Teaching languages online is a great way to start working for yourself, especially if you have an interest in languages, or if you enjoy teaching others how to speak a foreign language. There are many online platforms that offer paid opportunities for teachers and tutors to teach students remotely. And of course, there’s the option to do it solo (my preferred choice!). To get started as an online teacher, however, there are several steps you’ll want to take. In this article, you’ll learn how to master the art of teaching languages online.

Making the Decision to Start Teaching Languages Online

First up: making the decision. As an aspiring language teacher, you may be wondering what the best way is to start teaching languages online. Are there any benefits of teaching online? Will it give you a better life than traditional teaching methods? Is it worth the time and effort to get certified as an English language teacher?

It’s important to take into account all aspects of your life before deciding whether or not you should teach languages online. You must assess your current situation and determine if becoming an e-teacher is right for you. Here are some things to consider:

– What kind of lifestyle do you currently have? Do you want to travel around the world with minimal responsibilities, or would a more stable job be better suited for your needs?

The joy of working online is you get to adjust your work to fit the lifestyle you want to have. So whether you want freedom and travel or stability in one place, you can fit your work around the lifestyle you crave.

– How much time do you have available for teaching each week/monthly basis? Do you want this to become your full-time work?

If this number is low, then making enough money per hour will be difficult unless you consider expanding beyond 1:1 live lessons. Think online courses, group programs, and digital products. We cover all of this in the Online Teaching Starter Kit.

Setting up Your Online Teaching Business

To start your online business, you need to set up an online presence. This means getting a domain name, website, blog and social media accounts.

You can set up your website either with a domain name host (like Bluehost) and WordPress.org. Or you can use an ‘all-in-one-place’ service like Squarespace. Up to you!

A domain name is the address for your site that people will type into their browser to get there. For instance, [mybusinessname].com would be the domain name of my business if I called it “My Business Name”. Domain names cost you a little per year via hosting sites like GoDaddy or BlueHost. If you’re stuck on a business name, use your own full name to get started quickly and easily.

Even if you don’t want to use social media, or have no idea what to share there, it’s still worth setting up your handles there and securing the usernames associated with your business as early as possible. Plus, Google likes websites like Facebook and Instagram, so this will help people find you when searching online for your business name.

As for what to share on your website or social media, that comes later. Again, we cover lots on this in the Online Teaching Starter Kit. To begin, get them set up so you’re ready to go.

And of course, you’ll need to look into the specific rules around starting your own business depending on where you are. These vary country to country, so I won’t go into details here. If you’re stuck, look for local business support. Try libraries and local councils and government – sometimes they run free or low-cost business introduction classes.

Finally, figure out how the finances will work. Perhaps speak with a financial advisor or accountant from the get-go if this is an area of business that has you feeling a little sweaty and nervous!

Getting Certified

Teaching languages online is a new industry, so there’s currently no solid regulations about which qualifications people need to do it. You can start to teach online with whatever level feels right for you. As long as you’re honest and open with your students, and you feel comfortable, then go for it. I’ve studied for my entire degree and now my Masters whilst working and running my business. If I’d waited, I still wouldn’t be working! So there’s always options.

That said, getting certified can be a great way to help ensure your success as an online language teacher. It ensures potential students that you’re qualified and have the proper credentials to teach language learners, whether they are children or adults. Just remember that a piece of paper alone isn’t enough, and continue to upskill yourself with experience too.

Creating Curriculum

Before you start teaching languages online, it’s important to decide how you’re going to go about teaching your language. The first step is choosing a curriculum. And perhaps not in the way you’d expect…

If you decide to use a pre-existing curriculum, then the next step is finding one that works for you and your students. You may want to consider adapting an existing course in order to meet specific needs of your students. An easy way of adapting a course can be as simple as adding or subtracting vocabulary or grammar lessons, or modifying the amount of time spent on certain topics within the program (such as introducing tenses earlier). Whatever changes you make should align with what has been proven effective and relevant for language learners at this level — this will ensure that both teachers and students are successful with their studies!

If no pre-existing materials match all of these criteria perfectly but still seem like good candidates for adaptation into something more suitable for online instruction (which is often necessary), then perhaps creating something entirely new would be best suited for this particular situation–this way we have full control over what goes into each lesson plan so everything meets our goals!

Honestly? My preferred method has always been to create your own curriculum, lesson plans, and products as “from scratch” as possible. That way, you’re also creating resources you can reuse and even sell yourself.

I get this can be daunting though, which is why I’ve included lessons on this in the Online Teaching Starter Kit too, so you’ve confident from the get-go.

Encouraging Student Engagement

I’m talking about two things here: inside and outside of lessons.

Why? Well, “getting” students isn’t enough. You kinda want people to stick around and keep learning with you.

And the best way to do that is with engaging lessons and the right level of engagement outside of lessons too.

If you’re looking to encourage student engagement in lessons, consider using tools like live video, voice chat and screen sharing. The more tools you have at your disposal, the higher the chances of keeping students engaged and motivated. Zoom is likely your best bet for 1:1 and group live lessons.

In addition to offering an interactive learning environment for your students, it’s also important that you offer a way for them to communicate with each other or at least with you outside of lessons. This can be done via a forum on the website or even through an in-app messaging service such as Slack, WhatsApp, or Voxer. Having this communication channel open allows students to ask questions about assignments or share feedback on lessons.

However, think carefully about this. If you hate WhatsApp, then you’re not going to want your phone buzzing all weekend. If you’ll slow responding to email, then that might not be the best option. Set boundaries that work for you first and foremost.

Lastly, don’t forget about active learning opportunities! Providing activities that allow students to practice their language skills will not only help them retain what they’ve learned but also reinforce their interest in the subject matter at hand.

Learn how you can create a business teaching languages online

You have the ability to create an online business as a language teacher!

This isn’t something reserved for someone else. The accessibility of starting your own online business is better than ever. But I know it can still feel like lots of hurdles to cross.

In the Online Teaching Starter Kit, I support new and growing online language teachers like you to start, grow, and expand their online language teaching businesses.

Learn more now and enroll today to get started!