to that, the schedule is more flexible comparatively and is done in the comfort of your own space and time.

I hope you like this blog? If you have an comments and would like to add something more, do add your comments down below.

Also Check this Video

Recommended Read:
– What is TEFL Certification
– Top 10 TEFL Certification Program in 2021
– Top 5 Programs to Get Your TEFL Certification in South Africa
– Top 50 Best TEFL Certification Courses
– TEFL Vs. TESOL

 

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